Fun with color palettes!

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I have been working with color palettes as an aid to identification of pearls. In another thread a few weeks ago, I used this method to compare my pearls to a new member's collection.

I'll give a brief introduction to my methods then we'll put them to the test with a fun little quiz.

First we'll start with an image of pearls. I'll use some of my naturals. It's very important your image has the proper exposure. Balanced light and critical focus.
It's best to use an image of a group of pearls, afterall many pearls of the same species have subtle differences and we are seeking an overall representation.



Next, using you paint program, open a new image. Using the rectangle select tool, cut and paste pieces to the new image. Avoid backgrounds, long shadows, other objects etc. You will end up with a mosaic looking something like this.



Then in your color menu, decrease color depth to 256.



This will automatically generate a color palette. Select Edit Palette.



Pressing ALT + Print Screen will copy the window to the clipboard so you can paste it to a new image.



There are a few things to consider when we interpret this data. As you can see on the bottom line, there are white squares. Of course a pearl isn't perfectly white, but reflected light is. Although not a color, this helps us guage the luster of pearls. Likewise, no pearl is truly jet black, but darker colors in shadow are.

What we have left are colors that accurately represent the depth and overtones of this species of pearls. Different pearls have different color features, but they are clearly revealed and distinguished from one another.

Try it yourself! Use your personal pearls or images of your favorites.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Okay now it's time for the quiz! I'll give the answers in a day or so.

I have posted eight color palettes of the following:

Tahitian Peacocks
Kasumi Pearls
Dyed (Black) Akoyas
South Sea (Gold and Silver 50/50 mix)
Sea of Cortez (P. Sterna)
Edison Pearls (Mixed)
Mikimoto Akoya Pearls
Chinese Freshwater Pearls (Mixed)


Match the pearls with the image numbers below.

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

Image 7

Image 8

 

[lisa c]

Morning, Dave! Thanks for this wonderful opportunity for a PearlScienceClass! Awesome contribution!!

Oh, man, coffee hasn't kicked in yet, but I'm guessing anyway, think 7 is sea of cortez, 4 is dyed black akoyas, 8 Kasumis? 6 -gold and silver SS mixed?

(Caffeine, please work faster)

 

[lisa c]

Also, if this is seminal work that leads to a publication, you're OK, because internet documentation has legal weight. Attorneys here, is that called probative value?

Still, make a note on your calendar or somewhere personal, that you posted it now, so you don't have to dig through mountains of posts years down the road.
Sorry, you probably know all this already, I'm just very excited...

 

[lisa c]

This is a 5-star thread for sure, and will prob show up in Strack one day, and GIA.

 

[Amrita]

This is so cool, Dave! I am rather confused, I have to admit....

However, here's my go at it:

Image 1: Kasumi Pearls
Image 2: Sea of Cortez
Image 3: Mikimoto Akoyas
Image 4: Dyed black Akoyas
Image 5: Mixed Freshwater
Image 6: South Sea (golden and silver 50:50)
Image 7: Tahitian Peacocks
Image 8: Mixed Edisons

What does the winner get?

 

[pattye]

Dave, totally fascinating! Will you please show us the photos you worked from to get the color palettes? Did you use Japanese Kasumi?

Well, I'm taking a wild guess at these:
1. Edisons
2. Tahitian Peacock
3. Miki Akoya
4. Dyed Akoya
5. Kasumi
6. South Sea
7. Sea of Cortez
8. Chinese fw

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Will you please show us the photos you worked from to get the color palettes? Did you use Japanese Kasumi?

I used HQ images from some notable websites and will repost the mosaics. And yes, Kasumi were genuine Japanese samples.

 

[GemGeek]

Very interesting.

 

[pattye]

Darn, I guess I don't have a paint program. I really wanted to try this. Maybe I can figure something out~

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

http://www.gimp.org/downloads/

I've never used GIMP before, but know several who do. It's free!

 

[Caitlin]

Since my list is a bit different I will post it- with the caveat that I am not a professional and most everything I have learned about pearls has been from here or leads from here. I am not GIA trained, It's P-G, Strack, and some personal observations at the Gem show. The edisons as * because that is the purple I saw in the latest Edison strands.

but I think number 1 is the only with the range of golds to be the SS. I think 6 is freshwaters, because they have a lot of peaches and they are not as dark (at least as purple) as we want them to be.

South Sea (Gold & Silver 50/50)-1
Tahitian Peacocks-2
Mikimoto Akoya Pearls-3
Dyed (Black) Akoyas -4
Kasumi Pearls-5
Chinese Freshwater Pearls (Mixed)-6
Sea of Cortez (P. Sterna)-7
Edison Pearls (Mixed)-8

ok, I am ready to duck....

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

The results.

The results.

Thank you everyone! Your responses have been as much of an experiment as the palettes themselves.

It's by no means a scientific method insomuch as a guide. Selecting the images and creating the mosaics is a subjective measure, but for as many times as I've replicated this using multiple images, the end results are quite similar.

I think number 1 is the only with the range of golds to be the SS.

Image 2: Sea of Cortez

Mikimoto Akoyas. Everyone got his correct!



Dyed (Black) Akoyas. Again, everyone got these right!



These are Edison Pearls. Although nobody got it right, it was a bit of a trick question to how everyone sees premium freshwater pearls.

I think 6 is freshwaters, because they have a lot of peaches and they are not as dark (at least as purple) as we want them to be.

Image 7: Tahitian Peacocks

These are Kasumi Pearls.



Photo credits: Pearl Paradise, Cortez Pearls, Lombok South Sea, Kamoka and a couple other PD fair use images.

 

[pattye]

Very interesting, Dave, thanks! Still hope to try it with photos of my own, especially Cortez pearls(I have some strands and mabes, much lighter than the shell. Maybe this weekend.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Though not part of the quiz, these natural pearls from P-G contributor lolperle of his P. maculata merits mention.

 

[Amrita]

That was fun and educative! Thanks so much, Dave!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

That was fun and educative! Thanks so much, Dave!

Good eye Amrita, distinguishing the SoC from the Tahitans!

P. Sterna definitely earned the name Rainbow Lip Oyster, having a broader range of color temperature and frequency.

Certainly why they're my personal favorites from saltwater. Likewise, the same reason why Kasumi are my preference from freshwater.

Caitlin's explanations nailed FWPs and SS.

 

[lisa c]

Ha! I got the Kasumis, I've had my fingers crossed all day for that one. I thought for sure you'd sampled some of Sarah's, though...did you?

Bombed on the rest, so sadly slinking away. (Except for dyed blacks, which everybody got!)

You're right that it's as much about how we perceive vs what IS. I always perceive Sea of Cortez pearls as subdued in comparison with Tahitians. Maybe that's because the Tahitians photograph better?? (Picture Diva Tahitians, dancing around and flirting with the camera like M&Ms or Raisins)

Thanks for a really cool tutorial!

 

[Katbran]

That was fun ! I got the Kasumi and Edisons reversed but got the others right. I thought the Edisons would be the brighter shades..but then .. I've never seen a real Kasumi before...now I'd like to lol

 

[pattye]

Good for you, Katbran!