I just finished reading the article on detection of dye treatments. Interesting, thank you!
My takeaway is the obvious one that it's best to buy from vendors one trusts! While tests can be performed that detect dye, most of us are unlikely to avail ourselves of them.
I just finished reading the article on detection of dye treatments. Interesting, thank you!
My takeaway is the obvious one that it's best to buy from vendors one trusts! While tests can be performed that detect dye, most of us are unlikely to avail ourselves of them.
It's easier to see treatment when strands are together. Whether ss or bead nuked fresh they have what i all a ear wax sort of look. En masse they look tinged with a brown tinge. It is much harder to pick this up in a strand on its own
(This pic inside a showroom vault is from Hong Kong buying trip last september. It's pretty clear which are the dyed here. In his defence the wholesaler wrinkled his nose but said that some buyers want them)
Thanks for the photo pearlescence. The problem with Greenhills is a lot of sellers would make strands from loose undrilled pearls! Also, many enhanced pearls have good color, with the same as the 1st 3 on the left.
Anyway I suspect bottom 2nd from left and top 2nd from right have good chances of natural color due to difference of colors in the lots and 3rd top right as well due to the light yellow coloration which is quite common....
Ok so I went back today and got some near 13-14.5mm rounds/rounds WSSP strand with grayish/bluish overtones and some loose pearls -pinkish champagnes I suspect are from Myanmar, a greenish white gray Tahitian, and a golden pearl. I chose clean surface 1,2, 3 pits with very high luster. But the pearls I got are 13+mm - 15+mm, and usually high luster goes with a "hammered" surface due to thick nacre....I wanted 16mm-19mm but they are mostly dull or if with nice luster, there are too many pits or pits far apart.
Anyway, I took more photos!
With regard to the treatment of goldens, here's a sample. The last two bottom left are two loose pearls of champagne color but are enhanced as disclosed by the seller. I turned one of the gold pearls so you can see the dye concentration:
I mentioned a while back that I was considering whether to buy the Jewelmer strand or the Greenhills strand. Here's the strand I was considering. I posted the photo as well at the Jewelmer thread. The surface of the ovals are clean, color is natural but side by side with the Jewelmer baroque, I passed on it.
Holy Moly ! You have made some great buys!! And that big Tahitian looks a lovely colour ... so often the big ones are just uninspired in their colour even though they might have a decent lustre. And those golds !!!--- love the shot with the dyed pearl turn towards us...certainly explains what people are talking about when they mention the dye concentrating on the drill hole !
Once again..thanks for the photos !! So interesting !!
Holy Moly ! You have made some great buys!! And that big Tahitian looks a lovely colour ... so often the big ones are just uninspired in their colour even though they might have a decent lustre. And those golds !!!--- love the shot with the dyed pearl turn towards us...certainly explains what people are talking about when they mention the dye concentrating on the drill hole !
Once again..thanks for the photos !! So interesting !!
