Halo Effect?

[knotty panda]

I'm sorry that I continually ask such silly questions, but again, I'm confused.

I purchased a strand that is baffling me (easy to do, I know). At dusk, orient is visible, but what is more prominent what is pictured here. Look for the blue center in the white pearl.

In my strand, every pearl has this interior single natural color but the colors are also pink, purple, green, and gold, as well as blue. They are not bead-nucleated and the interior natural color is different in each pearl.

Thanks!

 

[barbie biggs]

Those are gorgeous. I have the same problem. Orient vs overtone. I mean I have a gold pearl that has gold overtone, but I had it a year before I realized it also has green overtone! Caught it in the right light one day. But it doesn't have orient. I don't think.
On the other hand it's like you can look right into the edges. Sorry, sounds dumb I know. Water?
Maybe you have to look at em every day to get the hang of that.
barbie
Love your pearls girl!!

 

[SteveM]

Those are fascinating pearls.

We held some intensive discussions on these subjects in 2007/2008 with the primary result that such historically-significant terms as 'orient' became used a bit less frequently here at Pearl-Guide. But seeking definitions, in modern terms, proved difficult at best.

During the process I debated the more historical view of the Persian Gulf and South Seas that orient is the rarest of properties, defined as a halo or 3-D effect that might be seen only a handful of times in a lifetime, assuming constant exposure to the highest quality, authentic natural pearls. Nothing to do with iridescence.

Jeremy had the best advice (as usual) when warning that 'orient' is applied at will by the various regional pearling industries. Reason enough to avoid throwing it around loosely.

Water is indeed translucency, apparently the result of nacre deposition in the absence of conchiolin in all-nacre pearls. While also exceedingly rare, Caitlin posted her photos of natural pearls displayed by Dr. Stern in Tucson a couple of years ago that perfectly illustrated the phenomenon. Caitlin is a formidable historian on these matters and her carefully-timed and researched posts have been most welcome.

Overtone: Complexity and multi-dimensionality, for sure. Probably the best modern definition of 'orient' is Richard Wise's 'overtone with iridescence.'

Knotty, I see your dilemma, as your strand shows all of the above.

Look forward to reading further comments and expert opinions!

 

[knotty panda]

Thanks so much for all the help, guys! These aren't my strands, though. I selected this picture as it gives a good depiction of what I am seeing in the strand I have which I cannot seem to capture in a pic. In my strand, in addition to the blue color, I am also seeing pink, purple, green, and gold.

Halo-effect is a good term. I knew it wasn't a fish-eye I was seeing, but halo is very descriptive. A solid interior color of gold, pink, purple, green or blue surrounded by white.

I have always described orient as colors which appear on the surface of the pearl, resembling an oil-slick.

Overtone being a shading of color in the overall pearl. When compared to a stark white, a pearl might have a pinkish cast.

I remember Caitlin's water photo and my pearls exhibit that translucency when there is a strongly colored background under them.

I wish I was able to capture this effect in a photo. I'll keep working on that. The effect is not visible in sunlight and only partially visible indoors. Dusk really brings it out.

The reason I questioned if this was a water effect is I reasoned the pearl had to be translucent for the halo effect to appear.

 

[knotty panda]

This is what I'm seeing in my strand. A halo effect in a white pearl with a colored center. What causes the different colors?

 

[Pearlcat]

That picture really helps illustrate the halo effect. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Caitlin]

That certainly looks like water. I think a red background will really show how translucent they are, but the term "halo effect" is very descriptive.

 

[SteveM]

May we know who is producing/selling these pearls?

 

[knotty panda]

Of course. http://www.stachurawholesalegemstones.com/view/9/4848/
The four pearls above are half-drilled drops. I think after this discussion, I'm going to buy the keishi.

 

[SteveM]

I think after this discussion, I'm going to buy the keishi.

And leave the drops for the rest of us?

Very nice pearls, perhaps 'undertone' should be added to the lexicon?

I hope our CFW dealer experts will chime in soon here with their comments on the images.

PS Noticed the change of thread title, hadn't attempted that before (or was it Admin?).

 

[knotty panda]

The change in the title was Caitlin's expertise.

Undertone, interesting concept. I still don't know what causes the internal color. If the pearl color is influenced by the shell color, where does the white come from? Since, iridescence isn't a factor, what is it?

 

[Caitlin]

the only way I know how to change a title is by using the Admin tools, though the moderators can probably do it too.

I am absolutely willing to change one's personal titles, or if someone wants to change their registration name, just email or PM me with your requests.

 

[GemGeek]

The color nearest the edge is the body color and the center color is the overtone. At least that was what was taught in lab class. Beautiful pearls, all!

 

[Hanaleimom]

The color nearest the edge is the body color and the center color is the overtone. At least that was what was taught in lab class. Beautiful pearls, all!

Thank you. It makes sense now. I think I've got it reversed at certain times.

 

[knotty panda]

The color nearest the edge is the body color and the center color is the overtone.

Ok, riddle me this, Batman. I realize we're talking freshwaters here, but, is it the same with bead nucleated pearls where the nacre isn't of sufficient depth to create the halo effect? I have a strand (you knew I was going to say that, didn't ya!) of white SS pearls which have a decidedly golden cast when compared to a bright white piece of copy paper. (Only the highest technology will do for my experiments!) That's what I always thought overtone was. Are you saying, that golden color is still hiding underneath the body color regardless of the depth of nacre?

 

[GemGeek]

Ok, riddle me this, Batman. I realize we're talking freshwaters here, but, is it the same with bead nucleated pearls where the nacre isn't of sufficient depth to create the halo effect? I have a strand (you knew I was going to say that, didn't ya!) of white SS pearls which have a decidedly golden cast when compared to a bright white piece of copy paper. (Only the highest technology will do for my experiments!) That's what I always thought overtone was. Are you saying, that golden color is still hiding underneath the body color regardless of the depth of nacre?

I can't "see" what you are talking about, but the faint golden color should be the body color. Not all pearls have an overtone.

 

[knotty panda]

Ah, I see. My white pearls aren't white at all, they are slightly golden. But what I'm asking is, can there be a halo effect in a bead nucleated pearl? Or do you need that depth of nacre? Sorry for being so stupid.

 

[SteveM]

I do think depth of nacre is an essential element, and a primary reason the SS industry (read: Paspaley) minimizes iridescence as a factor in orient, given the potentially exceptional nacre depth of cultured pearls from P. Maxima.

I would go further to say that 'halo' as described by orient purists is not related to overtone (undertone?), rather is principally the 3D sense of a floating layer, as though viewing a planet from outer space with a surrounding atmosphere. Caitlin once posted an intriguing image from Dr. Stern that seemed to demonstrate this phenomenon (the only such example in my time here at Pearl-Guide).

 

[knotty panda]

Link, please. Thanks!

 

[SteveM]

Link, please. Thanks!

Here it is, a moderately well-read thread. The image was quite a tease, may even have been a precursor to Dr. Stern's Nautilus Pearl 'expos?', but as can be read from the posts my earnest requests for a whole pearl shot were never acknowledged.

Lighting and focus certainly bear huge consideration here as well.

Caitlin, how was the pearl presented to you when you were asked to size and post the image?