I purchased these pearls in Mindanao. Are they South Sea?

[Tullioz]

I recently purchased this necklace in Mindanao in the Southern Philippines. I was told by the place that I purchased them that they are cultured saltwater South Sea Pearls harvested in Palawan. They were purchased at a Pearl dealer in Davao City. The sizes range from 9.5 to 10.5mm. Since the people on this board seem very knowledgeable I decided to seek opinions from here. Do these appear to be the real thing? I tried to do the best I could with the pictures and I know it is probably difficult without actually physically inspecting them but thought I would ask. If the pictures are not enough to tell from, what should I look for to tell if they are? Thanks in advance.

 

[Cees]

What did you pay for these pearls?

 

[Tullioz]

What did you pay for these pearls?

14,400 php or around $335. That is the reason I am asking. Sounds too cheap for real South Sea pearls. However they were 40% off the original price of 24,000 php I was assured by the sales person that they were authentic and she told me the history about the supplier, but I do not remember all of the details, except that they came from Palawan.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

The first photo makes them look a bit eggy. My first guess would have been freshwater pearls but I am not an expert. That is a nice size for freshwater so I would still be happy with the strand.

 

[KarinK]

Hi,

They would be really small for South Sea Pearls, but a good size for being freshwater. I assume that they are gritty?

- Karin

 

[Tullioz]

The first photo makes them look a bit eggy. My first guess would have been freshwater pearls but I am not an expert. That is a nice size for freshwater so I would still be happy with the strand.

They are actually very round. The first picture is a bit blurred because of the distance it was taken. I was hoping that the close ups would help.

 

[Tullioz]

Hi,

They would be really small for South Sea Pearls, but a good size for being freshwater. I assume that they are gritty?

- Karin

This was actually the smallest size they offered in South Sea, and all I wanted to invest not knowing if they were real or not. The price almost doubled for each millimeter higher you went. For example these have an average size of 10.1mm, the next size they offered averaged 10.7mm and was almost $600. the 11 to 11.5mm was over $1,000. As for the surface, they are really smooth, however; when you rub to together they do produce the white chalky substance so I at least know they are real pearls. The rest is up for debate.

 

[Ramona]

They also look freshwater to me. But the price is reasonable.

 

[Marianne]

Welcome Tullioz,
Pretty pearls. My concern is the part about rubbing them together and production of white chalky substance. Pearls should not be producing powder unless it is residual from the drill holes and yours appear to be well knotted. If the powder is coming off the pearl surface, they could be over processed. (scary to buy from an unknown supplier). Hope that you will enjoy them.

 

[Tullioz]

Welcome Tullioz,
Pretty pearls. My concern is the part about rubbing them together and production of white chalky substance. Pearls should not be producing powder unless it is residual from the drill holes and yours appear to be well knotted. If the powder is coming off the pearl surface, they could be over processed. (scary to buy from an unknown supplier). Hope that you will enjoy them.

Thanks for the welcome.

I created the powder when I rubbed two pearls together by overlapping the strand. I had read online that this was a way to tell if pearls are real. Other than doing that there has been no other powder residue.

 

[jshepherd]

Unfortunately what you have there is a strand of Chinese freshwater pearls. The fortunate thing is that you got a pretty good deal for what they are.

 

[KarinK]

Thanks for the welcome.

I created the powder when I rubbed two pearls together by overlapping the strand. I had read online that this was a way to tell if pearls are real. Other than doing that there has been no other powder residue.

That sounds like a test that would ruin the pearls a bit. I wouldn't want to do it with any of mine. Feeling the grit carefully with my teeth or gently robbing two pearls together to feel the grit ought to do it. Don't you have to rub the pearls really hard to rub the nacra off?

- Karin

 

[Tullioz]

Unfortunately what you have there is a strand of Chinese freshwater pearls. The fortunate thing is that you got a pretty good deal for what they are.

This is what I was afraid of. I would expect this from one of the stalls downtown in one of the low end shopping areas, but these were purchased at a chain jewelry store at the newly opened Abreeza mall. Most of the stores there are high end compared to the other malls in the city.

 

[Nerida]

Yes it is a shame that you have been sold this strand as south seas - they are a pretty nice strand of freshwaters - nice and clean and reasonably round, and sold for a very good price. Just a little short on honesty!

Enjoy your pearls - they are lovely.
1

 

[Caitlin]

So many people say freshwater pearls are Tahitian or South Seas to unknowing people. They usually sell them for a freshwater price though, and that seems to be what happened here.

 

[pearlescence]

Hi Yes, some of the latest freshwater 'south sea whites' which I came across in Sept in HK and which look extraordinarily like ss even when put next to - though the types of surfaces marks are different as a bit of a clue.
(http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/24_75_81/products_id/3184)

 

[Tullioz]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my question. After everyone unanimously agreeing that these are most likely fresh water and not South Sea, I decided to call the store where they were purchased to see if perhaps they were mislabeled at the store. Once again I was reassured by the person on the phone that they are indeed South Sea. She told me that it is customary that whenever they open a store in a new location that they often have promos on certain pieces of jewelry. They have over 28 locations in the Philippines alone so I would not think they would purposely defraud a customer. I would name the chain, but not sure if that is appropriate on an online forum. She offered me a full refund of the price that I paid for the necklace plus 5% for my inconvenience and also allow me to charge the shipping to their account with DHL if I decided to do so. First off I was caught off guard by the level of customer service that they have and there effort to satisfy a customer! Especially a foreigner who in all likelihood would never return. I have to let them know my decision by Friday Philippine time so I don't have much time to decide to return them. So now my question is, do I send the necklace back or do I hold on to them and perhaps pay for an appraisal to verify exactly what I have? Or is it possible that they made such a generous offer in hopes that I would accept what they tell me, that they are South Sea, when in reality they probably aren't?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

...Or is it possible that they made such a generous offer in hopes that I would accept what they tell me, that they are South Sea, when in reality they probably aren't?

I think that is possible. They would not be the first chain that BS's unwitting customers. Why do you have to let them know so soon? Are you at the end of a 90 day return policy?

Jeremy is an expert-- he's been handling large quantities of pearls for many years now. He says they are freshwater. I would believe him, personally.

Bottom line-- if you have freshwaters-- are you satisfied? Do you like them enough that it wouldn't matter that they were not SS? Or did you really want south sea pearls?
Paying for an appraisal would just put you further in the hole-- if you are told you have FWP then would you be annoyed at not taking the refund? If you return them will you always wonder whether you sent back a bargain south sea strand? Given that businesses exist to make money, do you think it is more likely that you got a bargain SS strand or that the store was counting on the inexperience of tourists to make a sale? (Not forgetting that you paid a fair--in fact good-- price for a FW strand, if that is what it is.)

My advice: Go with your gut.

 

[Caitlin]

Top notch advice, Pearl Dreams!

 

[Cees]

When you visit the Greenhills pearl market in Manila, which is very interesting, you also will be told by the sellers there that the fresh water pearls are from the Philippines and come from Mindanao. But nobody is able to mention a lake in the Philippines where they are grown. Furthermore they want to believe that the South Sea pearls come from Mindanao also, which is not true either. This probably most sellers come from Mindanao and the history of growing pearls there is past. My last visit there in August made me realize that the golden pearls on sale there are very often enchanted. Knowing few sellers there I learned that they frequently go to Hong Kong to buy pearls, even white South Sea, and this is logical because most pearls from Palawan come from gold lipped Pinctada Maxima's. Few sellers even buy in Kobe. But rarely high quality pearls. You can there not buy South Sea pearls for Peso 14.400 a strand for sure. So the most likely outcome of the discussion of this nice strand of white pearls in a size famous for fresh water pearls that these are are fresh waters.