Just bought from an auction, south sea?

[pearliegirlie]

They are set in platinum, with a diamond chip above each pearl.

 

[pearliegirlie]

They are set in platinum, with a diamond chip above each pearl. View attachment 68758View attachment 68757View attachment 68756View attachment 68755View attachment 68759

I forgot to mention, they are 12mm, ivory white. Tia.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

If it's actually a platinum setting, then probably. FWP are less likely to have been set in platinum. But from the appearance of the pearls alone they could be FWP or SSP.

When you get them, you could have the metal tested.

 

[pearliegirlie]

It did test as platinum.

 

[pearliegirlie]

It did test as platinum.

Is there a way to be sure?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

To be sure it's platinum? I don't know any more about the testing of platinum than what I can google online.

As to the pearls, they are too large and rounded to be SS keshi (which would lack a bead nucleus.) Regular, non-keshi cultured SSP would have a bead nucleus, so if on X-ray the pearls are shown to contain no bead nucleus, or if the bead nucleus has 2 drill holes instead of 1, then they are freshwater.

I'd love to see a larger photo of the pearls against a white background, without flash.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Platinum can be tested with a streak test. In a pinch, the acid solution for 22k gold can be used but there are also specific reagents to identify platinum.

 

[pearliegirlie]

It tested platinum, so I'm sure of that. Its the pearls that I'm unsure of, here is a photo with no flash, on a white background. Thank you all so much for taking the time to help.

 

[pearliegirlie]

To be sure it's platinum? I don't know any more about the testing of platinum than what I can google online.

As to the pearls, they are too large and rounded to be SS keshi (which would lack a bead nucleus.) Regular, non-keshi cultured SSP would have a bead nucleus, so if on X-ray the pearls are shown to contain no bead nucleus, or if the bead nucleus has 2 drill holes instead of 1, then they are freshwater.

I'd love to see a larger photo of the pearls against a white background, without flash.

Do bead nucleus' have drill holes? I'm a bit confused by that.

 

[pearliegirlie]

I held them up to a bright light and thought I saw a round shadow in the middle, but now I'm not sure.
When you say two drill holes, Pearl dreams, do you mean through the pearls themselves?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Yes, a drill hole in the bead itself. The bead is pre-drilled before grafting, and a bit of mantle tissue inserted, then it is placed into the FW mussel's gonad. Later after the pearl is harvested, the pearl is (eventually) fully-drilled for stringing or half-drilled for pendants, rings, earrings.

This article by Pacific Pearls describes the process and you can see an Xray image of the drill holes:
https://shop.pacificpearls.us/blogs...3233-in-body-bead-nucleated-freshwater-pearls

The reason I wished to see a photo of the earrings on a white background is to see the luster and the shape, how well matched they are. It is harder to match SSP than FWP, which are more abundant.

The luster is not what I expected to see in SSP and they seem to be quite well matched. The color is also such that they could be either FWP or SSP, and if FWP they could be mantle tissue-only--no bead inside-- given their shape. But they are real cultured pearls.

If you like them, wear and enjoy them and don't worry too much about what kind of pearl they are. If you don't like them, return them, if that is an option.

 

[pearliegirlie]

I do like them very much, I was just curious because no information about the pearls was given. Are freshwater pearls ever set in platinum?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Platinum being a luxury setting, I'd expect SSP rather than FWP more often, but anything is possible.

 

[pearliegirlie]

I should mention that these pearls are not as yellow as the photo makes it appear. They are cream colored with pink orient. Not sure if that matters.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Not really...FWP are often that color, too. As are many SSP.

Bottom line is that I can't answer definitively what kind of pearls they are. Now, if I hailed from the planet Krypton and had X-ray vision....

 

[pearliegirlie]

Lol, I hear ya Pearl dreams