Just wondering....about "natural" keshis

[Caitlin]

Thank you.
So you are right Caitlin, it destroys the rarity of natural pearls to pass cultured pearls off as natural, because it causes naturals to get passed off as keshis.

There is another thread, very recent, but I can't remember the name of the thread, where the member went to two top auction houses in London. Both houses told her a beautiful strand would be worth the same amount whether natural or cultured! So for some reason, there is a big dip in prices for the naturals- sheesh- to be worth the same amount is stunning me......

 

[CLICLASP]

Per yer request Fair Lady...

First 2 photos: one of a group of Keshi, the second a group of naturals.

Then comparisons... keshis will always be on the left side (naturals to the right).

Thanks a lot Douglas,
That's utmost interesting seeing keshis and natural pearls in the same photo,
this time we can see that nature is not the most beautiful, but culture can be sometime ...

 

[lisa c]

Do you guys think the Keishi turned out better because they were started without any bad chemistry? I mean, the critters that initiated the natural pearls probably caused the bivalve distress by wiggling around and exuding death-chemicals, right? and the cultured pearls bivalve had rather benign treatment in comparison.

So, if that were a factor, then even the pedestrian pearl-producers (pedestrian referring to the bivalves, not the farmers!) might produce a beautiful pearl if cultured? Is that addressed in one of the videos?
I'd better watch the videos again.

 

[lisa c]

According to the article, each pearl takes approx 4 hours to scan and reconstruct! That sounds like a horrendously steep projected expense , no?