Multicolor Freshwater Bracelet

[Raisondetre]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=200065228935&rd=1&rd=1

My hand's a bit unsteady so the pearls look fuzzy. They're even more lustrous than PP's untreated freshwater, which kind of had me suspecting they're intensely polished or have undergone some other enhancement. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but I have not seen metallic freshwaters. Or maybe it's just the shape which reflects the light better. Very pleased with my purchase either way. Matches any one of the untreated freshwater baroques.

 

[imanit]

Very nice. They are exactly what I look for buying natural color pearls !! Lots of luster & shine !! and strong definite color with different tone reflections. Design is nice too.... Hmmmm, maybe I can do something similar from my "loot" of pearls purchased lately.. I still look at them every day, then put it aside, waiting for "inspiration".....

 

[knotty panda]

Raisondetre: I am totally impressed. I love it!

Caitlin: Click on Raisondetre's link. It's a Monsoon design and shows that great clasp/crimp (really isn't a crimp, I discovered) function. It's a tube. The thread is pulled up through the tube which is soldered to the clasp and the thread is knotted. Ta-da! Quick, easy, looks lovely. Their own design I gather from cruising their website.

Rai: I just love it. Gorgeous!

 

[Casey.R]

It's very pretty. The design is really simple and elegant.

Gosh, I've started having pearl lust really bad and want almost every pearl item I see!

 

[Raisondetre]

I've compared it with all three of my freeform baroques from PP and I think it is the shape that makes the difference. These are still more regular with minimal surface blemishing, so they appear more lustrous. It is also color dependent. The darker colors tend to show the luster better. The most irregularly shaped of my freeform baroques would be my peach strand and there is the odd pearl in it that shows the same almost metallic luster. It's all so pretty, and I'm very happy with the necklaces and the bracelet. Matches everything.

Will take better pics later today when I'm less sleepy.

 

[Casey.R]

have you seen the latest item on her site? Veeerrryyy nice! (and more than I can afford oh well )
http://cgi.ebay.com/GORGEOUS-EXOTIC...4369490QQihZ001QQcategoryZ86015QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Raisondetre]

Her stuff is to die for. Too bad I can only afford a bracelet or two a month. Still gotta hit my savings target before I spend. This month's purchase can only be made after June 27 when I get paid after I pay off my credit card. Sigh.

ETA: The bracelet I got is likely luster enhanced. But love it all the same. It was a bit steep considering the granulated gold, but the design is pretty and I guess that's all that matters. There are some on ebay that are similar ... if only I had time to bead. Cheap too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=120128357360&rd=1&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=120128689498&rd=1&rd=1

 

[Raisondetre]

A couple more pics - I think I found the perfect place to photograph my pearls. On the CD rack next to the window in indirect morning sunlight.

 

[Ingykiz]

Raisondetre,
I really like the colors in your pearl bracelet. What does "lustre enhanced" mean how can you tell? I have been looking at that ebay site, tempted to buy a similar item. Do you think they are all enhanced?
Now I am wary...

 

[Raisondetre]

I think it refers to treatments like maeshori, which makes use of temperature differences to tighten the nacre and produce a smoother surface with which to reflect and diffract light. Jeremy would be able to answer that better. I'm sure there are others, but as I'm in the industry I'm not privy to the details. As for how I could tell ... it was all thanks to Jeremy's untreated freshwater baroques. Now, those were exceptional in luster, rivally even freshadama, with amazing orient. But they were still not mirror-like. I have never seen freshwater pearls to have metallic luster. It's simply not possible without treatment. There are odd pearls here and there in the freeform baroques, but that is the exception, not the norm, and those look truly "organic". These, while lovely, are too uniform. It's either treated as a batch, or picked out from large amounts of pearls. While it's not cheap and the labor in China is abundant, it'd be hard to find someone who would do that just for a few strands. The profit margin is not high enough. Chinese typically go for quick money.

 

[Casey.R]

I think that it turns out nearly all freshwater pearls have a treatment to give them more luster. At least the bleached ones anyway. iIf I can find the post I'll paste it here.

 

[Casey.R]

There is something about it in this post.

Freshwater Barogue's - expensive?

I have been wanting a strand of Baroque's, large and chunky, white to off-white. Just how much is something like that and would it be difficult to get? Curious at this point.

www.pearl-guide.com