My first carved pearls

[ericw]

View attachment 53954View attachment 53955
My first carved pearls, just worked...
It's not a good joke to photograph this kind of subject ! Lightning, colours, a real problem to show by camera what see the eyes.
Well, now, I must spend more than a lot of money to buy good grades and round pearls...

 

[battah]

Fun! You carved them yourself? What kind of tools did you use?

 

[BWeaves]

Very cool!!! I can't wait to see what you do with even better pearls and more experience!!!

 

[ericw]

Thanks ! I use diamond tools, as to carve gemstones.
Just I am disappointed to see how the photographs are so much poor than the originals.

 

[ericw]

These pearls are really more brigthening than the photographs, but less than hight grades, sure.
I must find good quality with thick nacre, which are not automatically together, you can believe me...

 

[JerseyPearl]

Pearls are very difficult to capture on camera.
I love the odd shaped pearls the best...I think there are lots of round carved pearls out there, however, I have seen very few baroques (other than drops) that have been carved. Very unique!

 

[ericw]

I like baroque pearls, but difficult to carve because theirs shapes scramble the drawing. Applied on round pearls, it's more clear, as you can see on the little (8mm diameter and very low grade) tahitian drop.

 

[JerseyPearl]

Yes, I see what you mean, however, I really enjoy the unique character of your carved baroques. The one on the second photo, right side is really great. It is unexpected, and quite different than the round carved shape.

 

[pattye]

Ericw,

The baroque shapes are truly artistic and original! LOVE them! I can understand the appeal of rounds also. The contrast on the Tahitian isvery interesting.

 

[Cicadalady]

Great job! I, too, much prefer the baroques.

 

[ericw]

Well... THANK YOU FOR ALL !!
Yes, I love baroques too. It's why I have begun by working this kind of pearls.
The problem is also the nucleus, absolutly far-fetched, and the surprise to meet it at any moment, as I have often discovered it, sad.
Now, some baroques are very well looking to carve, but not bought on the net, but in China or over, to study theres one by one and make the right choice.
I must find a solution to that. Maybe a trustworthy seller I stand to find.

 

[GemGeek]

The photographs should benefit from a white background. Black can sap the life out of pearls in photographs.

As for your work, it is interesting, distinctive and beautiful.

 

[ericw]

Thanks for your compliment and your advise... I'm so sad not being able to well show my results. White background is better, and mirror ?
I have seen any photographs made on it, but maybe mirror is prefered just for round pearls ?

 

[asurazzy]

Ohhh wow! Was is difficult to carve pearls? Carbing something so tiny winy! My eyes would hurt. You must have a very steady hand. If its in the market btw what is carved pearl for? I mean...why people are carving pearls? To hide the blemishes and increased artistic value? Ive seen some in the markets..this is just a pure consumer question. Im not a pearl seller or an artist
.im just a consumer. Im not reallt into buying carved pearls...so wondering why a pearl will be carved? I mean its perfect the way it is.

 

[Marianne]

Eric, your pearl art is wonderful!

 

[amti]

I'm with JP and think the baroques are really cool.

 

[ericw]

Wonderful is the matter of a pearl, first... I have carved any gemstones, but nacre's pearl has so a special brigthness that it's really my artistic way I have discovered as a flash, later in my life. Now, it's time to work more and more to achieve the best.
Pearls are difficult to carve, more hard than natural aragonite, and very different hard between each. So, each pearl ask to be carved according to a way or an over... It's an hazardous game. A game of precise gesture : pearls are very small and variable matters, and you can't remove any nacre, of course the lost light, instead of a gemstone, after a mistake. A game of patience, also, because a speed deep carving loose any brightness in the nacre.
So, I don't like usual carved pearls, they seem as christmas baubles, I mean.
I will try to make better photographs...
My project is to show them as pieces of art, in galleries, and let the buyers to choise jeweller's assemby or not.

 

[pattye]

Ericw,

Thank you so much sharing your artistry and vision! From around the world we are cheering you on your journey!

 

[ericw]

So friendly !...

 

[asurazzy]

So thanks to this thread I was googling carved pearls. Maybe better to carve big pearls say like 20 to 30 mm fireballs or 15 mm tahitian or southsea. It will look more striking. Even found pics of tiny pearls carved into tiny winy skulls. How did they do that?? Its soo cute. Found something called Galatea carved pearls. These people insert colored gemstone beads to grow into pearls. Carved the nacre deep until they reveal the nucleus color. Pretty impressive. Now I peep into the world of caerved nacre thank to you Ericw. Maybe you should post a video on when you carve a pearl. I would definitely watch that. I mean how do u carve a pearl? Or is that a trade secret??