My new "old" natural pearl earrings ! before and after photos

[FrenchPearl]

Hell all,

I'm pleased to introduce my new "old" pearl earrings ! "New" because, I just got them and they were custom designed; "old" because the pearls come from a lot I got on ebay (sold as beads !!) probably from the 60's.
* The golden beige one (0.9X0.8) has a nice luster but with nacre only on the top
* The blue silverish one (0.8X0.8) has a low luster but very pretty

It took me a while to decide to use them as jewelry, and I could not bear the idea of having them drilled. So the jeweler found a clever way to glue them with epoxy glue on small cups. I know there is a risk here, but I plan to get them checked regularly.

The blemish or flat bottom are hidden, and the best side is front and center. (see before and after pictures).
The little one pearls are 3.5 mm and cultured (I wish I had choose a little bigger though). They have a great swing from side to side, and I really enjoy wearing them !

The only thing that I'm not completely happy with is that I did not realize that my earlobes were not perpendicular to my face (duhhh) , so they are actually a little side way. I wonder if larger posts behind my earlobes would help to get them be more "straight" ??

Also, I have no idea what kind of natural pearls they are. Any one here to venture a guess ?

Warmly
Sophie

 

[maiakity]

What a great idea!!! I love the design of these earrings, very clever way to set them! They look great on you, not-quite-straight or not

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I think the small pearls are a nice balance. They don't overshadow and take anything away from the larger, which I gather is what you're trying to showcase. You could also replace them with smaller naturals in the future and upgrade the set considerably.

As to origin. A difficult question. The silver gray pearl presents with pockets of conchiolin which is usually a saltwater feature. Although most species can produce pearls of varying color, the silver gray has an appearance of P. Sterna.

The other is more difficult from these images. It's somewhat over mature, but I'm seeing features common to both salt and fresh water resources. I realize that's not much help, but sometimes pearls are mysterious and that feature is nice nonetheless.

 

[Joanie]

I like the shape of the earrings. Good job.

 

[lisa c]

Try attaching the dangle with an additional jump ring or two? or take a headpin/wire fashion a loop at the top and a loop immediately below in a figure8 and bend the bottom loop to whatever degree keeps your dangle facing the way you want. Shouldn't that change the angle? See what your jeweler thinks will fix the angle? But frankly? Unless they really bother you, why bother? I think they look great on you.

Intriguing pearls, pretty ears! and that's my favorite look, a dangle beneath a pearl stud or button!

 

[GemGeek]

This is one of those things that the ear patches, Lobe Wonder, can help with. You aim the earring post the direction you want it to face through the patch, even over-correcting, and it helps them to face forward. I have one ear hole that faces forward and one that faces away and I do this a lot.

 

[mausketeer]

Wow, those are lovely! Yeah, they totally look like Cortez pearls don't they? The seller thought they were beads? Lol. Gosh, I love Ebay!

Jodie

 

[lisa c]

I thought Cortez pearls, too, but I'm a chicken-heart.

Maybe give them the UV light in a darkroom test?

 

[pattye]

Great idea, French Pearl, flirty earrings! I agree the larger earring backs or lobe wonder will help with the positioning.

 

[hbyrne]

Superb...I really like the idea of non-matching becoming matching through introducing a strong design element...and also, as always, I love the meeting of straight and curved. Real beauties!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Here's a couple of palettes from this image.

https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26147&stc=1&d=1384812293

 

[KarinK]

I don't think you need to worry about them falling off. When pearls are drilled and glued to a post the surface covered in glue is much smaller.

- Karin

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Looks to me like they hang just right. If they hung perpendicular to your face, people facing you would only see them sideways (and so would you when looking in a mirror.)

 

[lisa c]

Thanks Dave! Do the numbers support untreated?

(I feel I should have a screen always open to your pallette pages. That would be cool)

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

The blue is 20538 colors.
The gold is 21312 colors.

That's high considering the other samples. The dyed were 8447, Tahitian 14335.

Interestingly, the P. Sterna shell count is 21097 unique colors.

So yes Lisa, it supports untreated. It supports P. sterna.

Until I see candles or x-ray I'm not sure about natural.

 

[lisa c]

Dave, did you get chills? This is Science! man.

I wasn't prodding you for a natural vs cultured statement, but I was definitely looking for the numbers confirmation. Yea!

Also, thanks for the reminder that without provenance we can only say what critter grew it, not its geographical origin.

 

[FrenchPearl]

Thank you all for your posts and comments. What an awesome and diverse community !!
First, I should say that the pearls are far from being gem quality, but they are intriguing each in their own way
* the blue silver is cloudy and patchy, but it takes light beautifully, and the color is always different. There is a metallic quality to it.
* the gold beige is 2 tones in the sense that the top is shinny, but the rest of the pearl is mate. it's the same color, but as if only the top had a coat of varnish.

I should also say that my initial measurements were completely off. I don't have a caliper (?), but they are more likely 0.9X0.8 and 0.8X0.8 mm

* About straight / not quite straight
Whoever invented the earlobe patch is a genious ! It's on my to buy list ! if not working, I'll show Lisac suggestion to my jeweler

* About design

I've always like mismatch. My favorite pair of earrings is a dangle one with an amethyst, one with a blue topaz http://us.bulgari.com/productDetail.jsp?prod=OR854508
they work great together ! (even better with the necklace that tied the whole with both gems
And I like either really simple to showcase the pearls or completely over the top

* About origin
@Dave : thank for very much for your thoughtful responses. Great to hear that the blue silver one could be a P. Sterna. I'll take better picture of the Gold beige one in case you can venture a guess based on a close up. The current pictures were taken with my iphone, in the street as I was getting out of the jeweler store. There was a ray of light , and I snapped it !

I decided for cultured pearls on the top, because I don't think the 2 pearls are very valuable. However, I'm surprised on how well this project turned out, so it's probably worth upgrading the little ones to natural. I'm thinking small pipis from loloperle. Any suggestions for sources for a pair a small pearls are welcome.

And thanks for the pallettes pic. It's super cool ! The similar number of colors between my pearl and the P. Sterna shell is quite interesting...
I've given up on the candling. I don't have the right material for it (pocket led light, vodka tumbler, and Gap gift box does not make it . I can buy a UV lamp to test fluorescence, but it will be just another "it supports the assumption" and I don't think they are worth sending for x-ray certification.

Stay tuned for close up picture of the golden pearls
Again, thank you all !!
Warm Regards
Sophie

 

[FrenchPearl]

I'll take better picture of the Gold beige one in case you can venture a guess based on a close up. The current pictures were taken with my iphone, in the street as I was getting out of the jeweler store.

Here are the new pictures. pretty dark with natural lights, but those are the 3 that show best the 2 tones colors, and where the layer of nacre stops + the blemishes in case they help identification

 

[lisa c]

Vodka tumbler! Provokes funny visions and suggests good coping skills. XO

 

[theseventhsphinx]

Great geometric design on these!