Natural or Cultured, I am so confused :(

[Pearl Dreams]

Right, the certificate has contradictory information that has the effect of being misleading.

On the one hand he calls them "100% natural pearls" (which means wild, not farmed, not cultured) and on the other hand he says they are "freshwater cultured pearls...from the pearl farms of China." They cannot be both. If they are natural, they cannot be farmed. If farmed, they cannot be natural.

He knows this, and is using the word "natural" as though it meant "genuine", but with pearls the two terms are not the same thing at all and it's misleading.

Because the bleaching and pinking of white pearls is standard, it is not something that is normally disclosed. (However if a pearl is dyed black, blue, yellow or any other color, then yes, that needs to be disclosed.) But to actually state that a pearl has "never been dyed or treated any way, shape or form" is also misleading to buyers, particularly since he also says they are "natural."

 

[Frost Me]

Luli, I love the look of high quality tissue nucleated cultured freshwater pearls. I have received fabulous pearl earrings as many have on this forum from Pearl Paradise, so I would highly recommend this vendor. If natural pearls are important, you might visit www.karipearls.com. I can't recommend, this vendor since I have never purchased, but I enjoy searching their site for education of these rare pearls, plus the prices. Yikes! Also, on the site, love the Pearly Blog, Historical Pearls, some really great reading!

 

[JerseyPearl]

From the Federal Trade Commission's website:

Pearls
You are required to tell consumers if the pearls you're selling are cultured or imitation. Your ads should not use the word pearl - by itself - unless the advertised product consists only of natural pearls. If the product contains cultured pearls, the word "cultured" or "cultivated" - or a synonym - should immediately precede the word pearl.

A statement that discloses only the type of cultured pearl you're selling - for example, freshwater, South Sea or Akoya pearls - does not comply with the requirement. Instead, say that the pearls are cultured: cultured freshwater pearls, South Sea cultured pearls or Akoya cultured pearls. If the product contains imitation pearls, use the word "artificial," "imitation," "simulated," or a synonym immediately preceding the word pearl.

Some black, bronze, gold, purple, blue and orange pearls, whether natural or cultured, occur that way naturally; others are dyed through various processes. You are required to tell consumers whether colored pearls are naturally colored, dyed or irradiated.

 

[JerseyPearl]

Also from the FTC's website:

Pearls
Pearls can be natural, cultured, or imitation.

Natural pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks.
Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with human intervention: an irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to grow.
Imitation pearls are man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials.
Natural pearls are very rare, so most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls usually are more expensive than imitation pearls. A cultured pearl’s value generally is based on its size, usually stated in millimeters, and the quality of its nacre coating, which gives it luster. Jewelers should tell you if the pearls are cultured or imitation.

Some pearls occur naturally in black, bronze, gold, purple, blue, and orange tints; others are dyed. Jewelers should tell you whether the colored pearls are naturally colored, dyed, or irradiated.

 

[Sea Urchin]

@Frost Me, on the other forum (although some of the "discussion" was deleted, lol) someone asked about his company and I answered them with my experience. Leon showed up to argue with me although it was obviously customers discussing their experiences with various pearl companies amongst themselves.

He told me he was not affiliated with one of his (formerly his parents' company and passed down to him, from what I'm told) companies that I had trouble with, Laguna Pearls. When I pointed out that his last name was indeed publicly listed as owning that business, he then changed his story to that it was "none of my business" if he did or did not own that company. He does not seem to want to people to know which are and are not "his" businesses, so I really don't know.

If I have that company name wrong will someone please correct me? I would hate to say the wrong company name.

 

[pearlescence]

In the UK we have companies house which lists who are the directors of any limited company registered in the UK..is there any equivalent over there so you can see who owns/runs a company?

 

[Tucs]

I think it's great the OP posted the "certificate" because it's one thing to hear rumors and another thing to have this kind of things posted in a forum for all to see. I'm sure lots of people who may google "The Pearl Source" will find this thread.

 

[JerseyPearl]

In my opinion, the regulations are quite clear on how all pearls are to be labeled. These clearly have not been labeled according to the law. If it were me, I'd file a complaint with the FTC. As consumers, this federal agency is here for our protection. Whether or not this particular vendor is honest or dishonest really is irrelevant...the bottom line is that these pearls are being represented as something they are not.

 

[bluidragon]

OMG! After reading this I am almost sick. At christmas I was tempted to buy from them.... When I mentioned I am a member of Pearl Guide Forum, I got an Ear full.... I begged off.