Opinions on Pearl (is this real)

[iggy]

So anyway I want to pick up a item that is part of a forced estate slale. I think its a Melo pearl but don't really know what I'm doing.

So is it real and what would be a price on such a item ?

Total weight of the item is 24 grams and is set with approx 1 ct of diamonds and a 'pearl'

 

[pattye]

Hi Iggy,

This looks like a Melo to me, but I'm no expert on natural pearls. No idea of value either. Love the berry or fruit design. No way to evaluate the quality of the diamonds from the photo. Are you able to examine the piece in person and with a loupe?

 

[iggy]

It will not be possible to view it up that close, but I will be able to view it behind glass

It's in a sale by the local goverment (usually stuff from dead people or taks debts) and usually doesnt attract many buyers for articles like this so it migh be worth a gamble to me. I also quite like the design of the piece, how would you rate the workmanship on it ?

To compare size here a pic of a ring with a diameter of 20mm on the perspex stand:

 

[Caitlin]

It looks real, but I have no idea what you should bid on it. Since the diamonds are unable to be viewed up close, assume they are of less than average value because you are taking a risk. How do bids usually go in a sale like that? Sound like 'storage wars', or something like that.

I just though t of something, if you can figure out the amount of gold in there, bet that, with a bit added on for the unidentified gems.

 

[GemGeek]

I would bet it's real, but you can't see if it has been "worked". Sometimes the shell is carved to look like a melo pearl, but this looks real from a distance. Good luck.

 

[iggy]

Bidding is done mostly by gold buyers (who break up the pieces) and the occasional person looking for a Rolex. So not really the people looking or willing to spend money for the finer things, and this piece stood out to me as something finer than the run of mill gold chain or giant watch that overdosed on diamonds.

Brooches are one of the most unpopular items at these sales in my country so I'm kind of hoping it will not get noticed (asking questions on a forum might not be the best way to start )

Caclating by gold content I find a bit difficult. I gave it a try calulating by the fotos so here goes:

The ring diameter is 20mm this corrsponds to 61mm on my screen

The perspex blok is 156mm on screen so (156/61) x 20= 50mm wide (my calulation says 51 but i'll just presume its 50)

The pearl on screen has a diameter of 43mm is sitting in front of a block that we know is 50mm in reality.

The block on the image is 92mm wide so 50/92= 0,543mm for every mm on screen gives 0,543 x 43= 23,3 mm in diamiter (at its widest horizontal point)?

 

[Caitlin]

LOL. You got me. Well, figure it out as close as you can, esp since that is what others will do, plus that little extra. Good luck.

 

[iggy]

Like I said I don't really know what I'm doing

The sale is in 2 weeks time and I will try to get a close look at the item at the veiwing and mabye take some pictures if possible because our local .gov seems to hire village idiots to take the pictures of the items (lighting is really bad)

 

[sinju]

It will not be possible to view it up that close, but I will be able to view it behind glass

It's in a sale by the local goverment (usually stuff from dead people or taks debts) and usually doesnt attract many buyers for articles like this so it migh be worth a gamble to me. I also quite like the design of the piece, how would you rate the workmanship on it ?

To compare size here a pic of a ring with a diameter of 20mm on the perspex stand:

View attachment 22207

for this white one in my opinion if the Natural pearl have no eyes on it, price around US$300-US$500 per Karats, you can find some seller on Natural pearl on net to compare, i would like to tell but not sure the admin can accept it.

 

[iggy]

I was not really going for that lot it was more for a size comparison as the ring size is listed.

Thanks for the info though, I'll make sure I list the end prices after bidding

 

[vroom]

Nope no nothing there at all. Now where did you say this auctuion was?

LOL

Seriously within the limits of the image it sure looks like a melo melo, but I am not sure about the weight. I would think a melo melo of that size (guessing 23 mm x 23 mm) would wiegh quite a bit more.

 

[iggy]

Well I was able to handle the Peice. Stupid thing was I didnt have anything on me that could take pictures or measure the thing. To me at least it looked like a Melo and had a nice structure that not visible on the crappy pic.

Other observations were that it seemed very heavy, I think 80 to 90% of weight of the peice would be the Melo and really has a nice pocelain surfce structure (stupid question do they break as easily if they get dropped ?)

Anyway did not make the buy as I felt the reserve was to high and there were no other buyers so it will be offered again at a presumably lower reserve.

I did see a other item that wasnt listed. A conch Pearl gold and diamond brooch dated to 1925 seemed pretty nice

 

[MrsD]

The conch and melo are both very beautiful pieces, good luck!

 

[Caitlin]

Wow. Like Storage Wars on tv or something . What fascinating jewelry items. thanks for keeping us up on your progress and findings!

 

[pattye]

iggy,

What fun just seeing these pieces in person! A very lovely design on this brooch.

 

[iggy]

Well Caitlin al I can say is Yuuuup But not really this time just had a bunch of more interesting lots, mostly its just 'junk' gold and nothing refined (last auction also included a gold chain weighing 440 grams and if wearing almost 1/2 kg of gold around your neck wasnt a big enough statement the whole thing was covered with very small diamonds). This time though there must have been a pearl lover because melo and conch Pearls are not common at all here.

The pics of the peices really dont do them justice, the Pearls look very flat and faded. For instance the structure on the Conch is almost not visible (tiny bit in one of the pics).

If everything proceeds to plan I'll try and get some good pics in the first weeks of May but is was already a cool expericence to handle the Melo.

 

[iggy]

Wel I got a chance to make a proper appointmnet to vieuw/handle them in person, best of all was that I was able to take some pics and do some measuring

I'm quite confident the Melo is real but if anybody here had doubts please let me know. Those melo Pearls are really intresting things to handle and look at and I'm beginning to understand why people get so facinated by them.

The Melo pearl was 21mm wide and and 25mm high (stupidly forgot to get a cross section). The room was badly lit but I did my best to snap a picuture



The Peice with the conch peals was quite small but very nicely done, the pearl was 12mm in hight and 9mm wide.

 

[pattye]

Iggy,

Wow, Great work on the photos! These are lovely pieces! I've had little experience with Melo in real life, but it certainly looks real to me. I love the shape of the Melo and gold granulation on the leaves. The conch is exquisite also. Both designers did amazing work featuring these 2 pearls.

 

[Dizzie]

Those are two truly beautiful pieces. Did you end up bidding for any of them?

 

[Caitlin]

I think they are both real. if not, they are fabulous imitations!