P. Maculata + P. Maxima: Once and for all.

FedEx confirms parcel delivery to our office in Seattle today. How frustrating to be currently on a train from New York to Philadelphia! On confirming arrival to Budi, he immediately answers saying that he is at this very moment in the same rest stop in Probolinggo, on his way to ship a pearl to a Hong Kong collector?
 
smetzler said:
(Shades of OK Corral…)
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Just spoke one last time with my dentist between patients.

The shooting begins Friday at High Noon (PDT).
 
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smetzler said:
An even more striking 28ct Platinum baroque had been previously purchased, purportedly by Kari Pearls, well known to many Pearl-Guide members.
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I believe that pearl is still for sale. BTW, the white-gold ring in the lower right hand corner of that page is mine :).
 
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This is the one.
 

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Yours will be a better fit for its intended purpose.
 
DrTKStern said:
Even then, the labs may disagree on a pearl, with one saying Natural, and a second equally authoritative lab saying Non Bead Nucleated.
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Would you say this is because of limited sampling (or some other technical failure), or because there isn't allot of material difference to chase after?
 
Not to speak for Dr. Tom, but I've found the equipment isn't sensitive enough to draw a definitive conclusion and interpretation is left up to the assesser resulting in an educated guess as the best conclusion.
 
knotty panda said:
Not to speak for Dr. Tom, but I've found the equipment isn't sensitive enough to draw a definitive conclusion and interpretation is left up to the assesser resulting in an educated guess as the best conclusion.
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This goes to my question whether it would be wisest to seek certification of the loose pearl, or simply set it as planned (for aesthetic reasons) and present the necklace as a fait accompli with documentation from the jeweler/designer attesting to provenance for fell swoop certification of Poe Io Mata Nui as a natural pearl piece. That is after all the desired final result. Would save time, money too.

Hopefully we've got a non-beaded pearl to submit, hope to find out tomorrow.
 
I thought you resolved that question as you might decide not to drill it once you received certification. Or was that just a thinking out loud kind of thought and not serious. Saving money? Pray tell, how much, percentage-wise on what you have already spent, will you be saving by submitting it once and not twice? Obviously a rhetorical question. I don't really want an answer. What I'm saying is, you're obsessing! Trust your instincts. Then sit back and enjoy the journey of this one-of-a-kind treasure!
 
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I think the wait for the evaluation factors in to the decision. It's hard to let go of something for a couple of months. ;)
 
smetzler said:
This goes to my question whether it would be wisest to seek certification of the loose pearl, or ... present the necklace as a fait accompli with documentation from the jeweler/designer attesting to provenance...
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Your guess is as good as mine.

However, the necklace may not need to be taken apart for certification if some 'paper' is required in the future (THIS).
 
knotty panda said:
I thought you resolved that question as you might decide not to drill it once you received certification.
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The pearl will be set, as the coincidence of its size, shape and color matching such a pearl of my dreams is too great. Unlike our Nagasari Tree Pearl, it will not sleep in a drawer!

knotty panda said:
Then sit back and enjoy the journey.
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The very point of this thread?
 
knotty panda said:
Not to speak for Dr. Tom, but I've found the equipment isn't sensitive enough to draw a definitive conclusion and interpretation is left up to the assessor resulting in an educated guess as the best conclusion.
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Point taken!

I have been looking over all sorts of research related to pearls recently trying to answer a question close to what you are saying: how much detail is used / needed for pearl identification, and what is 'enough' for a positive ID (meaning, an investigation blind to sources and circumstances). So far, it seems that very detailed imaging is possible, but has little to do with the concerns of this thread and as such invite some creative interpretation (=corespondence). The overview seems fascinating at this point, but 'armchair' literature reviews have a way of slipping towards the bottom of the pile every now and then...
 
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I'd have the pearl tested and here's why.... Although, a lab's opinion of whether the pearl is natural or a cultured keshi might be questionable, a lab report will tell you if the pearl is bead nucleated and if the color has been treated in any way. In my opinion, these issues are important. If I remember correctly, you already have a SS pearl in the necklace, why would you replace it with another bead nucleated pearl (incase it happens to be). The lab report will also specify if it's saltwater or freshwater.

Based on my experience, dentists' x-rays of pearls are generally not reliable.


Gail
 
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Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for. As this will likely be a unique experience for us, with our 'dream pearl', wouldn't want to screw it up.

The valuation of the piece would certainly go down if the new pearl is not certified natural. On the other hand the SS drop would remain in our possession as a pendant, so the 'net worth' of our collection would be retained should the new pearl be set for purely aesthetic reasons. We would prefer a smaller and slightly creamier symmetrical drop in that setting.
Pearlgully said:
I'd have the pearl tested and here's why.... Although, a lab's opinion of whether the pearl is natural or a cultured keshi might be questionable, a lab report will tell you if the pearl is bead nucleated and if the color has been treated in any way. In my opinion, these issues are important. If I remember correctly, you already have a SS pearl in the necklace, why would you replace it with another bead nucleated pearl (incase it happens to be). The lab report will also specify if it's saltwater or freshwater.

Based on my experience, dentists' x-rays of pearls are generally not reliable.l
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Didn't hook up with my dentist on Friday but will be seeing him Monday morning to get those X-Rays done. Meanwhile, Budi's Drop is here and I've had a chance to own it for a day, have a few nightmares about glass beads, and generally to make the transition from fantasy to reality.

As you will see below, the pearl is as represented in the prior images sent by Budi. Size is a perfectly symmetrical 11.33mm by 14.6mm in length. The lighter band on the wide part of the pearl, a bit more prominent than anticipated from the first images, may be a valuation factor but not a project killer?especially if certified natural.

I have extensively candled the pearl and find no evidence of a bead. I have also shown the pearl to a couple of reputable Seattle jewelers (after my glass bead nightmares!), asking if they thought it was a real pearl, and they said absolutely positively.

Budi's Drop does indeed appear to be an appropriate natural-pearl center for Poe Io Mata Nui. Both sides of the new pearl are shown (note the blemish at the top on the 'back' side).

Not to take anything away from the SS drop, which is totally amazing and deserving of a setting of its own.
 

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