Pearl to carve

[ericw]

Hi,
I'm a new member, so I say Hello to anybody.
Frensh, I wich injure nobody reading me, because my english is so poor !
I'm an artist and want to carve, deeply, pearls. So, i'm looking for big sizes, not spherical but without bead, or the smallest as possible.
It seems that the real keshi pearls don't have bead, and I see a lot of them in big sizes on the chinese market, often named "keshi" or "keshi reborn pearls".
What about the bead in this kind of pearl, and what kind of pearl do you think to be right for my use ?
Thanks for your attention.
Sincerely

 

[Pareltje]

If you're looking for big pearls without nucleus (bead nucleus), you may want to use freshwater pearls.

 

[BWeaves]

Reborn pearls happen when a bead nucleus is inserted into a a mollusk and a cultured pearl grows and is removed. NO new bead is inserted. Then the mollusk is put back in the water and it happens to grow a new pearl in the pearl sac where the previous cultured pearl was. So the Reborn pearl is 100% nacre, but usually will not be round. It will be a baroque shape. A Reborn pearl can happen in any type of mollusk, freshwater or saltwater.

 

[ericw]

Thanks for your answers !
I have forgotten to specify that the baroque shape agree me.
The important for my work is to find thick and homogeneus mother-of- pearl, keshi pearls would be right but they are usally flat, and even without bead, I don't know if internal mother-of pearl have the same colour and lightning than the area.
However, Chinese market sell some up to 40mm, bigger, indeed, than standard size of keshi... I hope without bead...?

 

[pattye]

Welcome, Ericw,
Some keshi are hollow in the middle and may not have consistent nacre thickness. This could be a concern if you are carving deeply. I would recommend, as Pareltje also suggested, the tissue nucleated freshwater for carving, especially if you are beginning to experiment with your technique. If you decide to go with keshi, I recommend you look for the heavier ones (more nacre).

 

[ericw]

Hi Pattye,
I am happy to find this forum !
Pareltje and you recommend tissue nucleated freshwater's pearl, but is this tissue a piece of mantel, and make a hollow place in pearl, at last, or a piece of nacre or over strong part of an other shell, wich is not the same nature of the nacre covering ?
The idea to select by heavy is good, but it's difficult to do buying online. I have bought a few pieces in China, in samples, and I'll see the difficulties to carve them, at time I'll receive them.
About hollow, maybe it's not usual in flat keshi peals as petal. I can carve them so, to do special pieces.
Well, I hope to find the right material, because I have a special attract with pearl's nacre, wich have an other feeling than shell's nacre.

 

[BWeaves]

The reborn pearls I have are flat with a roundish lump in the middle. They are the shape of the pearl sac after a round pearl is removed. The shape is a bit like a sleeping bag with a soccer ball in the middle.

 

[Katbran]

When pearls are carved you will find the inner layers might have different shades..so it's not necessarily going to be exactly the same colour all the way through. If you search photos of carved pearls you will see what i mean. How deeply were you planning to carve ? Must be pretty deep if you are worried about the nucleus.

 

[pattye]

In tissue nucleated pearls, the piece of mantle tissue used is approx 2 x 2 mm, so a very small piece of matter in the center of the pearl. I hope you can find some inexpensive pearls to experiment with at first. Have you started carving some pearls already?

 

[ericw]

I like your description, BWeaves, thanks for it and details given by Katbran and Pattye.
Reading you, it's seems sure that each pearl will be different to carve. As Katbran's suggest, I think that the bead's tissue leave a trace in nacre around after decomposition.
I'm in front of the same problem met with some fine or precious stones I've carved, wich had special natural shapes or colour directions. So, I'll work the pearls so deeply as allowed, carefully.
I have already tried to carve shell's nacre, but the result didn't agree me, because this kind of nacre is shiny in only one direction, and it's too much restrictive about artistic expression. Pearls nacre layers are around a volume and the light can play on a three dimensions'area. Pearls nacre have any beautiful colours, so, not found in shells.
I'm waiting to receive samples of huge freshwater baroque pearls, thick enough, 35mm and 45mm length, white and lavander. Theirs natural shapes are not on the top of quality, but I hope to fit the best carving to them.
Petal's shapes can also be interesting for an over kind of expression, but I'll try that later, when I'll find bigger sizes than I have seen.

 

[CathyKeshi]

ericw, welcome to Pearl-Guide . .. you have some very interesting ideas! I hope you will return to this forum and share your pearl carvinv artistic explorations with us! And do not worry please; your English is fine

 

[ericw]

Thanks for your compliment, CathyKeshi, but, in fact, pearls are finer than my english !... Luckily, I have a good dictionary : it's my oyster.
Well, as it's very nice of you to ask me, I'll show my work... if it's viewable...
I'm sure that pearls have a real potential to be carved, by meticulous work I like to do.
The first, and maybe most difficulty is to find right material without to go to chinese sail places, but just trust in the net's market.

 

[Emilly]

Very Informative and useful forum related to pearl. I am happy to be a part of it

 

[pattye]

Welcome, Emilly.

I see from your profile you like red pearls. Red is my Sister's favorite color, so I am making her a red pearl necklace and earrings. I'll post a photo when I'm finished.

 

[JerseyPearl]

Welcome to erica and Emilly!

pattye, please do post photos!

 

[Katbran]

Welcome Emilly and ..Eric - I was hoping to see some photos of the carved pearls !!!