Pink South Sea Pearl Ring

[Red]

There is a pearl vendor who comes to the Oshkosh Airshow (EAA AirVenture) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin every year. This year she had this pearl ring that I came very close to purchasing. The only reason I didn't was that I knew I would be picking up my own custom white South Sea pearl ring very soon.

Anyhow, I have a few pictures of this very pink white South Sea pearl, which has the strongest pink overtones that I have ever seen. I was wondering what the experts think of this? The pearl was already set in an 18 kt yellow gold ring with pink sapphires.




I have added some pictures of her other pearly pieces this year. But that pink pearl ring is what really captured my attention.

 

[pattye]

Red,

Thank you for posting the great photos! Here is a discussion from a couple of years back. https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5830

Rusty and Bron are working to develop pink SS, but theirs are nowhere this deep a color.

My hunch is that it is a very high quality "Edison" cultured freshwater to be that color.

Your SS ring is totally magnificent and even more stunning that this one.

 

[Red]

Red,

Thank you for posting the great photos! Here is a discussion from a couple of years back. https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5830

Rusty and Bron are working to develop pink SS, but theirs are nowhere this deep a color.

My hunch is that it is a very high quality "Edison" cultured freshwater to be that color.

Your SS ring is totally magnificent and even more stunning that this one.

Thank you for the most interesting link, Pattye. Yes, the other reason I hesitated to purchase was I didn't know enough to verify what it was. It occurred to me that it could be some sort of dye, but as you can see, the color varies with the angle that the light was hitting it. In the last picture of the pink posted above, I am holding it in the stand and it really was that pink. It took my breath away. It is hard to think when your heart is beating that hard.

 

[Red]

My last two shots of the pink pearl ring. Ever so slightly different angle so you can see how the pink tone shifts. Whatever it is, it would be great fun to wear.

 

[GemGeek]

It could be possible, but Pattye is right on the money. It's a very high quality, enourmous freshwater pearl and most of those are "Edisons" sold by Grace.

Those are some terrific photos!

 

[Red]

Thank you, GemGeek. Glad you are enjoying the photos. I do notice that the vendor is wearing a red shirt which is reflected in some of the pearl pics and increases the sensation of pink.

And, thank you for the kind words about my new SS pearl ring, Pattye. I wore it again today, and I truly enjoy looking at that pearl. Makes my day a tiny bit better.

 

[pattye]

Red, You know how special and unique your SS ring is, all the care, choosing, thought that went into it creating a true work of art~it has a STORY~

The pink ring is lovely too, and if it is an Edison pearl, it is natural color.

 

[perlinda]

I have to disagree that it's Edison, I believe the pearl on the ring to be South Sea pearl. White SSP that pink is available but very very rare, and comes with high price tag. I've seen that kind of pink before, especially the way it shifts color is typical, but usually not this good quality. I think that pearl is marvelous and I would love to be able to look at it in person. However, your SSP ring is one I personally would prefer more as I have preference toward blue overtone compared to pink/rose one, even though the latter is considered to have higher value.

While we're at it, let's take a look at how pink SSP can be


The pearls above, however, are low grade (surface and luster are not very good). The color is natural and considered to be fancy pearls.

 

[LitGeek]

The pink ring with the sapphires is lovely, but your SS ring is MUCH prettier!!!

 

[pattye]

Hi Perlinda,

Could you please check the attachment? I'm unable to see any photo. Can others see it? Your opinion is important as someone who sees many SS pearls.

 

[Caitlin]

Yes please redo the attachment It is not in the list of photos to moderate, where they rarely go anyway, LOL.

 

[perlinda]

I re-attached the picture above, is it visible now?

 

[pattye]

WOW! Very VERY interesting! Did you examine and photograph the pink pearls in person? They seem to be a very different hue from the ring pearl, granted a lower quality. And that other AMAZING pearl in the photo, do you know anything about it?

Elizabeth Strack in PEARLS, pages 516-517, discusses South Sea cultured pearls, Color grading, in which she indicates pearls with a pink body color and pink overtone belong in a group that attain the highest evaluation above deep golden pearls. There is only 1 photo of a single SS pearl of pinkish violet color, which came from Archives of Gemological Institute of Hamburg. It's worth reading if you have Strack. If you don't have Strack, you might want to put it on your Christmas list!

 

[GemGeek]

Perlinda, those are some extreme pinks!

 

[perlinda]

Pattye, yes I saw and examined them in person. They're different than the pearl ring that Red posted, which is more of white SSP with an intense rose overtone. These pearls have pink body color, and only one vendor that I know of collects them. I asked if he ever got one in good quality and he said yes but it was his private collection and not for sale. I wish I could see it though..

That massive baroque pearl is one of the biggest pearls I've seen in person. It's pretty light though so it must be gassy inside. Going OT here, but here's the pic of the 'silver rock' on my palm


Strack book has been in my wish list for so long! It's so difficult to get one where I'm from and I hope to be able to obtain it one day. I've seen pink lavender SSP before too, but I don't know if it looks similar to the one from Strack book. Some unusual SSP color I've encountered are: pink, salmon pink, lavender, chocolate, yellow (really yellow, like mustard yellow), and green. Usually they would say that these pearls were the result of sick oyster. I don't know how much truth in that.

 

[BAS]

perlinda -- do you think that may be a souffle pearl, since you say it is light?

 

[pattye]

Hi Perlinda,

I found this very old thread with discussion of GAS PEARLS There is a WONDERFUL video Douglas made about gas pearls!
That blue one you're holding is huge and beautiful! I'm not sure if this is considered a cultured pearl or a natural.

The Strack book is most useful, but nothing compares to the experience of seeing amazing pearls in real life, like you are able to, Perlinda! Please show us more of these unusual colors when you can, and when possible tell us if the pearls are natural or cultured.

In cultured pearls, the color is more a factor of the donor mantle tissue, based on selection of a colorful shell in that area of the donor. Also if I understand it correctly, selective breeding, such as is happening with golden pearls, and J.Hunter pearls, one is able to increase production of desirable colors.

I hope others with more knowledge on this subject will chime in here! I will see if I can find more info in Strack to add.

 

[GemGeek]

Cool pearl! Thanks for sharing about the SSPs you've seen.

 

[BAS]

Pattye -- thanks for the link. Fascinating. Pablito (shown holding a gas pearl at the end of Douglas' video) must be a teen at this point!

 

[katbadness]

Hi Pattye,

In cultured pearls, the color is more a factor of the donor mantle tissue, based on selection of a colorful shell in that area of the donor. Also if I understand it correctly, selective breeding, such as is happening with golden pearls, and J.Hunter pearls, one is able to increase production of desirable colors.

In my interviews with several farmers for the book I'm currently writing, this is indeed what they shared with me. So it's not just the selection of the donor's mantle tissue, but also the general coloration of the parent oysters. One technician I talked with commented about plucking a "purple" pearl at one point. He said he previously noticed the donor had this purplish stripey coloration on its mother of pearl.

Let me see if can convince the owner of this "purple" pearl to let me take a picture of it!