Quartz crystal nuclei?

[pattye]

Was reading some of the news article titles following the Pearl Professor blog and found this about a Belgian company--the first I have heard that anyone is using gem nuclei besides Galatea---but it appears they are not carving the nacre. I wonder if it is even correct info?????

"Using in-house designers, sometimes in collaboration with outside European designers, Misaki (Japanese for ?beautiful blossom?) tries to imbue European craftsmanship and styling with creative, updated, elegant and seductive designs. It combines pearls with sterling silver, gold or rhodium plating and other crystal stones in its collections.

Its pearls are sourced from Japan. This is because the know-how for pearls in Japan is unmatched, and their pearls are renowned for their beauty and quality. The pearls are cultured either in the sea, such as the famous Akoya pearl (the oyster is found only in the shallow waters of the Japanese coast), or in fresh water, by Unio Margaretafera Oyster. A natural quartz crystal is placed inside the oyster to produce the layers of mother-of-pearl and, two years later, a pearl is fully formed. What?s even more amazing, Misaki?s technicians can control the shape, size and even colour of the pearl.

What Misaki offers is the patented X-treme Lustre Pearl, with a shine supposedly superior to that of natural pearls. And since contact with perfume or lacquer sprays (in addition to perspiration, detergents and sweat) may affect pearls and jewellery, Misaki?s pearls are finished with anti-perfume coating. All their pearls come with a two-year guarantee."

Anyone seen these pearls? Sounds like a lot of hype------------including that its pearls are sourced from Japan-----------

 

[imanit]

.."two year garantee"..........!!!!!!!!! wow !!! amazing... full two years !!!! and then what... you buy new ones ????

 

[jshepherd]

It is a hyped up description of a fake pearl line. The pearls are all faux.

 

[KAC]

yup as soon as I saw the x-treme luster the cat was out of the bag. Is it just me or should fine jewelry never be described as x-treme

 

[olmander]

Anyone seen these pearls? Sounds like a lot of hype------------including that its pearls are sourced from Japan-----------

I've seen these pearls. I even have some (got as a present).

Misaki does not work with real pearls, and its X-treme Luster line is a well done fake. Something like Majorca. My DIL has their ring with a big black pearl. Looks indeed like a Tajitian but is too perfect and completely deprived of any soul and character.

The official website of Misaki (www.misaki.com) does not make a secret of the origin of its pearl, so this is the Belgian company which has a rich fantasy. Althjough once I looked now, I got some suspicion that for the site they make pictures of real Tahitians (can one get a peacock overtone artificially?)

Olga

Olga

 

[KAC]

Misaki is still pumping out the B.S.
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/marie-claire/fashion/news/article/-/10011331/q-a-misaki/

YUCK!

Misaki is know for its patented X-treme Lustre Pearl – what is this, and how does it differentiate from other pearls?
The X-treme Lustre Pearl is an example of how Misaki incorporates state-of-the-art technologies and superior craftsmanship into the creation of its jewellery. The X-treme Lustre is a new standard in pearls - it is handmade using a natural quartz nucleus which is layered with iridescent synthesized Mother Of Pearl. The result is a pearl with an extraordinary lustre which is superior to the shine of natural pearls. Another advantage of the X-treme Lustre is that, traditionally, pearls have been very easily damaged. However, the X-treme Lustre Pearl has an anti-perfume coating which protects it and keeps the pearl looking its best through many, many years of wear.

 

[CortezPearls]

I can't vouch for these so-called "pearls"...but lovely girl!

 

[KarinK]

I just can't see why such a pearl would be interesting...

- Karin

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I just can't see why such a pearl would be interesting...

- Karin

"There's a sucker born every minute". PT Barnum

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

The main reason growers don't use ceramic, glass, stone, metallic, or otherwise hardened objects as nuclei is because the finished pearls would be impossible to drill without breaking or over-heating either the pearl or drill bit.

And since when did crystals become spherical enough to make perfectly round (X-treme as they say) pearls?

 

[GemGeek]

I can't vouch for these so-called "pearls"...but lovely girl!

That beauty is so distracting, that you wonder just what they are selling!

 

[KarinK]

That beauty is so distracting, that you wonder just what they are selling!

In fact, it is not even possible to see the famous luster on their so called pearls...

Quote Dave: "And since when did crystals become spherical enough to make perfectly round (X-treme as they say) pearls?"

Reading the description it seems to be completely manmade 'pearls' that has never seen the inside of an oyster.

- Karin

 

[Nora]

I can't vouch for these so-called "pearls"...but lovely girl!

Her luster is excellent, isn't it?

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

In fact, it is not even possible to see the famous luster on their so called pearls...

Quote Dave: "And since when did crystals become spherical enough to make perfectly round (X-treme as they say) pearls?"

Reading the description it seems to be completely manmade 'pearls' that has never seen the inside of an oyster.

- Karin

Right. Synthetic or not, the shape of the nuclei is reflected in the finished product, which is why I have my doubts as to the origin of the nucleus being hard crystal. The cost of grinding a crystal is prohibitive to the retail price of a phoney pearl on top of the difficulty drilling it. A string of hard crystal would also be very heavy. I'm guessing the're coating a cheaply produced die-cast bead. Probably gypsum, which afterall *is* a natural crystal sold for a few dollars a ton.

 

[KarinK]

Right. Synthetic or not, the shape of the nuclei is reflected in the finished product, which is why I have my doubts as to the origin of the nucleus being hard crystal. The cost of grinding a crystal is prohibitive to the retail price of a phoney pearl on top of the difficulty drilling it. A string of hard crystal would also be very heavy. I'm guessing the're coating a cheaply produced die-cast bead. Probably gypsum, which afterall *is* a natural crystal sold for a few dollars a ton.

And probably selling them for more than a string of nice freshwaters would cost...

- Karin

 

[Caitlin]

Quartz and other stones get drilled all the time. I am not sure what you mean. That they would split if there was pearl dust on them? Galatea drills his pearl-coated carved gemstones on occasion. I have round quartz beads, clear, pink, amethyst. They are very cheap at the gem shows.

I mean a dollar a strand, so buying in bulk would probably be far less than that. I'd buy one out of thevcuriosity this thread has raised, but they are making way too much profit- even if it is crystal quartz in the middle. Maybe it is solidified ground quartz powder? anyway I am sure a top quality real strand would cost less than those manufactured pearls.