Questions

[rephfy]

Not sure if this is the right section to ask these. I'd like to know more about the inner interior of a pearl. So here are my questions.

Is it possible to see through a pearl when light is shined from the back? Can a pearl be half see through if some parts of nacre aren't thick enough?

Are inner cracks possible to show and how will they look like?

Will a piece of shell, bead or slice of mantle affect the looks of the nucleus in a pearl?

Does the formation of the pearl affect the interior look, like example, would it start with a semi circle which could give a middle line in the pearl?

How does nacre wraps the object, is it only just layers covering round or it could be random like patching up a sand castle?

Is there anything to look for, inside fakes?

 

[jshepherd]

1. If the nacre isn't opaque (Tahitian or dyed), you can often see light emanating around the edges of a pearl if a light is behind it. Google or search this site for "candling" and how it relates to pearls. Second part of the question is No.

2. With natural pearls I have seen inner cracks and it would be possible with cultured too, but not common, especially with beaded cultured pearls.

3. When the pearl is candled? The bead would be a piece of shell which would be round. If mantle tissue is used, nothing would remain within the pearl.

4. No. That would be a composite (fake) pearl.

5. Nacre is laid in progressive bricks around the nucleus. The result is similar to a fingerprint under magnification. It is not random.

6. Inside, not easily with the naked eye. It's not difficult to learn how to identify fakes vs. genuine pearls just be handling them and looking at them, however.

 

[rephfy]

Wow, thanks!

 

[bluidragon]

great questions.

 

[bluidragon]

great answers to the above writer.