Scratch Marks Around Drill Holes

[pattye]

On a strand of round (very lovely) silver Tahitians I'm stringing for a client, there are circular scratch marks around a number of the drill holes, very visible under 10X. I hope my photo will show what I mean. It seems like the drill was allowed to go too deeply into the pearl and the collet scratched the pearl and in some cases the nacre is cracked at the hole, too. The pearls were strung tightly on the temporary strand, so this was not noticeable.

1. What is my responsibility in bringing this to the attention of the client? My intention is to disclose. How would you handle it?

2. How much does this reduce the value of the strand?

3. How will it affect the longevity of the pearls?

View attachment P7270255

 

[pearlescence]

I would say nothing Patricia.
Stick to doing what you have been hired to do - stringing. Unless you were hired to appraise and evaluate, keep quiet. No-one loves the bearer of bad news - and once they are re-done she'll not know.

 

[pattye]

Thank you so much for your response, Wendy. Would you feel differently if that client was a jewelry store that would be reselling the pearls?

 

[lisa c]

Anybody going to venture answers to ques 2&3?

Student questions - are the marks shallow or deep? Should there be worries about future chipping in the areas at the furthest circling-scratches? Granted, the pearls probably won't be knocking each other with the force of billiard balls in the course of normal handling and wear.

Does anyone else have pearls like this, who'd be willing to bang them against each other for a while? Will we have to wait for anecdotal evidence instead?

As a purchaser I think I'd want to know. Then I could let the seller know now, that there might be trouble ahead, or not, to be determined by how the pearls held up.

They might be quite spectacular looking, making the wait-and-see reasonable.

 

[GemGeek]

If it isn't visible when knotted, it shouldn't present a problem. Small cracks at the drill hole should not threaten their durability. If it is visible after knotting, I would point it out so they don't come back to you later.

 

[pearlescence]

No.
This is definately one of those times when you do only what you have been hired to do and no more.
I don't think such minor marks will cause any long term problems anyway.

 

[pattye]

Lisa,

I would describe the scratch marks as relatively shallow. Pearls in general are actually pretty tough (something about overlapping nacre platelets?), at least the ones I've dropped on the floor!

Thank you, Blaire, your comments are much appreciated, too.

 

[CharmedOne]

This is all very good information. Thank you for bring up an issue like this Pattye! I can understand the concern and why you would want to tell the owner of the pearls but I do agree with Wendy and GemGeek in this case. Sometimes you can open up a can of worms you don't want. I have been there with friends and family asking about their diamonds and gems and now I tell them all to have them evaluated by a jeweler.

 

[lisa c]

Thank you, wise-gentlewomen!

 

[BAS]

(I have a very different opinion from those above. I am responding as a consumer, not a professional vendor.)

Pattye -- I'm not clear who the customer is, but if it is a jeweler or a seller who comes to you regularly for stringing, I think you should point out the two issues you've noticed for the following reasons:

a) They may not have known there are scratches and cracked nacre at the drill holes because as you said, the pearls were strung tightly on the temporary strand. They may appreciate knowing what they bought so they can speak to the Seller.

b) They may be able to return the pearls as damaged, or get a partial refund (does this happen in pearl buying and selling?) or prefer to avoid that seller in the future altogether.

c) To protect yourself. You do not want anyone coming back to you saying that you scratched the pearls or cracked the nacre near the drill holes while stringing!

d) If your customer or one of their employees did the drilling, they may appreciate your pointing out improvements that have to be made in drilling technique!

I get the sense, though I don't know you personally, that you feel some obligation to tell your customer?

If the customer wants to "shoot the messenger", well -- hopefully after cooling down they will realize that you are an honest and trustworthy person and they will come back to you, perhaps sheepishly.

 

[pearlescence]

Pattye was hired to do the stringing. That is what she should do. The quality and value of the pearls is nothing to do with her, that is the jeweller's problem and not hers.

When you take your car to some local shop which sells tyres you don't want or expect a long lecture on how bad the paint jobs are on that model.You, as the buyer, and the car showroom,. as the seller are the ones concerned with the repultation and quality of the goods/paint job.

 

[pattye]

BAS, I absolutely appreciate your viewpoint, and thank you very much for your detailed answer.

 

[pattye]

CharmedOne, Thanks very much for your input and sharing your experiences.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi
Don't mention it unless you think there is a chance you might get blamed.

If you submit an invoice make a small note about the condition of the pearls when you received them, since they weren't perfect. Don't phone and mention it, just make a note that no one will read unless someone complains down the line. They went through your hands, so document, document document. I was once blamed for a missing pearl on a broken strand. Fortunately, I counted them before I began and my invoice said 58 pearls received to restring and they got 58 pearls back.

 

[GemGeek]

Hi
Don't mention it unless you think there is a chance you might get blamed.
QUOTE]

That's pretty much what I was thinking.

 

[BeadersSecret]

Hi Pattye, I am with Wendy and Gemgeek unless it was detrimental to the restringing I would not say anything

There is a wee Irish saying, "What ever you say say nothing"

 

[LitGeek]

Hi Pattye! I agree with Caitlin to just make a note on the invoice.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Agree, note on the invoice. This covers you while not creating new problems.

 

[pattye]

To the naked eye, the marks were pretty much invisible after being restrung, but I did note it on the invoice and briefly mentioned it, which she appreciated. Thank you all very much for your thoughtful remarks.