Skinner Inc.: 'Probably natural, offered without certificate'

[Valeria101]

The title of the thread refers to a relatively large pink pearl in traditional ring setting, under the hammer now for 2-3k. 'Thought someone might have better use of the news that I do...

LINK To Skinner on Ebay

Lot Description:
"604: Platinum, Pearl, and Diamond Ring, France, c. 1915
Platinum, Pearl, and Diamond Ring, France, c. 1915, set with a pearl measuring approx. 12.50 x 11.00 mm, framed by old mine-cut diamonds, French guarantee stamp, size 4 1/2, (probably natural, offered without certificate)."

And link to the picture.

 

[effisk]

This is not a full pearl, is it?

The pearl doesn't look like an akoya to me. Maybe radiata.

What do our experts think of it?

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Ana & FX,

As a large button in lavender pink with medium luster I'd say probably pinctada maxima from the Philippines.

Zeide

 

[Richard W. Wise]

Zeide,

What specific characteristics might one look for to determine if the pearl in question is natural? Are there any physical clues you would look for in the field?

It is clearly an older setting but, of course, the pearl could be a replacement.

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Richard,

With the tissue-nucleation revolution going on in China, the call is somewhat harder than it used to be. Bigger blemishes in natural pearl world are called fouls. If a fouled pearl is otherwise attractive, such pearl will be mounted in a one-of-a-kind setting designed to hide that flaw. You are less likely to find flawed cultured pearls in one-of-a-kind settings. Actually, you are very unlikely to find cultured pearls at all in one-of-a-kind settings. Setting permitting, you may also try candling the pearl. Although the rule "no core shadow = natural" and "core shadow = cultured" does not always apply, it still is a good indicator. Of course, you can also send your pearl in for testing.

Zeide

 

[Valeria101]

Just to clarify, I didn't have any covert clues... other than the auctioneer's extremely pedantic approach to pearls ID. and the pearl's color and surface: although not very reliable hunch, I am used to see that sort of skin texture on saltwater pearls not fresh, and pink body color on cultured saltwater isn't that common over the counter, as much as I know.

Can't imagine too many owners of vintage ring settings asking for an off-round replacement pearl when 'perfect round' bastards are all the rage The thing just doesn't fit my mental image of old setting with replacement pearl - like THESE fellows do.

The estimate makes guessing somewhat comfortable - wouldn't trust my hunch with a fortune. That sure-fire items appear on electronic auction catalogs grossly under-rated doesn't help at all. But again, what else to expect.

 

[Richard W. Wise]

Zeide,
Seems like the most available replacement pearl would be Chinese freshwater assuming, of course, that the ring is indeed old. Lots of reproductions being made so very serious examination is necessary. New old european diamonds are being cut and the quality of the repros are scary.

I was interested in internal clues. Have used candling and that might work here assuming an open back. Will be in Boston so I will probably go by and peruse the Skinner offerings.

AnA mentions unlikelyhood of having a pink saltwater but I saw a wonderful multi-color strand of mixed color saltwater naturals (5-6mm rounds) at the Ellen Barkin preview at Christies. Had no idea that natural saltwater pearls came in such a color range.

Unfortunately at auction you pays your money and takes your chances. There is probably a reason why no certificate was sought for that ring. You can't really trust the auction houses to be all that upfront. They won't lie but are not beyond errors of ommission.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Richard,

Lavender pink is the most sought after and rarest color in pinctada maxima and most frequently found in the Philippines and Andaman Sea. Pinctada radiata also produces lavender and peach pearls, actually all shellfish do, the question is only how frequently. Natural maximas have the typical silky texture and it also helps to look for fouls. Fouls and a handcrafted setting to conceal them are dead give-aways of natural pearl jewelry. Only cultured and fake pearls can be perfect.

Zeide

 

[Richard W. Wise]

Ziede,
Read somewhere that the Red Sea produces some lovely colored pearls.

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Richard,

That may have been in the Strack book. Sudan is bead culturing some pearls in pinctadas maxima and margaritifera erytrensis and Eritrea and Djibouti are tissue nucleating their local marine species (mostly pinctada radiata). The output is quite small and although attractive to me owing to their exotic colors and thick to solid nacre, they have no big market. Hardly any of the pearls are round and they typically are misidentified as Chinese freshwater pearls because they use the same nucleation techniques and placements so the product appears similar to Chinese freshwater cultured pearls. They are not better or worse, just come in different colors (except for the white, cream, and light silver ones).

Zeide

 

[Valeria101]

Ziede,
Read somewhere that the Red Sea produces some lovely colored pearls.

There are one-liners (or nearly) in Streeter and Kunz...

When Zeide's red pearls got me into a wild goose hunt for any reference on the exotic goods, these two were the only jewelry books that were of any help at all. No wonder the things are a symbol of wisdom - just searching for them is hard enough to make one wise! Anything else came from biodiversity and environmental conservation research with a dab of taxonomy thrown in.

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Ana,

Yep, if you want anything else but PPBs or bottom-of-the-barrel freshwater pearls, you better cultivate some good connections to the marine biology department of your university or have some political connections. Being a translator also helps greatly. Combinations thereof may open up whole new worlds.

Zeide

 

[Valeria101]

.. good connections to the marine biology department ...some political connections. Being a translator ... Combinations thereof may open up whole new worlds.

Zeide

International development and conservation gives an interesting perspective - diverse networking, etc. science, business and politics included. I am sure you know by now that posting online does inspire unwanted disciples ! For now though, I am happier with the cost of pearl wisdom than with the price of (real) pearls...

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Ana,

Discipleship aside, it is a very fascinating field of study and one not yet too crowded by the collecting public. The search is somewhat harder and one has to have some diplomacy skills. The most important thing, though, is that one has to know what is what (e.g. PPBs versus true cultured vs natural vs cultured sold as natural) and what exotics exist and where to find them. That is the really tricky bit I have tried to communicate in this forum. I seriously doubt that anybody can find anything near the wealth of knowledge on pearls anywhere else than here on this forum.

Zeide

 

[Richard W. Wise]

Zeide,

True, too true. You must be traveling some real backwaters. Much of your information seems unavailable anywhere. Is there any sort of organization of natural pearl collectors?

Update on the Skinner ring. Not very attractive pearl. Sold for $2500.00 plus the 18.5% for Skinner.

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Richard,

Pearl collectors' world is a Little Black Book Society where everybody knows everybody else and most of them are divers and marine biologists. In the area that you are most familiar with you tend to have more jewelry collectors. Since I am one of the few women that are (exotic) pearl collectors, I also indulge in jewelry in general and pearl jewelry in particular. My scarce funds are typically eaten up by providing the funding for the odd culturing project here and there but rarely does that yield marketable results. However, I know a thing or two about pearls that the general jewelry collecting public may want to know and that can produce highly lucrative marketable results like using the finest loose pearls for premium strands.

Zeide