Small Black Akoya

[gemi]

Dear members,

I am looking for some help in finding small round black pearls.
They are for a design project to be shown at Tucson this year.
Unfortunately, after a month of fruitless searching, i have been unable to find a suite of 'black' cultured pearls in the sizes 3.5mm to 5mm. Any help in finding a source would be very welcome!

I've heard a number of reasons why there is limited supply:
That the nacre is too thin, and the dye chips off too readily, or that small pearls are just uneconomical to produce.
I've been told there has been little production of small pearls for the last 5 years.

The pearls i need for my design need to be round, and good quality, AAA.

Do any members know where i can find these pearls?

Thanks. Geoff,

 

[GemGeek]

Sorry for your trouble. That is a tall order to fill with akoya pearls these days.

 

[pearlescence]

depends on what you mean by black pearls? Akoya - which will be black black or tahitian which could be any dark shade or even freshwater - again, any dark shade. All are dyed.
Also, when you say suite, what do you mean? a strand? half drilled or undrilled.
I'm suspecting half drilled black round akoya. Black half drilled akoya are hard to find in any size at the moment. I had a job to find some last time in Hong Kong for a customer. Most of the pearls which would have been dyed are now being left natural colours.
Plenty of half drilled freshwater in those sizes though, but not black black

 

[gemi]

Thanks for the replies.

I goes what i mean is 'round' cultured pearls. Because of the very small size i'm expecting these to be Akoya. Freshwater would be just as good, but i have my doubts whether i can find them in a round shape in these small sizes. I think Tahitian pearls would be too big.

The exact color isn't too important. Beggars can't be choosers! But, they should be a dark grayish to blackish color, with any overtone.
By a suite i mean that they should all be the same color. I'm looking for about 50 individual pearls in sizes, 3.5mm, 4mm, 4.5mm and 5mm.
I need fully drilled pearls for the design.

I understand that to get the 'black' color they would have to be dyed, irradiated.

This design project is being run by the CPAA.
I think i may have to contact them concerning my inability to find suitable pearls!

Thanks for the feedback.

Geoff

 

[jshepherd]

Sizes as small as 3.5 mm are not often dyed. Truly round freshwater would be possible, but in these sizes they would be difficult to find although they could be ordered, in other words, a processing factory could be asked to dye them. The problem would be the quantity. Dyed near-rounds are available at shows, but finding perfectly color-matched pearls like those in your drawing of the Spiral Revolution Earrings would be exceedingly difficult even at the show in Hong Kong.

Tahitian pearls would be much too large.

 

[pearlescence]

Since you are looking for full drilled a few strands in the required sizes should give you a reasonable chance of matching, if you explain what you want.

 

[PARAS BHAKTI PEARL CO]

Yes, I have Dyed Black Fresh Water Pearls, Round in all sizes you are looking for. Please PM me your contact details

 

[gemi]

Thank you all for the feedback.

And thank you Paras , i will contact you.

I am so glad i joined this forum, it may just have dug me out of a hole!

Sincerely,

Geoff Middle

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Wow! That is some design!! Glad you found a source for the pearls.

 

[pattye]

Geoff,
Wishing you the best in the CPAA contest! Please show us a photo of the originals when they are finished. I really like all the curves and action + red!

 

[pearlescence]

Are the festoons going to be strung on something? Good luck in getting the spacing between the strands!

 

[gemi]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Yes, i think the festoons are likely going to be strung onto jump rings. Spacing is definitely going to be tricky.
I may have to thread onto wire, welded onto the jump rings, and use 1mm red bead spacers.

Will just have to see how it goes!

 

[Cees]

Dear Geoff, no problem to supply these size of Akoyas in the sizes you require but the color is the issue. Let me find out this for you and see if they can be dyed in this color and I will come back on this in a few days.

 

[Cees]

Geoff, found dyed Akoya but the sizes are smaller and not available in all sizes you want. Maybe you might be able to consider bluish natural colors Akoyas also, where I see better chances to find loose pearls in the sizes u want.

 

[gemi]

Thanks Cees,

The pearls look great.

I have been able to source some freshwater pearls from Paras.

Again, thank you for the help

Geoff

 

[jshepherd]

Thanks Cees,

The pearls look great.

I have been able to source some freshwater pearls from Paras.

Again, thank you for the help

Geoff

Geoff,

How was the shape and color of those freshwaters and did the colors match in all the sizes?

 

[Cees]

I still think the design would have a lot of added value when you use natural color bluish Akoyas

 

[aradhnasingh]

Black akoyas are beautiful, no doubt about them.