Ways to fake better luster on pearls?
- Thread starter Caitlin
- Start date
jshepherd
Pearl Paradise
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Hi Caitlin,
Pearls are usually always polished. This does enhance the shine and luster of the pearls. This is a very common practice, as is bleaching and pinking.
Another method of enhancing the luster of pearls is through heat treatment. This is done quite often to very low-luster pearls. These are the pearls with the thin nacre but high luster.
I actually have several pictures of these processes at a factory in China. I will see if I can size them and put them in this thread.
Pearls are usually always polished. This does enhance the shine and luster of the pearls. This is a very common practice, as is bleaching and pinking.
Another method of enhancing the luster of pearls is through heat treatment. This is done quite often to very low-luster pearls. These are the pearls with the thin nacre but high luster.
I actually have several pictures of these processes at a factory in China. I will see if I can size them and put them in this thread.
jshepherd
Pearl Paradise
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- Jun 22, 2004
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- 6,288
Caitlin
Well-known member
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Wow! Great pictures! Our jshepherd is as much anthropologist as pearl master!
If you haven't read his bio @ PP.com, here's a link http://www.pearlparadise.com/aboutourfounder.html
I am guessing that the pictures are of Akoya pearls.
Are FW pearls treated with heat (or anything else) to increase luster?
What kind of bleach is used on pearls?
If you haven't read his bio @ PP.com, here's a link http://www.pearlparadise.com/aboutourfounder.html
I am guessing that the pictures are of Akoya pearls.
Are FW pearls treated with heat (or anything else) to increase luster?
What kind of bleach is used on pearls?
jshepherd
Pearl Paradise
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2004
- Messages
- 6,288
Hi Caitlin,
Just noticed I had not responded to your question from January! I am sorry about that!
The pictures from that factory were all Akoya pearls.
Freshwater pearls are treated with bleach after they have been drilled (typically). This is the reason one rarely sees a lot of undrilled loose pearls. The bleaching can make them a little more brittle to the drill. Bleaching with freshwater pearls is nearly 100% universal. Freshwater pearls are also polished to enhance luster.
The bleach used in the pictures is a very mild type of bleach. The main active ingredient is H2O2, aka Hydrogen Peroxide. There are a lot of other chemicals used such as Na2CO3 (Sodium carbonate). One chemical actually reacts with the lights, which is why the bleaching rooms are filled with lights. The rooms are also temperature controlled, always below 20 C.
The bleaching solution is not universal. Every factory actually mixes chemicals on site. The success or failure of a factory depends heavily on the skills of the chemist mixing the ingredients. If the bleach is too strong the pearls can be damaged (appear very chalky), if the bleach is too weak the desired effect will not be achieved.
Just noticed I had not responded to your question from January! I am sorry about that!
The pictures from that factory were all Akoya pearls.
Freshwater pearls are treated with bleach after they have been drilled (typically). This is the reason one rarely sees a lot of undrilled loose pearls. The bleaching can make them a little more brittle to the drill. Bleaching with freshwater pearls is nearly 100% universal. Freshwater pearls are also polished to enhance luster.
The bleach used in the pictures is a very mild type of bleach. The main active ingredient is H2O2, aka Hydrogen Peroxide. There are a lot of other chemicals used such as Na2CO3 (Sodium carbonate). One chemical actually reacts with the lights, which is why the bleaching rooms are filled with lights. The rooms are also temperature controlled, always below 20 C.
The bleaching solution is not universal. Every factory actually mixes chemicals on site. The success or failure of a factory depends heavily on the skills of the chemist mixing the ingredients. If the bleach is too strong the pearls can be damaged (appear very chalky), if the bleach is too weak the desired effect will not be achieved.
