What do I have?

[Yiling Q]

All these are bought from Bangladesh, bought before and after coming to know of Pearl Guide. Would love to hear your opinions.

1st from left: FWP, 10 to 11mm, off round, slight? blemish, white- silver overtone I think.
2nd from left: FWP
3rd from left: Sold to me as natural (wild pearl) from Bangladesh. 11 to 13mm off round, whitish-creamish. Blemished.
4th : Sold to me as sea pearls from south of Bangladesh, 13 to 15 mm, white with rose overtone, a bit off round, some blemish.

What do you think especially of the 3rd and 4th strand? What do you think is their worth? Thanks.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I would have said the 2nd from the top (what you call 3rd from the left, with the photo rotated) is also a freshwater strand, not naturals.

I don't know about the top strand. Again, I would have said freshwaters but they seem a bit large for that.

 

[pattye]

From what I see in the photo, it's quite possible they are all cultured freshwater pearls from China.

 

[Caitlin]

I agree. They are ALL cultured freshwaters. Are there even any cultured freshwater pearl farms in Bangladesh?- let alone salt water? NO!!! There should be, though I am sure there aren't, but I think those were all cultured in China.

There used to be a natural sea pearl industry in Bangladesh, but not for 100 years or more.

Such Chinese cultured freshwater pearls (CWFP) are sold all over the world as "natural" pearls from the local area. Bangladesh is one of them. As are Greece, the Philippines, and Arabia!!!

 

[PARAS BHAKTI PEARL CO]

Though the pearls in photos are not Bangladeshi Natural Pearls.

I would like to add that there is still supply of Natural Pearls from Bangladesh mostly from rivers (freshwater), but not seen Bangladeshi salt water pearls for more then a decade.

 

[Yiling Q]

hi Paresh, do you know how I may be able to differentiate between Bangladeshi river pearls from the Chinese Fresh water pearls. I also believe that till date Bangladesh do produce some amount of pearls, but the problem is that the vendors here seems to be selling every strands as as Bangladeshi pearls. This I also believe is a misrepresentation as Caitlin has pointed out.

 

[Yiling Q]

Sorry, one more question, the pearl size of the top strand is 13 to 15 mm. Does FWP comes in such large sizes? If so, what would the value of such a strand? Thanks

 

[pattye]

Yes, cultured freshwater pearls do come in 13-15mm size. There are many that size now as they are bead nucleated. As far as knowing the value of your strand, we are only seeing one side of 9 of the pearls on the strand. Pearls that size on ebay, depending on how round, lustrous and how many blemishes, can go for about $50 and up.

 

[Yiling Q]

Thanks for the reply Pattye.
Next Question: Can bead nucleated pearls assuming that the bead implanted is round, be off round when harvested? If so, how does it happen? Thanks

 

[Caitlin]

Natural river pearls do not look like cultured freshwater pearls. They are now very rare and expensive. The imported Chinese pearls are probably what you will get without a good reference to find the honest seller of natural pearls.

Bead nucleated akoyas come out baroque more often than perfectly round. It is much harder to get perfectly round, the more nacre, the more likely it is to go off round. Try searching for baroque akoya necklaces to see some.