What does "klonk" mean?

[Bogus]

Hi all, sorry if this is a stupid question!

I've heard Zeide and others refer to "klonks" and I have no idea what this means! I don't even know if this question belongs in the FWP forum...LOL

Thanks!
Bogus

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Bogus
Klonks are 12mm and over.

It's an oenomatopoetic (sound replicating) term. Small pearls up to 8mm when jingled make a "klink" sound, medium sizes (up to 11.5mm) make a "klank" sound, and when you get to 12mm and over they make a "klonk" sound.

I thot I'd come back and add a picture of one of my klonks.
I really like this picture, even though the color is fabulized. The pearls are low grade (like try "B- to D"), dyed CFWP, but I love them. I have reported this before, but when I wore them to a ballet in SF in 2004, strangers in the lobby complimented me on them. I have gotten such sustained and postive responses to them since I started wearing them, they changed my entire pearl focus!

 

[Bogus]

Thanks, Caitlin! Those are lovely.

I must say, "klonk" doesn't sound like a very complimentary term!

Bogus

 

[Caitlin]

I first heard the term from ZESPA, of course, but knew instantly how perfect it was.

If you think about it, Freshwater klonks are huge. And, without a bead, they are largest solid nacre pearl being produced commercially on the planet, at the moment.
In sizes over 10+mm, the proportion of lovely ones goes way down from even a 10mm size.

The bigger the klonk, the MORE likely it will have splits in the skin, cracks, crevices, pits that reveal layers of nacre, and generally rough surfaces. Only a very few freshwater pearls make it to Klonk size.

This strand was cheap, but extremely rare, at the Tucson Gem shows, so far.