What in the SHELL hell?

[wonderweasel]

Hello,

New member. 1st post. Super excited to learn and grow my collection with intention. Trial and error I'm sure. Reading about it and watching videos without the hands on experience doesn't exactly work.

What is this? In non Metropolitan texas so not sure if most jewelers even have as much knowledge yall do.

So what are these baroque "pearls" I have. They are long strand, completely uniform in color- no over tones but not same shape. They seem smooth. In regular white vinegar they bubble instantly but the outside surface does not like the inside. After breaking one open the inside had what looked more pearl like sheen you'd expect(nacre) and the luster has faded on the parts it did seem iridescent after being in vinegar. Did come apart along a internal seam is only way I know how to describe it. Seemes much more solid than the one video I saw of a pearl smashed with a hammer which was very onion layer like. Couldn't find hammer so just karate chopped it with a can opener.

Thanks for your input and well wishes. Merry Christmas to All.

 

[wonderweasel]

The scratched up area is where I rubbed 2 together, but it didn't disappear after I rubbed on it.

 

[BWeaves]

Vinegar dissolves pearl nacre, but it takes a while. I've never heard of bubbling before.

 

[CortezPearls]

These kind of look like mother of pearl beads to me.

 

[jshepherd]

They look like fake pearl beads to me.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I thought fake, too.
Rubbing with acetone would take any fake pearl coating off the underlying bead, if you want to test it. Acetone is a solvent and it would dissolve the coating. Just test one bead.