What's going on with these WSS?

[StarryPearl]

Dear friends and experts,

I noticed many pearls in a strand of baroque that I recently purchased look like they are "flaking" from inside. A rough estimate is, over half of them. They look like they are shattering and breaking into small pieces under the surface, making them "Mosaic-y". This really concerns me. Somehow I feel this is abnormal and might involve some problems between the nacre and the nuclei. Would anyone care to explain to me what might be going on with them and whether this will shorten the pearl' life and decrease its market value? I am thinking of returning. Thanks in advance for your advice! (They look more obvious in person than on camera. If needed, I can take more photos tomorrow.)

 

[pattye]

SP, that's very strange. Are these freshwaters? They almost look like they are coated in something to make them shinier.

Long ago I had a situation where large keshi had been clamped too tightly in the drill which caused them to crack and split, but when I noticed it was much too late to return. In your case, I'd recommend returning them.

 

[CortezPearls]

Hey StarryPearl!
I believe that you were able of catching a very good photo of something referred to as MOTTLING (I, personally call it "hammering") and it is an optical effect seen on pearls with very thick nacre coatings.
The effect can be quite oplaescent!

 

[StarryPearl]

SP, that's very strange. Are these freshwaters? They almost look like they are coated in something to make them shinier.

Long ago I had a situation where large keshi had been clamped too tightly in the drill which caused them to crack and split, but when I noticed it was much too late to return. In your case, I'd recommend returning them.

Thanks for your quick reply, Pattye. No, these are WSS, at least that's what the seller sold them to me as, and the price is definitely in WSS's range rather than FW's. In person they do not look coated though - I should and will retake photos tomorrow in day light.

I am sorry for your experience... Did your keshi also look like there were small irregular shaped Mosaic pieces?

 

[StarryPearl]

Hey StarryPearl!
I believe that you were able of catching a very good photo of something referred to as MOTTLING (I, personally call it "hammering") and it is an optical effect seen on pearls with very thick nacre coatings.
The effect can be quite oplaescent!

Hi CortezPearls! I just googled mottling and I believe that's exactly it. So, it's good thing rather than bad?? I don't find it enjoyable though.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Thick nacre is good, but if the mottled look doesn't please you, then send them back.

 

[StarryPearl]

Thick nacre is good, but if the mottled look doesn't please you, then send them back.

Hi Pearl Dreams, thank you for confirming it's good. Since it's clear what it is now, it's easier for me to make a decision. Now just out of curiosity, when you guys say this mottled look indicates "thick" nacre, how "thick" are we talking about here? I learned nacre of WSS is usually 2~4mm. Are mottled pearls' nacre even thicker than that?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I don't think one can assume that.

 

[pattye]

Going waaaaaay back, here is the thread about my cracked keshi.

The pearls were highly iridescent, but I have no idea how this color came about.

 

[CortezPearls]

Hi Pearl Dreams, thank you for confirming it's good. Since it's clear what it is now, it's easier for me to make a decision. Now just out of curiosity, when you guys say this mottled look indicates "thick" nacre, how "thick" are we talking about here? I learned nacre of WSS is usually 2~4mm. Are mottled pearls' nacre even thicker than that?

In my experience, mottling/hammering only shows up in pearls with above 1.5 mm of nacre thickness.
And I -personally- Love the visuals of it...but we all have our own personal taste. If you don't like them, have them exchanged.

 

[CortezPearls]

Going waaaaaay back, here is the thread about my cracked keshi.

The pearls were highly iridescent, but I have no idea how this color came about.

It's an interesting thread Pattye
Will read it in detail!

 

[StarryPearl]

- Pearl Dreams, thanks, that mystery adds beauty to the pearls...

- Pattye, thanks for the link, truly eye opening. I knew keshi's could be hollow or have liquid, but was shocked to see how thin the nacre of a large pearl could be! I saw pearls with such cracks myself before, on much smaller keshi's, but I never thought the sectioning side could look like this.

- CortezPearls, how knowledgable! Now I learned something more and stopped disliking it too much. I've got more questions though: Is mottling widely recognized and considered better quality (In other words, was it me too ignorant on WSS)? Does silver-blue WSS have higher chance to get mottled than other colors of WSS? Does baroque have higher chance than regular shaped? I would appreciate if you could share a little more on these questions.


Since everyone knows what's happening, I'll skip taking more photos.

 

[CortezPearls]

To answer your questions StarryPearl:
1- Is mottling widely recognized and considered better quality? In my eyes mottling is a normal thing to find in thick nacred pearls...when you look at a thick shell you will see mottling! So, what is natural on a shell should also be on a pearl. Then again...I am a biologist, and my criteria may be totally opposite of a gemologist! So, even if thicker nacre is desirable, some consider mottling as not being desirable. Personal taste may differ I love mottling, to me it looks like I have an opalescent pearl.
2- Does silver-blue WSS have higher chance to get mottled than other colors of WSS? I have seen white & golden SSP, Tahitians and Cortez pearls with mottling. And at that, most I've seen are baroque shaped, so this would answer your 3rd question.
I have seen natural pearls and cultured rounds with mottling too.

This is one of my favorites, but the light was too strong for the photo...but the whole pearl (Cortez) was mottled, and I could move it in between my fingers and the crystals made light dance in the pearls...mesmerizing.

 

[Katbran]

Interesting- I love the 'hammered'look

 

[StarryPearl]

To answer your questions StarryPearl:
1- Is mottling widely recognized and considered better quality? In my eyes mottling is a normal thing to find in thick nacred pearls...when you look at a thick shell you will see mottling! So, what is natural on a shell should also be on a pearl. Then again...I am a biologist, and my criteria may be totally opposite of a gemologist! So, even if thicker nacre is desirable, some consider mottling as not being desirable. Personal taste may differ I love mottling, to me it looks like I have an opalescent pearl.
2- Does silver-blue WSS have higher chance to get mottled than other colors of WSS? I have seen white & golden SSP, Tahitians and Cortez pearls with mottling. And at that, most I've seen are baroque shaped, so this would answer your 3rd question.
I have seen natural pearls and cultured rounds with mottling too.

This is one of my favorites, but the light was too strong for the photo...but the whole pearl (Cortez) was mottled, and I could move it in between my fingers and the crystals made light dance in the pearls...mesmerizing.
View attachment 77590

Thank you so much, CortezPearls. I really appreciate it! You answered all my questions, and what a pearl you shared!! It mottles so beautifully and magically... Should I be fortunate enough to have a pearl like this, I wouldn't be able to do anything but to immerse myself in it all day...

I eventually decided to return this purchase - looking at mine makes me feel nervous. Knowing what they are, I still feel like the pearls are going to shatter and break any minute... Maybe one day in future I will particularly seek for ones with mottling effect - after all, I am a biologist, too.

 

[BWeaves]

Douglas, that pearl is gorgeous.

 

[Joaz]

I have inserted some photos. My guess is you are seeing an effect similar to the nacre substructure, see the example on the right.
I have seen it in some of my blue japanese baroque akoya too. I will try to post some photos of that too.

 

[CortezPearls]

Douglas, that pearl is gorgeous.

I know! Enrique -my ex-Cortez associate- bought it for his wife. It was just so beautiful!

 

[CortezPearls]

I eventually decided to return this purchase - looking at mine makes me feel nervous. Knowing what they are, I still feel like the pearls are going to shatter and break any minute... Maybe one day in future I will particularly seek for ones with mottling effect - after all, I am a biologist, too.

My pleasure StarryPearl...and we are a community here...people hailing from all over and with different backgrounds but sharing a common LOVE for this special Gem.

And I agree with you on sending them back. With anything you invest in (I mean a hot-dog bun may be a purchase, but never an investment...jewelry purchases are an investment, not just a purchase) YOU SHOULD FEEL AT LEAST 95% SATISFIED. Anything else and you will continuously have this annoying little voice following you and telling you how you kept that piece that you don't like, that makes you anxious, just kvetching all day long

And great to find another fellow Biologist!

 

[CortezPearls]

Very interesting share Joaz!
If you happen to find an article on mottling it would be interesting to read it...actually: I will write to a gemmologist friend of mine and see if he has read anything new about the subject.
Have a great day ya'll!