When were south sea pearls first cultured???

[Bodecia]

Hi All,

I am still not used to the new set up and just can't find the information I want Can anyone tell me when South Sea pearls were first cultured???

I have some pearl earrings which are supposed to be from Spain and from the 1930s. Not quite right as I haven't received them yet but soon I hope. Thing is they have been called naturals and I doubt they are but I feel they must be South Sea unless fudged photos. But they look like South Sea pearls to me.

Could be wrong but please do let me know what you think. Oh, the size are 14 and 15mm in length. I do love them but I also bought them because of the screw clasps as I have a pair of earrings (antiques = genuine) that do not have backs. They actually stay in the ears very well even without back because they are so tight and I need to slowly enlarge the holes in my ears to take them. So far I have only bleed a couple of times but what is the love of pearls if we don't suffer a little pain, in one way or another, ususally financially.

Decided to add the photos of the 1930s pearl earrings. What is a thread without a photo

Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 - natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[effisk]

I have a copy of Gems & Gemology on my desk, the 2007 issue about the cultured pearl industry.

It says:

"In 1954, a joint pearl culturing venture between Tokuichi Kuribayashi and Alan Gerdau began operation in what is now Kuri Bay in WA. [...] A number of other pearl farms followed soon afterwards."
That's for Australia.

"Although Japanese firms started culturing pearls in Indonesia during the 1920s, it was not until the early 1970s that an industry took shape".

It also states that pearl cultivation (culturing?) started in the 1950s in Myanmar, and attempts to establish operations date back to 1914 in the Philippines but pearl culturing did not begin until 1962.

 

[Bodecia]

Thanks effisk,

Going from what you have said if the seller (eBay) is not running a swifty/scam or just ignorant then these could actually be naturals. What do you or others think. I know others have said that one can never tell a natural versus cultured via photos or even in life, but I am generally very good. These don't smack of naturals to me but that doesn't mean they are not. I do not have a 100% success rate mores the pity but then I never will.

I honestly cannot tell from the photos and normally I can get a really good idea. As I said part of the reason I bought them regardless was because they looked SS and also because I could swap threads between vintage/antique earrings. I just hope the seller has not "cheated" and addded modern pearls to sell them. Always a possibility. As I sell on eBay I hate to think of sellers doing this but I do not it happens. Just because I can trust "me" doesn''t mean all sellers are to be trusted.

What do these pearls i.e. type look like to others, your effisk and other experts. I am totally confused by them. Normally I feel more confident but I really don't with these.



Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 - natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[effisk]

Despite my "senior guide member" status I am not an expert and these pearls could be baroque SS or naturals...
Maybe the findings can tell you more about the nature of the pearls. Is it gold? Are screw clasps common? Or were they common in 1930? I also find the mounting of the pearls curious; what is the role of the three metal fingers around the pearls?

 

[Bodecia]

Hi effisk,

Great questions and information I should have included. They are 18kt gold and marked Spain on the gold chain. As for the screw back
pieces the only other pieces I have seen ike this were indeed antique and well over 100 years old and have natural pearls set in them.

The gold fingers appear to hold the pearls in place but maybe there is another section going into the pearl. Won't know until they arrive.
I agree the mounting is curious with the 3 gold finger pieces.

Actually the seller said they came along with other pieces from a bank vault and the date of 1930 is actually from the only piece of paper
that was in the vault with jewellery. Doesn't mention the earrings or most of the jewellery so they could very well be much older. Thanks
for jogging my memory on that. I think the 1930 just became fixed my mind.

Naturally I am hoping they are natural South Sea pearls.

Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 - natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

More Photos of Pearl Earrings

More Photos of Pearl Earrings

Hi All,

Thought I would post the other photos I have of these earrings which may or may not be antique or naturals or just vintage.

As I said in my previous email i did miss out some relevant details regarding them so I am truly hoping they are natural South Sea pearls but then I always live in hope. Just my nature.

Enjoy the photos and wil give you all a run down when I receive them which should be sometime next week.

Would love more opinions on the pearls, the style of earrings and the threaded, both sides, of the earwires an butterfly studs. I do find this style interesting and this is one of the resons I believe they are 100 plus years old rather than from the 1930s. Those that I have seen like these were all antiques and had natural pearls, whether a decent size or tiny.

Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 - natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.