Fun - pick an oyster and get the pearl.

[beaujolais]

I was just at a shell shop in Florida. They had a table with a bin with Akoya oysters in it. You picked the oyster (all the same price) and they opened and set the pearl in it for you. Kind of fun, eh? I ended up with twins, about 6/7 mm., white with pink & gold overtones. Quality o.k., not great, but o.k. Cute idea, eh?

 

[cellentani]

Sounds like fun, but awwww, no pics?!

 

[D&T]

I"ve always wanted to buy one of those pick an oyster thing... wheres the pics? it would be fun! I think when DDs are a little older I"m definitely going to do that with them

 

[jmtomaui]

I did this in Hawaii many years ago when I was on a business trip and had it set as a pendant. Although I have many finer pearl strands now, I still count this among a favorite piece for the memories that I have of the trip and wear it often. I did the same on our honeymoon to Maui and got twins but did not have them set. I need to find them and maybe have them set in a ring.

 

[beaujolais]

Oh, so sorry, I don''t have a camera that has a macro button. Thanks to all for looking and replying.

 

[yssie]

They do this in SF now, by the pier! When we went there was a young couple trying it out, it looked like fun

They got a 6mm pinky, if I remember correctly. I was scared when the vendor started rubbing the pearl in sea salt though

 

[that_someone_special]

Do you really get a random pearl? I was wondering if it was possible for them to open it slightly to put the pearl in and then say it came that way...

Anyone know?


I would try it though. Sounds fun.... and I love a mystery !

 

[Kelli]

I live in FL and have done this on several occasions. I always assumed they were freshwater pearls, since it only costs $15 to pick one. I usually end up with a gold-ish looking one between 6 and 7 mm. I''ve gotten two set, one in a pendant and one in a ring. Someday I''ll have to post pics. I''m with jmtomaui. It''s not like these are the best jewelry I''ve got, but I really enjoy wearing them. My friend and my niece have both gotten really pretty blue ones too, and another friend got a black one. I haven''t seen it in person, but she called it black and I was confused because I didn''t think they were black unless they were color treated. Do black freshwaters or akoyas exist?

 

[ckrickett]

those are so fun!

 

[Streeter1]

Date: 11/8/2009 8:47:56 PM
Author: Kelli
I live in FL and have done this on several occasions. I always assumed they were freshwater pearls, since it only costs $15 to pick one. I usually end up with a gold-ish looking one between 6 and 7 mm. I''ve gotten two set, one in a pendant and one in a ring. Someday I''ll have to post pics. I''m with jmtomaui. It''s not like these are the best jewelry I''ve got, but I really enjoy wearing them. My friend and my niece have both gotten really pretty blue ones too, and another friend got a black one. I haven''t seen it in person, but she called it black and I was confused because I didn''t think they were black unless they were color treated. Do black freshwaters or akoyas exist?

Black ones don''t exist naturally. The pearls that you get out of those pick-an-oyster booths have been treated. They don''t tell you this, and usually the people working the kiosk don''t even know, but the pearls are inserted into the oysters, which are then put in alcohol, causing them to restrict their shells and die. So it looks like you are harvesting a pearl when they open the shell in front of you. This is why you''ll get weird colors, almost always round and clean pearls, and sometimes freshwater pearls from a saltwater oyster shell.

 

[Kelli]

Ah! Thank you so much for the clarification. I never understood how I always ended up with perfectly round ones, and now it makes sense. It''s a little disappointing, but kind of what I expected. Glad I know better now!