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My pearl loot from the international gem and jewelry show!!!

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RockHugger

RockHugger

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I made out man!! I bought a 6.5mm tahitian pearl necklace for.....12$. It is double strand, and mixed over tones. Some pearls are green, some blue, many purples, some pink and some peacock. All the pearls are perfectly clean. I scoped the pearls, and they are in fact real pearls, uncoated.

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relaxing on the couch

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My 3 strand natural pink pearls from the show. 18$ :-O. They are more pink then the pic.

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Do you have a license to go to the wholesale section or did you buy from the retail section? That''s a nice find for double strand of potato-shape FW pearls. They did a great job on the color. When spring comes, you''ll probably be wearing the pink strand a lot.
 
RH, I''m sorry, but those are not Tahitian black pearls.

Those are freshwater pearls that have gone thru a post-harvest enhancement process, most likely ithey''ve been irradiated to achieve that color.

Still a good price for the piece, but no way those are naturally colored black pearls.

julie.
 
I was thinking the same thing, that looks more like FW shaped to me.... You were told they were tahitians? Let's say they WERE real, I really don't think anyone would sell them for that low... maybe per pearl, but not a double strand.
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But, very nice btw. Glad you had fun!
 
Forgetting price for the moment, it''s the size, shape, color, and luster All those characteristics of the pearls point directly to freshies.

The color is not natural.

julie.
 
Pearls definitely have a learning curve... (hey, I''m still going through it) :)
 
Yes, they said tahitian...but if its not real tahatian that is fine for the price. I mean if I spent 200+ on them, then it would bug me a bit and I would have to raise some hell :-P.

Nuked huh? Ah well, still pretty and I like them.

There were no special sections for wholesale. Everything was pretty rock bottom prices. I also got a natural sapphire and an emerald (both small, but pretty) for under 50$ each.

DO you think the price is still OK for FWs? Or did I pay retail for them? I am so used to knowing my stuff with gems, its frustrating to be so in the dark with pearls!!!!
 
They really do SB, they really do.

And a pearl education requires not only book knowledge (basic, advanced and on-going), but loads and loads of hands on experience.

oh, but the love of the pearl is so worth it!

julie.
 
If those pearls are already strung, knotted with a clasp and ready to wear, you paid a fine price for them. No doubt about it.

Very disappointing that you were told they were Tahitians. Nothing chaps my hide more than someone either 1: not knowledgable and saying whatever they want, or 2: misrepresenting what they have.

Far better for the dealer to say "I don''t know what type of pearl this is......but here''s the price" and let the consumer decide.

$12.00 is a fair price for the piece. Wholesale/retail? Who knows, some people would charge more, some less. Sometimes the price is the price.

But know this, it''s the lower quality freshwater cultured pearls that are put thru the different coloration processes. It makes the pearls more sell-able, and (somewhat) more valuable. Untreated, those pearls would be $2 - 3.00 per strand.

These have been bombarded with gamma rays. Here''s a little pearl trivia for you, it is only the freshwater pearls that will change color during this process. Akoyas will not, BUT their freshwater mother of pearl bead nucleus will. That''s why irradiated Akoyas are a grey-ish color, because only the nucleus darkens and that color shows thru the outer pearly layers.

julie.
 
huh... good to know! Thanks pearlie!
 
Considering they''re fully knotted and strung with findings- at least it looks that way from the pic- that is a reasonable price IMO. I''ve bought similar strands strung temporarily- no knots or findings- for $5-$10. They''re very pretty for the price, fun costume jewelry. I''ve gotten more compliments on my cheapo dyed freshies than my nice Tahitians, actually, which is funny.

That''s annoying that they sold them as Tahitians. Hopefully (but not likely) they were just misinformed themselves. Definitely some nice finds!
 
Whatever they are, i like them and think they''re a bargain.
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It is really common for vendors to sell black pearls as Tahitians. I good rule of thumb concerning true tahitians (other than what Pearlie said) is that they come from a rather large oyster. The smallest size pearl that comes from them is usually no smaller than 8mm in size. That said, I think they are lovely! Wear them and enjoy them knowing that you didn''t break the bank purchasing them!
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Thanks Pearlie for your wisdom on this.......... I am still learning, and it is people like you who I am learning from!
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They look like freshwaters. They are pretty and will be fun to wear. Bugs me that they told you they were something else. Why not just sell them as black freshwaters right? Nice triple strand too.
 
Date: 3/6/2010 7:28:11 PM
Author: RockHugger
Yes, they said tahitian...but if its not real tahatian that is fine for the price. I mean if I spent 200+ on them, then it would bug me a bit and I would have to raise some hell :-P.


Nuked huh? Ah well, still pretty and I like them.


There were no special sections for wholesale. Everything was pretty rock bottom prices. I also got a natural sapphire and an emerald (both small, but pretty) for under 50$ each.


DO you think the price is still OK for FWs? Or did I pay retail for them? I am so used to knowing my stuff with gems, its frustrating to be so in the dark with pearls!!!!
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Well $12.00 already strung it''s pretty cheap. You didn''t get ripped off or anything. You should check out Pearlparadise though. I have bought almost all my pearls from them. Other people have used various online vendors as well and might share those sites with you if you''re interested.
 
I think a good indication of what kind of pearls they are... would be what they are strung on. I would not expect $4000 pearls to be on silver on gold plating.. ya''know?
 
It definitely freshwater, but those pearls are treated with dye, not nuked with cobalt 60.
 
Gem shows are a fantastic place to score inexpensive but really great fashion/costume jewelry. I think both strands are lovely for casual wear. If I wanted something for a nicer, special occasion I''d definitely buy some freshadamas.
 
You got a good deal for purchasing them in the US! Nicely done. You can tell by the shape instantly that those are fw cultivated and therefore dyed/treated. I can''t really tell the mm, 6-7? but in China on the street (as a non-Mandarin speaker) you would pay about $6-10 for each of these FW items, so you saved a bundle on the flight! I love my dyed fw strands, so cheap, fun, and no stress, but I go for the bigger size fw "pearls" as statement pieces. Wearing a $4 opera length strand of potato pearls this very minute! Fun and cheaper than the plastic ones at Macys!
 
Hi Swimmer,

I''m curious about your name. Do you compete?

julie
 
Date: 3/6/2010 11:48:54 PM
Author: elle_chris
Whatever they are, i like them and think they''re a bargain.
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I agree.
 
Date: 3/9/2010 5:18:11 PM
Author: pearlie
Hi Swimmer,


I''m curious about your name. Do you compete?


julie
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Hi Julie, Yes! Well, I''m super pregnant now, but did compete through college and have done Masters for years. You are also a swimmer?
 
I''ve been training with a masters team for years. Mostly I compete open water. My fave event is the 12.5 mile Key West swim. Twisted, I know!

julie.
 
Fantastic! No one understands how awesome open water training can be! I used to be on a marathon swim team and did the boston harbor 22m relay, but Key West in June! fantastic! yes, i googled it and am dreaming. Up here our season is short and the water is nastay, I''m terribly jealous! OK, must stop threadjacking RH''s thread, but check out hangout too, and hey, do you dragonboat?
 
Julie and Swimmer,

Count me a swimmer too. Do not compete but work out with masters time to time. I just love the form, drills and movement in the water- Big snorkeler, diver and free diver.. A real water girl... ok enough of the threadjack
 
RockHugger,

Your necklace just looks fabulous. Wear it and enjoy it.
 
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