[feng]

Originally Posted by effisk

Hi Feng,

one of your necklaces has no knots between pearls while the other do. Are they from different sources?

I am not quite sure I know which knots you were refering to... But they are all from one of my friends so I assume they are from same source.

To Satine, thank you for your encouragement! I will try harder

To Elsa, thanks first. And were you asking if they were fresh water cultured pearls? I think so, yes. My friend is from Zhuji, Zhejiang Province, China. That city has huge FW pearl culture farms so I think those necklaces are FW cultured.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Feng,

I think that is the right idea. Pearls are there to be cherished. If you want to make a quick profit buy and sell ******.

Zeide

[feng]

Originally Posted by Zeide Erskine

Hi Feng,

I think that is the right idea. Pearls are there to be cherished. If you want to make a quick profit buy and sell ******.

Zeide

Yeah, I agree pearls are to be cherished. Well, what did you mean by using these *.... Excuse me for my ignorance...

And how can we tell that pendant to be a shell pearl or not? It looks just like other pearls but bigger. Thanks first.

PS, my friend did tell me that single big one was more expensive than those strands.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Feng,

If your large pearl does not feel as rough to your teeth as your other pearls, chances are that it is a shell pearl. If the large pendant were any kind of real pearl, freshwater or PPB, set into 14k gold it would have cost many, many times as much as the other pieces.

Zeide

[feng]

Originally Posted by Zeide Erskine

Hi Feng,

If your large pearl does not feel as rough to your teeth as your other pearls, chances are that it is a shell pearl. If the large pendant were any kind of real pearl, freshwater or PPB, set into 14k gold it would have cost many, many times as much as the other pieces.

Zeide

Hi Zeide,

Thanks for your reply.

It feels as rough as all others to my teeth. Not smooth at all. I just tested it after I brushed my teeth .

So by "many many times" more, you suggest how much it might have cost? Like $200? $300? or more? I know you indicated that the price varied a lot, depending on a lot of factors, but could you please give me a very rough range? I just have no clue on it even the magnitude of market price. I won't sell it but I turned so curious right now....... If you don't think it's appropriate talking about it here, you can drop me a message.

I will be really grateful.

Have a good weekend!

Feng

PS. Any estimate from anyone else will also be appreciated.

[jshepherd]

Round and clean like that... just for the pearl it would cost in the range of $40-$60 wholesale in Zhuji.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Jeremy,

You have to add to that that not everybody buys multi-million-dollar lots in Zhuji and that the pendant and chain are probably 14k (more like 12k figuring in underkarating). So it is Zhuji retail plus gold and thus several times your estimate. On a retial level in China this would be closer to US$ 250.00.

Zeide

[jshepherd]

Maybe in a retail store in China, but not wholesale in Zhuji (and everything is wholesale in Zhuji). Besides, my quotes were based on selection costs, not lot pricing. Anybody can walk in and buy a pearl or two for those prices. The chain is likely silver, there are very few finished pieces there in gold, and the other piece is set with silver. I would be willing to bet the buyer paid less than $50 for the pendant.

[jshepherd]

But you were still right. It would still cost quite a bit more than the necklaces.

[feng]

Thanks to Zeide and Jeremy.

I just checked the chain and it's 18K gold with "750" mark. The pendant has a mark "925", seems like that is silver.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Feng,

The 925 hallmark would strongly suggest that the pendant is a shell pearl.

Zeide

[feng]

Originally Posted by Zeide Erskine

Hi Feng,

The 925 hallmark would strongly suggest that the pendant is a shell pearl.

Zeide

Hi Zeide,

Why do you suspect that ? Sorry I am a bit lost here.

The 925 hallmark means that is sterling silver, right? So you think the chain is cheap so that pearl would probably be not real pearl??

[Caitlin]

Hi feng
I would agree with Zeide. Fine big pearls have been traditionally set in gold, less expensive ones in sterling silver.

How old is the pearl? Was the necklace made in the last year or so? If it is a few years old, I don't think they were growing such perfect pearls back then and they would have put it in white gold if they wanted a silver color.

Maybe you could take a picture with the macro on and enlarge it really big and show us at least three or four views so we can see all sides of it and really examine the skin.

It is a beautiful color, but I can't see any distinguishing features that would mark it as a real pearl. It is too round and the skin is too perfect, and it does not have the luster of a top of the line pearl. It doesn't even have a little dimple or a little uneveness in the skin in the view you have posted. I can't see into the skin at all. I can't see anything below the outside layer, it is too opaque.

If it is this perfect, you should consider it might be a good quality shell pearl. Maybe you could check out the drill hole if we can't see better in an enlarged view. That should be definitive.

Even if it is a shell pearl, that should not diminish your enjoyment of it. It looks great with the other pearls you posted. If it is not, it is an interesting pearl- top of the line in some ways, like roundness and skin, but less fine in other ways like luster and water.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Feng,

Even a cultured pearl of such perfection would get a gold setting in retail world. I might set it in silver, but then, I have no respect for anything. The 18k (750) chain, however, is high-karat gold and valuable.

Zeide

[feng]

Thank you for all your discussion.

I am trying to take a few more pictures but not sure if they can help.