[mysydney]

I was talking to a friend on the weekend and discovered he used to work as a manager for an international jewelery company - selling diamonds, precious stones and pearls amongst others. He wined and dined overseas visitors with big pockets. He made some beautiful jewelery for his wife. She has a big rock on her finger, and a beautiful white south sea pearl pendant (I noticed this because I bought a golden south sea pearl pendant from PP). He said he could not help but noticed my pendant. All he said was that it was nice.

Anyway I asked him what is more valuable, a pearl that has no impection, or one with dimples. He said that nowadays there are very good fakes (even the professionals cannot tell sometimes), so a pearl with dimples would be more valuable as it is natural. He also said the most valuable ones would be the round 10mm white south sea pearls that the Queen wears!

What do you think?

[Raisondetre]

Natural as in natural-occuring blemishes, or natural pearls? Natural pearls are infinitely more valuable than cultured because of the rarity. They are in a whole different class altogether. However, for cultured pearls, I would say that the less blemished ones are more valuable. It is a personal preference, however, as to which one prefers. I love all pearls, from baroques to rounds, and I prefer minimal blemishing. For stud earrings they absolutely have to be perfect at least when visible to the eye.

[GemGeek]

The better the surface, the more valuable the pearl. Trust me, perfect pearls aren't going out of style.

[jshepherd]

I have never seen a fake that could really pass as a real cultured pearl. Maybe he is getting sythetic diamonds and pearls mixed up.

The clean ones are more valuable if all other factors are equal. Luster is the most important factor, however. A clean dull strand will not look as nice as a slightly included lustrous strand.

[mysydney]

Thank you so much for all your replies - good educational for me! Always appreciated your views.

[Pearl_dreams]

I've heard jewelers refer to the dimples as "beauty marks"-- putting a positive "spin" on what is really a flaw. But as long as the pearl is lustrous, a few small flaws can be easily overlooked.

[The Pearl Outlet]

a pearl with dimples would be more valuable as it is natural.

Your friend was incorrect, or there's a misunderstanding as to what he meant. Pearls with dimples or other imperfections are worth less than clean pearls (all other factors being equal).

He also said the most valuable ones would be the round 10mm white south sea pearls that the Queen wears!

Absolutely! The Queen's pearls are some of the most valuable because the Queen wears them. Of course 10mm white South Sea pearls in general (ones the Queen hasn't personally worn), are worth less than larger South Sea pearls (all other factors being equal).

[Caitlin]

HI all
I just posted a natural drop shaped SSpearl with a dimple on it in Tom's Natural pearl thread LINK

[mysydney]

Originally Posted by The Pearl Outlet

Absolutely! The Queen's pearls are some of the most valuable because the Queen wears them. Of course 10mm white South Sea pearls in general (ones the Queen hasn't personally worn), are worth less than larger South Sea pearls (all other factors being equal).

Yes, you are right, Terry! Anything the Queen wears is valuable

Caitlin: I looked at the photo link you posted for a white SS pearl with a dimple in it. I have examined similar pearls worn by rich girlfriends (and they paid lots of $ for them) and wondered why they did not choose pearls without dimples. Maybe these are hard to find.

[Caitlin]

That is a natural, wild, SS pearl, not a cultured one. One without a dimple would be very rare indeed, but I understand that cultured SS pearls can have dimples too. Perfection, even in cultured pearls is very very rare, something like the top 1% of the top 1% of the harvest. In wild pearls it would be even less.

[Valeria101]

Hard this argument countless times about any type of gem and a few other jewelry things too... that various imperfections are a 'good thing' because they prove natural origin (or something else)... etc.

'Guess that the argument is good if you need to convince yourself (or someone else) to put up with imperfections. And even if this philosophical approach is justifiable in many ways, when it comes down to cold cash 'no flaw' is priced higher then 'flawed'... although, sometimes one doesn't get to choose from natural or man-made reasons of some sort.

It makes no sense to praise flaws, just as it doesn't make sense to frown at a magnificent natural pearl because it might have a dimple or a dozen. Perfect gems are like 'happiness', 'faith' or 'justice' - a nice ideal of which even approximate, imperfect forms are precious...at various degrees Found the perfect one? Good for you Got a crooked one with flecks and dimples? No problem, it belongs to the same great family.

Easy!


... at least, that's what I know.

[barbie biggs]

Originally Posted by Valeria101

Hard this argument countless times ......
Perfect gems are like 'happiness', 'faith' or 'justice' - a nice ideal of which even approximate, imperfect forms are precious...at various degrees Found the perfect one? Good for you Got a crooked one with flecks and dimples? No problem, it belongs to the same great family.

Easy!

... at least, that's what I know.

Good words to live by Anna.
barbie

[Nerida]

Barbie - how true. Anna - when I first read your words quoted above by Barbie I thought that it was one of the nicest things I'd read for a long time... thank you.