[pattye]

Hi Caitlin and All,

I know it looks like this "has chips gone" but I think more likely peculiarities of the way the nacre formed. Nearly every one of those "funky" pearls had a flat side with a similar look, although some not as lustrous as this one of Caitlin's. I thought it was probably where they had laid against the shell. Some pearls have two places like this, where it seems the nacre has worn down a layer or two.
I will attempt to put up a few photos also tonight.

[Caitlin]

Hi Pattye
I have many with one flat side, but these 4 are chipped. I changed my photo so go back and look again

[pattye]

All Right!

[Cathybear]

Reading about smashing a pearl with hammer got me going lol. I have some 10-11mm white freshwater pearls which I'd been told had a bead nucleus. Their lustre is different from my others, softer somehow. Shapes are from almost round to teardrop shaped to plump baroque. Most have very good listre but surfaces have slight marks. They come in peaches, pinks and lavender shades as well.
I decided to sacrifice one that was a bit spotty.
Couldn't get the screwdriver to stay put so I just hammered it. Bits shot all over the driveway. This was what I could find (might be more under the car lol).
There's definitely a bead inside, maybe 6mm, white; nacre is very very thick, about 2mm. Some discolouration on the inside of some of the nacre. I don't know if the photo is clear enough, might have another go this afternoon when the light is better. Theres an unsmashed pearl top left, half of bead nucleus to the right. Had to crop the other half to make the photo fit.
Cathy

[Nerida]

Hi Cathy - I'm just thinking about your pearls - some that I thought may have been bead nuked I smashed all over the driveway too - only layers of nacre in mine! BUT your post shows us where bead nukes are heading mighty fast - no lip, no tail, nice and round. Soon we won't have any clues at all, except maybe weight?

[Cathybear]

they don't seem to be any lighter (didn't weigh them though). The only visible difference is they seem to have a softer more mellow lustre next to regular cfwp.. Some are very hard to tell though.

[jerin]

Thanks Cathy for the pics and for tellung us how to tell nucleated apart. This luster thing we have to remember....

[Cathybear]

Or you can always smash it with a hammer LOL

[Cathybear]

It surprised me how thick the nacre was. From trying to look through the drill hole I guessed at 1mm but it was double that.

[Nerida]

Originally Posted by Cathybear

The only visible difference is they seem to have a softer more mellow lustre next to regular cfwp.. Some are very hard to tell though.

Cathy - do you think that this is a general difference though? some of my bead nucs have had the most unbelievable metallic lustre..

[Cathybear]

Nerida, all I can give an opinion on are the ones I have. Some of the whites are super metallic, most have a softer lustre. I hope it doesn't eventually come to having to smash a bead in every strand to see which type they are. It WAS fun though! lol. They were unbelievably hard, and I had to chase them as they skittered about the driveway! heh heh

[pattye]

Cathy,

Do you think the neighbors wondered what on earth you were doing? LOL Thanks for all the info. I had not seen bead nucleated that round before-------

[Cathybear]

I just hope in all my scrambling I didn't flash my knickers! lol

[Cathybear]

Slightly better photo.

[Caitlin]

Hi Cathy
What is the bead made out of?