[Amrita]

I was not one for dyed FWs especially colors like orange, green, blue etc. that seemed so far removed from the beautiful natural pearl colors that I so love. Maybe I am getting old What do you think of such coloration in pearls?

My daughters (now 14 & 10) and their friends like this kind of colored pearls. They think these are fun as they can be matched with the color of their outfits, and make a fun and trendy look, and are not expensive either!

There certainly are lots and lots of colors now available in various sizes and shapes too. But they usually come in commercial to medium quality, which keeps them inexpensive.

So, at last I have added an "Other Colors (Dyed)" section on my website, right now limited to about 5-6 colors and one shape. Also am adding a few pictures here to give you an idea of the range of colors available in the market

[Nathan Reed]

Personally I stick with natural coloration. To me, artificial tampering eliminates the very distinction and prestige that make pearls true gems. Artificial coloring makes them a mere trinket or novelty item.

Hope I don't ruffle any feathers with that comment.

[Raisondetre]

Nope, really not my cup of tea. I saw some candy pink ones at a beading shop today and they just didn't grab me at all. They just look kinda sickly or something. I like nicely dyed browns, golds and deep reds though, but only for pearls bigger than 8.5mm and AA+.

[Nerida]

Not my cup of tea, either! I can understand younger teenagers thinking they are fun, but to me, not something I would sell, either...

A beading shop, Raisondetre?? I am impressed!

[Raisondetre]

You have no idea what you started! I think I'm going to scrap buying Akoyas and Tahitians for this year and start beading instead. I was checking out ebay for beading supplies, and now I'm tormented by the different sizes of the gemstone beads, round vs facetted, what size stardust beads I should get, vermeil vs solid gold daisy spacers, thread zappers, needles, thread heaven. Thank goodness Beadaholique/Hye on Beads have got everything. Plus the 2mm gemstones aren't heinously expensive so I can always get facetted ones that are bigger if it doesn't work out. See???

I couldn't bring myself to buy the pearls I saw at the shop though ... the surface was alright but luster as subpar. It was cheap.

Sorry about the hijack.

And yes, how could I have forgotten about the dyed blacks. They're it until I cough up enough cash for Tahitians. Who knows when now that the Aussie dollar is dropping.

[laurenb]

I'm guessing those pearls were greatly improved by the dye-job or they'd have been sold au naturale. Great for kids. You might think of test marketing them as a "kit" for young beaders... get a few fun toggles/clasps and a couple of cards of silk (silk is magic to most children), give an option for a color or multiples and see if it stirs up any interest. Party packs for birthdays, birthstone colors, etc. You could include a single off-round natural color pearl for a center, which may help cultivate interest in the unaltered pearl.

It could prove a great way to get beader moms to the site and all you'd really have to do is some photography-- wouldn't have to change your stock to try it out. The naturally-occurring colors might work well for a teen version.

[Pearl_dreams]

I too prefer natural colors with one exception: black ("peacock'') CFWP-- and that is only because they resemble naturally colored Tahitians at a much lower price point (with solid nacre to boot!) But many people do like these bright colors, and not just kids.

Raisondetre, that is great that you're beading now! There is nothing like being able to realize your own vision for a look instead of being limited to what others have managed to come up with.

I never was one for buying bead jewelry -- somehow other people's designs just didn't interest me. It wasn't until I started to make my own that I discovered I liked wearing beads.

Just to add a related question:

I've never found any such things... but would it make any difference to your attitude toward dyed pearls (love or hate, as it is) if some tinted with historic natural pigments (such as purple or indigo) were available?

Actually, I do not know whether natural purple is still made on any scale. Indigo is (beats me why such companies have not tried their hand at pearls as yet )

I mess around with some dyed ones, I have some nice peacocks, coppers, chocolates, deep peacock green and reds. I think those are the main ones--if one thinks of them as "beads" the price is quite reasonable mostly. How they look--interesting, or dull and cheap, depends on the quality pearl they started as.



Here's a couple to amuse you--I'm doing a street fair Saturday in an "alternative" part of town, so hope these will have some appeal!

[Mervione]

I´m not very keen on dyed pearls either. Sorry, but it just screams "cheap!!!" to me... (Cheap as in tacky, not cheap as in not expensive.)

The only exception is "peacock" freshwaters, I sort of like those. And the pearl in this ring http://www.thepearloutlet.com/roi/49...SR-R002185.htm

But I think that it´s OK if the pearls are dyed tastefully, not very strong colours etc. (Apart from the black freshwaters!)

Still, in the end, I´ll always prefer pearls and other gems as natural as they possibly can be. When I found out that white pearls usually are bleached I just felt "eww" and now I don´t have any thoughts at all to get them. The exception to this is cutted gemstones...

Would be very interesting to experiment with natural dyes, often the colors are softer and more natural--moss, onion skin to beets! My Mom dyed her own wool sometimes, it was a fun, messy process----

Raison, big welcome to the L.Beaders Club!!

Speaking of dyed pearls... We just sent around to our customers an interesting article about dying your own pearls. Includes how to use natural, home-made solutions. It sounds like fun, but I wonder if anybody actually does this?

I believe this article is by Anne Helmenstine, and is found here.

[Pearl_dreams]

Here's a thread DIY dyeing from last December:

Pearl Dyeing with Tumeric and Pomegranate Rhind

[Amrita]

Originally Posted by Pearl_dreams

I too prefer natural colors with one exception: black ("peacock'') CFWP-- and that is only because they resemble naturally colored Tahitians at a much lower price point (with solid nacre to boot!) But many people do like these bright colors, and not just kids.

Me too! I make the same exception for black FWs, and that is exactly why they figure on a separate page on my website!

[Amrita]

Originally Posted by laurenb

Great for kids. You might think of test marketing them as a "kit" for young beaders... get a few fun toggles/clasps and a couple of cards of silk (silk is magic to most children), give an option for a color or multiples and see if it stirs up any interest. Party packs for birthdays, birthstone colors, etc. You could include a single off-round natural color pearl for a center, which may help cultivate interest in the unaltered pearl.

It could prove a great way to get beader moms to the site and all you'd really have to do is some photography-- wouldn't have to change your stock to try it out. The naturally-occurring colors might work well for a teen version.

Great ideas, Laurenb! Might use them in the future! Thanks!