There are already a bunch of threads discussing both, so... I am only too happy to throw in some authoritative input from a most famous gemological laboratory to settle it all.

Have fun, folks!

Click for the thing here

and to get the full picture, go to the source.


PS. I meant this to be just for fun.. no idea what side has it right, or even if a 'right' side to the story exists at all. Leaving that bit to y'all.

[Heidi]

I love it.

When I get to taking the Graduate Pearls course I will keep this discussion in mind...

[Caitlin]

Thay are saying that orient is a type of overtone?

Originally Posted by Caitlin

Thay are saying that orient is a type of overtone?

Well, at least that's what I am reading in those two words with a semicolon in-between I do not have GIA's official pearl course to see whether what the lab preaches matches this practice

Besides, I have been wondering whether there isn't some connection after all, since both are optical phenomena caused by slight variations of the nacre structure within and between species etc. Inasmuch, the format of the report would simply indicate that the grader implies a quantitative (rather the qualitative) distinction between the two... Which could just make both technical and commercial sense after all; however, this is just some guessing: I have not seen any equivalent reasoning in any GIA publication so far. 'Still looking.

[Caitlin]

Pattye,
Didn't you take that course? Blaire?

[Kevin Canning]

They also list the body color as "light pink, natural" - I would love to know what color exactly is "natural". A body color of "natural" could be anything from white,cream,black,green etc. depending on the pearl type. I'd say the Gia description leaves something to be desired.

[pearlescence]

My guess would be that it hasn't been updated in years and the market has moved on since then

Originally Posted by Kevin Canning

They also list the body color as "light pink, natural" - I would love to know what color exactly is "natural". A body color of "natural" could be anything from white, cream, black, green etc. depending on the pearl type.

Wait a minute, doesn't that say that the natural body color of the pearl is pink?

The 'natural' term does indeed imply that the color of the pearl has not been enhanced, nor was it treated- similar to how we use Natural Lavender color Freshwater pearl, etc

I did take the pearl course at GIA, and while enlightening I must say it is nowhere near as in depth as their colored stone or diamond courses are... I found myself wishing for more illumination into the world of pearls (thank you, Strack!!). I also must question their grading of overtone as 'orient'- I do believe they are two distinctly different visual phenomenon

[Kevin Canning]

oops, now I guess I should have looked a little more closely. I thought it said pink & natural - I'll take my foot out of my mouth now.

On the report, under "overtone", they put "orient". When a pearl displays overtone, they fill in the color of the overtone there. If the pearl has no orient and no overtone, that spot would be blank or say none.

There is one thing I am certain of -- the quality of "water" in pearls is rare. REALLY RARE. The kind of pearls that exhibit this quality are the kind of pearls that are seldom seen outside of the finest auction houses or haute couture jewelry establishments. I imagine that you might see them being worn in Bahrain, or by inherited Palm Beach wealth, but they are truly uncommon.

I have to content myself with photos until I get a "Pearl Daddy"!

[jshepherd]

"Pearl Daddy"! I love it! You always come up with the best sayings. Although my favorite is still Nora's husband's NCN. So much better than Z's PPBs.