[sleight]

I have heard that "chocolate" pearls are going to be a big trend this fall. I wonder if anyone who went to the JCK show saw evidence of that? And were they really chocolate brown or just all shades of beige-gold-brown?

[pattye]

And what treatments are done to get that color?? I have seen bronzy shades with lavendar or other colors, but not just bronze. Thanks,

Patricia Saab

[jshepherd]

I saw several 'chocolate' strands at the show - very expensive. I have not quite figured out why they are so popular. They are basically color-enhanced Tahitian pearls. The cheapest I saw was $7000 for a strand of 11-12.
The colors are very even, an unnatural shade of brown, like milk chocolate. The process was started in Japan, but now another company in Geneva, Shanghai Gems SA, is also producing them. Jose Casares did an interview with JNA and told them about the process they use.

Tahitian pearls contain macromolecules of proteinic pigments. They are secreted by the oyster during nacre production. Of the pigments melanin is most important. It is a biopolymer of many forms but only 2 stable - eumelanin, a black polymer, and phaeomelanin, a brown polymer. These determine the color of the Tahitian pearl.

According to Jose Casares of Shanghai Gems (JNA):

Colour is caused by the absorption and emission of light radiation by electronic double bonds. In our process, we suppress some electronic double bonds in melanin molecules, and the modified melanin appears brown. In other words, we don't add anything but only subtract electrons in specific sites of our pearls.

The pearls are also heated during the process, and about 20-30% of them will crack. Because of this they usually only use rounds because the nucleus will be in the dead center.

Edit June 11th, 2008
We just decided to add chocolate pearls.

[jshepherd]

Originally Posted by pattye

And what treatments are done to get that color?? I have seen bronzy shades with lavendar or other colors, but not just bronze. Thanks,

Patricia Saab

The bronze shades in freshwater can actually be natural. It is not a color you see very often, and to date we have only put together a few strands.

[Kevin Canning]

I don't know, I keep reading and hearing about how chocolate Tahitian pearls are going to be the next big thing, but I haven't yet heard someone say that they like them.

Personally I don't like the look of them at all, but brown is very big in fashion right now and I could see them having a short run this fall, but I can't imagine it being anymore more then a fad.

[sleight]

I agree, I think chocolate will just be a seasonal fad. Especially since the milk chocolate ones that JShephard described don't sound very attractive. I have had good luck for about a year now selling designs incorporating gold-bronze freshwater pearls with smoky quartz, citrine and sometimes chocolate brown deerskin leather. But I do have problems finding bronze fw pearls without unattractive dye marks. It's obvious that they are literally dipped into some kind of chemical stew! Maybe chocolate fwp would be more attractive because the dye marks wouldn't be so obvious. I prefer natural colors, but I must design as fashion dictates!

[The Pearl Outlet]

Here's a picture of a strand of Chocolate Tahitian pearls we're now carrying as a fall accessory. Now that there is a picture to add to the conversation, any new thoughts on the color?

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by The Pearl Outlet

...any new thoughts on the color?

Gorgeous! If there are enough of these of decent quality (would this mean w/o treatment?) I can easily imagine the color becoming recognized as a prized fancy version of the black.

I've seen both very bad (rubber-like dull) and very nice browns - the bads were matched in a necklace. The good only three... in a baroque pendant and pair of earrings. Is anything but the 'brown rubber' type rare or just not marketable ?

Brown gold definitely sounds like a fad. Brown pearls, no... they are great! The color fits just about everything, and that seems to be more important for pearls than any other colored gem - if any rational argument is needed for these things. Can't hurt that they can get color-coordinated with diamonds easily.

[pattye]

Hi Terry and all,
I think these chocolate pearls would be especially lovely on women with auburn to strawberry blond hair, also would be fun with a few champagne diamond rondelles (yellow gold) between the front pearls.
I agree that color enhanced pearls done poorly are awful, but trust that Terry would be sourcing the finest. The lustre of the strand on the website is awesome! For some women, browns are just so much more flattering than blacks or white. I think in high quality they would be avant-garde, not a fad. I think long fwcp ropes with gemstones would be great in brown shades if the pearls were pretty.
Pattye Saab

[Kevin Canning]

I was just in NY and on 5th ave. one store had a 12-13mm strand of chocolate pearls in the same shade that was retailing for $39,000.

They are interesting but I really don't like them, they are just so uniform and have a real "treated" look to them. What sizes and price points are you selling right now Terry?

[The Pearl Outlet]

That's about what I had determined the retail price would be. Here is a breakdown of price points for the strands, graded as AA+/AAA.

11-14mm - $6,500
11-15mm - $7,500
12-14mm - $7,000
12-15mm - $8,800

Quite a bit less than the 12-13mm for $39,000 eh?

[Kevin Canning]

ya that is an attractive price point for sure - keep us posted on what sort of interest you get on the chocolate pearls. While I don't see myself ever carrying these, I am very interested to hear if there is any real interest for them.

[pattye]

How about a chocolate single on a leather cord for guys????

pattye

[The Pearl Outlet]

I'll post if we see a lot of interest in them, and let everyone know. If anyone wants custom pieces, like the men's piece you just mentioned Pattye, just contact me personally.

[Kevin Canning]

How about a chocolate single on a leather cord for guys????

The big problem I have with these pearls is they look interesting on a bust but I really don't know what skin tone they work well with.

Terry maybe you can offer us some advice on who these pearls would look best on?