[airdancer]

I was taking photos to show my friends my new buy and it seems the colour and luster looks so much nicer on the camera even if no flash has been used. How do you assess stuff on ebay to discount this luster?

[olmander]

My experience is that when you photograph pearls, you should first carefully choose the background, which may either absorb or reflect too much of the pearl beauty. With exotics light background was definitely better, with white pearls - a dark one.

Another thing is the flash: it depends, but very often making a photo in a daylight is better. Although not always, you have to experiment. If it is with a flash, somethimes it depends upon the combination of the flash and the lamp, and which side reflection goes. It also helps to look if shooting 'down', straight against the background, is the best way - sometimes it is better to take a side shot.

One more tip: on good cameras there is a function to make a 'pointed' focus on the subject in the middle, but you have to wait a couple of seconds until it gets tuned, so that you see it in the viewer and only then press.

Hope it helps a bit

Olga

[Raisondetre]

I don't buy high grade pearls off ebay precisely for this reason. I have not been disappointed with my ebay purchases per se simply because I took into account the low price of what I was getting, but I must say not all the pearls were up to expectation. They were acceptable for the price but do not fit the item description 100%.

For taking photos I find that taking it against plain white paper in diffuse sunlight circa 11am here shows the colors/orient the best. The flash brings out the orient that I sometimes find hard to see under less than optimum lighting, so it doesn't pose a problem for me. Most ebayers would not photoshop to mute the luster/orient as it does not put their pearls in the best position to make a sale. I don't think there's anything you can do apart from just seeing alot of pearls, browsing alot of listings and reading the feedback on the reputable ebayers that PGers have provided. Experience counts. I'd still hesitate to put money down for high grade pearls on ebay.

[SpaceNeedle]

Originally Posted by Raisondetre

I don't buy high grade pearls off ebay precisely for this reason. I have not been disappointed with my ebay purchases per se simply because I took into account the low price of what I was getting, but I must say not all the pearls were up to expectation. They were acceptable for the price but do not fit the item description 100%.

I would like to add that DruzyDesign is an exception. My firt purchase from Carolyn (and first purchase on eBay) was very impressive. I am hungry for more from her eBay store .

[Caitlin]

Care is the exception that proves the rule. Her pearls are high quality for any store, let alone eBay. I don't think there is anyone else like her on eBay or one of us would have found it!

[airdancer]

Thanks for the great tips!

DruzyDesign: Yes, Care's pearls are insanely gorgeous - especially the cortez ones!

[SpaceNeedle]

Originally Posted by airdancer

Thanks for the great tips!

DruzyDesign: Yes, Care's pearls are insanely gorgeous - especially the cortez ones!

And her golden SS pieces are exquisite!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=002
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=140211469476
OK. I promise there will be no more out-of-topic posts from me (at least on this thread ).

[kojimapearl]

I have been cruising around a bit on E-Bay, and I think the most disturbing thing is how some pearl dealers misuse (possibly intentionally) descriptions about "natural" colors. I found just the other day a dealer selling dyed silver grey Chinese fresh water, as Tahitian black color baroques, for US$ 40 (for an opera length necklace).Or better yet.. 7mm Tahitian Fresh water pearls! For me it is amusing, and I did actually take the time to write the dealer a personal e-mail to alert them, for whatever that is worth. I have been dealing in pearls for so long, it is rare that I cannot tell a pearl's origin, but I feel for those who do not have years of experience and get taken. In this case the price was a "dead give-away". I suppose this is some thing that you all have been witnessing for quite a while, for me it was outrageous!
I guess I could "bust" that dealer here, but I think it is more important that we all continue to educate ourselves and our pearling friends. Examples like this simply makes me appreciate people who really love the pearl even more, when it's more about the wonder of the pearl and not so much about the money, the pearls always seem more beautiful to me.

My favorite pearl quote: "do churls know the worth of Orient pearls? Give the gift that dims the moon to the noblest or to none" Emerson

Cheers, Sarah

[Caitlin]

We have several examples of people believing that "Tahitian black" means "Tahitian pearls: and there is a rampant use of the phrase on eBay. I have seen it dozens of times just looking down the main lists.

If someone is going to shop for pearls on eBay, they need to know all those little tricks. Like "very round" means eggy shaped. 8-9mm ,means 7-8mm with one to three pearls on the strand actually at 8.5. "Knotted with silk" means nylon was used. 18 ct gold has a very small "gp" in the description. "Natural" means they aren't faux.

Hmm, wonder what I missed.............

After a couple of years of sharing, we still have less than 1/2 dozen reliable Ebay sellers - using the word "reliable" loosely. One of them is slipping off our list for delivery problems......

We still like to look though.

Did you catch the thread today where the seller claimed he had natural American pearls, 110 of them? Only problem was it was the very same pearls on a card that US Pearl sold at the gem show. Gemgeek actually got a photo of it at the gem show while the seller said they were in a safe for years. Turns out that seller was lied to, but most of them do it on purpose.

[kojimapearl]

Caitlin, Thanks for the word references. I will look carefully for these examples. I didn't catch the thread about the american naturals, but I will read up on that.
Lately, I have seen way too many Chinese Fresh water pearls, being sold as American Naturals. Especially the "rosebuds" and the "feathery" pearls. It's unfortunate!
Take care, Sarah

[Caitlin]

Lately, I have seen way too many Chinese Fresh water pearls, being sold as American Naturals

Your confirmation of this trend is great!
Now we will have to add that to our list of euphemisms greedy sellers use.
"American natural pearls".....It has a nice ring, I bet it sells pearls too.

I bought some lovely rosebud pearls from you last year, I'll have to photograph the strands I made from them.

But my favorites from you are some pillow shaped pearls I bought from you all in 2005. They are perfectly matched in shape, a shape I haven't seen since and don't have a better name for. Highest luster. Perfect skins. I have a photo of them somewhere on the site. they need restringing, so I will photo them, too.

I am so glad Pearl Guiders know who you are now. I have been talking/posting about Pacific Pearls and Fuji Voll ever since I bought those pillow pearls, but Fuji did not have a website so it was pretty abstract.

I hope you keep visiting with your tidbits. Love it!

[airdancer]

Originally Posted by Caitlin Williams

But my favorites from you are some pillow shaped pearls I bought from you all in 2005. They are perfectly matched in shape, a shape I haven't seen since and don't have a better name for. Highest luster. Perfect skins. I have a photo of them somewhere on the site. they need restringing, so I will photo them, too.

May I pleeeease see them?

[boo]

Originally Posted by airdancer

May I pleeeease see them?

Here you go!

Some of Caitlin's Pearls

(Perhaps Caitlin will repost the picture, but for now you can just follow the link)