Detecting Dyed Pearls

[purepearls]

Dyed black pearls are a growing trend. Many low-quality cultured pearls are dyed. Dyed pearls can often be detected just by looking at them because of their artificial pigment. However, sometimes it may be difficult to identify if a pearl has been dyed. If it is important to determine whether a pearl has been dyed, the following steps can be taken:


Black cultured pearls can be tested for dye by adding a small solution of water mixed with a small drop of nitric acid (1/4 cup water and one small drop nitric acid) to the surface of the pearl. If the color starts to come off, then it is dyed. HOWEVER, this solution can be very harmful to the pearl surface so immediately add baking soda to the mixture to keep the pearl from being damages. Some dyes need to be tested using more advanced technology.

[pearlnoob]

I'm new here - thanks for the tip! Does it devalue the pearl much if they're dyed? How would one go about dying pearls, so that they look like this?

http://www.fortheloveofbeads.com/bea...arl-beads.html

[Caitlin]

Hi Noob
I can't get your link to work.

Dying is often done to less valuable pearls to increase their value. Really good peocock blacks are gorgeous and so are many other black dye jobs. Black dye seems great to perk up a boring pearl.

I don't think the very best pearls are dyed black very often.

Commercial grade pearls are dyed in every color you can imagine and it is just part of their charm to the beader population.

[airdancer]

Thanks Amanda! Is it possible for a dyed pearl to fade? A friend of mine told me she bought some grey cfwp earrings and they changed into lavender after a while. How would that happen?

[Caitlin]

Some dyes do fade. It is hard to tell which ones though. Every company has different dye recipes some better than others.

[knotty panda]

How would one go about dying pearls, so that they look like this?

Hi noob: your link has many different pearls. Care to be more specific? There is a thread on the forum about dying pearls. Us lowly beaders tend to use household and food dying techniques -- Easter Pearls! I don't think we discussed shells.

[pattye]

All darker pearls, dyed or natural color, will most likely fade somewhat over many years, I was told by a pearl expert today. I had heard this about Kasumi pearls, but was not aware it could affect all pearl colors like fw also. So I think it just means store them in the drawer or silk bag, etc. Even if they change color slightly, they will still retain lustre.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

Sometimes on my more blatantly dyed pearls, I give them a little bath with a few drops of bleach and dish soap, just to get the excess dye off. I don't want the dye to come off on my neck! Sometimes lots of dye comes off, and the pearls look even prettier! BUT, do it at your own risk!!

[olmander]

Sorry, am new to black FWs topic, did not have any before, no experience therefore.
Would these be dyed ones?

Olga

[jshepherd]

Yes, those are dyed freshwater.

[Josh]

Hi Olga,
If these are not natural Tahitians, they do a great impersonation. The different nuances of the different pearls make them look very Tahitian.

[olmander]

Josh, they are from Winpearls http://www.winpearl.com/neck290.html.

There is reference to their Tahitian appearance there but I don't know if what you buy is the same as on the photo. On the other hand, the low quality of knitting shows that the picture could hardly been borrowed from a more fancy site.

[jerin]

Olga,

I think they have a very nice dyed colour, resembling very much real Tahitians.

[olmander]

Is it the same - dyed pearls and treated pearls?

[Valeria101]

Is it the same - dyed pearls and treated pearls?

Well, dyeing is a treatment, but there are many more other treatments that are not dyeing