Where can I buy Mabe Pearls?

[Carlo]

Hi,
I am looking for two half, oval, circa 16mm x 26mm, grey mabe pearls.
Does anybody know a address who would sell and ship to Germany?
Thanks
Carlo

THANKS EVERYBODY - Good Information! I found what I was looking for - the setting will now look like this:

[jerin]

Hi Carlo,

I have bought 1 fine Mabe from Pearl Oasis, but in my case it was a pendant, not only the pearl.

I recommend to ask one of our vendors on this forum, i.e.

The Pearl Outlet
Pearl Paradise
Pearls by Angela Carol
Pure Pearl

to just mention some. Look through the forum and You will find even more vendors.

Good luck and let us know how things go...

[nlerner]

Hi Carlo,

You may also find them here:
http://www.stachurawholesalegemstones.com/view/230/

best,
nora

[Caitlin]

Hi Carlo

From the dimensions you want and the color description, I am wondering if you actually mean osmena pearls. Many people sell osmena pearls as "mabe"

here is a picture of some osmena pearls
Here is a link for a pair of earrings for $24.95. These are both examples of osmena though they are called mabe.

[pearljewelry]

hi Carlo,

I may suggest you can check our site.

good luck!

[Caitlin]

Hi Carmina
I see your post was already edited, but I found it to be a crass commercial try. You didn't even give the webpage where your mabe pearls are listed and when I went to look at your pages, I couldn't find one, only cheap junky dyed stuff
I can see why you said "Good LucK"- you meant it as sarcasm!
If you want to post here you need to do more than just advertise!

[Valeria101]

Hi,
I am looking for two half, oval, circa 16mm x 26mm, grey mabe pearls.
...the setting will now look like this:

Any chance you could post the results when done ? Pictures are great!

The pendant in the picture attached is one of those 'osmena' things. It would be great to see how a similar setting might look with mabe pearls - it is a nice concept, I think.

[pattye]

Hi Carlo,

Just gorgeous! Thanks for a great photo!! Looks like you found excellent quality. Mine are set in sterling, IMO being Osmena-Nautilus shell is just fine, it has a great beauty and color.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[Caitlin]

You found yourself an osmena pearl. I absolutely adore osmena pearls, which are actually carved chunks from the chambered nautilus shell. On eBay, they often sell as mabe pearls--go figure.

[Valeria101]

I absolutely adore osmena pearls, which are actually ....

Yeah! Funny that, when I first saw a pair - a lone set of earrings in a dusty antique shop in London, they were labeled "Nautilus Pearls". The huge mabes were running a bit against my fashion commitment to tiny stud earrings so they didn't come home to me despite low price... but then, there was no information anywhere about 'pearls' produced by the Nautilus and they'd be a biological imposibility, right... so I was left with this itch for some mysterious, fantastic gray pearls produced by a mysterious creature!

Can't say I was terribly focused reseraching this (not much dealing with the WWW at the time, let alone forums... if you can imagine) but it dod take a while until finally the truth turned up. And light gray is still a favorite color in the real pearls that have it nonetheless.

Oh well...

[CortezPearls]

Nautilus or Osmeña Pearl...regardless of how you call them are not true Mabe pearls. They are a very nice product, comes from a beautiful marine creature and they are naturally colored (never seen a dyed one).

Actually, I think people should learn to appreciate things for what they truly are. The other so-called "mabe" (imitation mabe) made from Turbo snail shells are also very nice (altough I don't like the artificial pink and blue they use) and affordable, but they are part of the shell of a snail and not true Mabe.

So, for true Mabe you have several options:
Chinese/Japanese/Phillipino Mabe Pearls - from Pteria penguin
Aussie Mabe - Pinctada maxima
Black Mabe - Pinctada margaritifera
Rainbow Mabe (Mexico) - Pteria sterna
Abalone Mabe (US, Korea, New Zealand, others) - Haliotis spp.

You have several options for Mabe (Jerin mentioned some commercial sources), but -as you have discovered- there are also other beautiful options such as the Osmeña and Turbo shell.

On this photo you will see:
Upper-Left: One Faux (imitation-plastic) Mabe in a setting
Upper-Right: Tahitian
Lower-Left: Aussie
Lower-Right: Mexican Rainbow Mabe.

Shape & size will vary of course...and color as well (on Mexican Pearls mostly).

Happy Mabe Hunting!

[pattye]

TEE-HEE,

an easy choice even without my glasses on--lower right !!! And they are not at all out of reach pricewise, it's just hard finding a source! Sometimes DruzyDesign has them available online (ebay). Have a few from there already. Can't wait to shop in Sea of Cortez store next Feb!!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[Casey.R]

A sea of cortez store? I can't wait either! Oh you mean in Mexico don't you. I got all happy for a happy there.

[Carlo]

Hi Valeria,
I needed the pearl for replacement. My wife is a goldsmith and made the pendant 3 years ago and the old pearl got damaged. It seems that it is a osmena pearl and not a mabe as I thought, but in Germany we mostly call them mabe pearls. I bought now a pair, but I am afraid that it will not have the same height as in the original. I am thankful to Caitlin Williams, she gave me a good hint and I shopped it via her link. If it should not fit, we have the chance to use the other second half of the pearl, which my wife still owns - in her own pendant - but she does not want to disassemble the piece, which I can understand.
Anyway - I am pretty astonished how open, creative, helpful and critical this forum is. A BIG thank you and all the best.
Yours Carlo

Any chance you could post the results when done ? Pictures are great!

The pendant in the picture attached is one of those 'osmena' things. It would be great to see how a similar setting might look with mabe pearls - it is a nice concept, I think.

[New Zealand Natural Pearl]

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]
As part of our travels we have a collection
of Cultured Abalone - we wish to now share.