Pearl blemishes

[Hanaleimom]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and have been learning a lot reading the articles and threads here. I love Tahitian pearls and have been looking for a strand for a while now. The last few times I was in Hawaii, I have been looking but could not find one that I like and fit my budget. I recently bought a strand of multicolor online and the color is very nice.

According to what I've read, AAA graded can still have pimples and some blemishes. Does that mean some of the pearls can still be off-round? When I inspect closely, some of the pearls are off-round, but that does not matter that much. However, they have more than just pimples. I guess you would say lines that look like scratches. I can't tell if they are imperfections or actually have been scratched while being threaded, drilled, etc. Maybe I never looked close enough when I've seen other pearl strands at retails stores. I've only seen pimples on most strands I've seen in person, but not lines. Can someone help me? Thank you.

[Valeria101]

This Multicolour?

I cannot say what 'AAA' should look like because there is no generally accepted standard: basically, whatever the sellers says 'AAA' should be, that's what they are responsible for. The label does not mean the same thing in any two random shops anywhere - the only consistent thing... is the habit to call grades as A, AA.. etc. Not the best of worlds, by far.

The lines going around the pearl could be light circles... a growth mark. But that's a wild guess and what you describe could just as well be damage from drilling or what not. There would be no interruption on the nacre surface across a growth 'circle' (that may, or may not go all the way around the pearl, but usually do).



PS: I couldn't find an example of light circles off the bat. I am trying to describe circles in the nacre as the 'circlee' baroques have, just very subtle.

[Hanaleimom]

Hi there,
Thanks for your reply. These pearls are listed as AAA. They looked round in pics. Upon close inspection, some pearls do look a bit off-round. The circles are not the circlee baroque type. I will try to take pics tonight. They are not completely around the sphere of the pearls, just barely 1/4 around the circumference, not more than 5mm in length and they are going around the spheres, not vertical lines. Some are faint single line, some have multiple lines next to each other.

[The Pearl Outlet]

From your description, I'd say these are natural imperfections in the pearls and are often mistaken for scratches.

[Hanaleimom]

I took some pictures and attached them here. Number 1, 2 and 3 are pics of the same pearls showing lines/indentions appearing next to each other. Number 4, 5 are of different pearls. I am more concern with number 1, 2 and 3 since they are multiple lines/indentions. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you so much.

[Hanaleimom]

Here are number 6 and 7. Thank you.

[lisa c]

Cathy, you did such an excellent job photographing these pearls and their blemishes, I think the thread deserves a bump. You do great pics.

[Hanaleimom]

I did not expect the strand to be perfect. I have seen some strands with some small pits and that's ok for AAA. I am shipping it back. The shipping and insurance are costly though.