What kind of pearl is this?

[robinmce]

Hi all
I was given these earrings by a rather expensive designer in a trade for artwork. She told me she looked for a while at Tuscon show to find the right type of pearls. But now I forget what she said. Any ideas. You can look deepinto them and they have a wonderful blue, pink, green glow that changes. Here are some pics.

[Casey.R]

What a cool design. I can see the colors in the pearls too. I guess they could be freshwater keishi pearls or maybe south sea keishi pearls? I'm sure someone here will have a better idea.

[Pearlgully]

I'm not an expert, but those pearls look like South Sea keshis to me. They are beautiful.


Gail

[pattye]

Hi Robinmce,

Those are lovely, bet they are sooooo pretty on too! I vote for SS keishi, am guessing they would be more likely to be sold not drilled, so they could then be half-drilled. I don't recall seeing fw keishi for sale that were undrilled, although that surely could happen.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[Nerida]

Hi everyone,

I am feeling pretty chuffed right now, coz my guess was SS keishis before I scrolled on down through the responses, and if the lovely pattye thinks that's what they are then my knowledge must be improving (in no small way due to this forum!!).

I think those earrings are just gorgeous - the pearls are magnificent. I have some pretty fantastic FW keishis, but I'm betting on these being SS as the SS just look different - thicker, for a start, and with cleaner lines and surfaces (less crinkled??)

Good luck with them - they are beautiful! Thanks also for sharing the photos.

[Nerida]

Just had another look at your photos - beautiful photography, by the way! They are very expensively set - don't know if anyone would put freshies on such a lot of gold - it looks relatively high karat, as well, and the diamonds (?) are not exactly insignificant. They are stunning!

[Valeria101]

One vote for freshwater: the shape and overtones...

Besides, it is not unusual for signed jewelry to economize o ingredients, so to speak - after all, a designer's value added is not in the materials

If those pink, plump things would be SS keshi, I would rather expect them in plain studs... for the same economic reasons.

[olmander]

Pearls look very much like my FW baroque, same colours, same oriet.

But what a pretty design!

[robinmce]

Thank you for all your responses. I was torn between thinking FW or SS but have never seen SS before so have nothing to compare it to!
They look different from other FW I've seen but could just be better quality. I've ordered some freshadama earrings, so maybe that will give me a better comparison with high quality FW!!
BTW the diamonds are studs made from an old brooch from my grandma and the gold with pearls is removable. What do you call that?? Anyways I can wear one on a pendant also....but afraid to as much easier to damage one that way!!

[Pearlgully]

At the AGTA show in Tucson last month, I was shown a strand of CFW keshi, not the krinkley petal pearls I am accustomed to seeing, but pearls that looked incredibly liked SS keshi. I was amazed. I was told that these kinds of pearls are relatively recent to the market. So, my question is...... how old are your earrings? Also, just curious about the metal; on my computer screen, the metal looks to be a "rose" gold (14K). Are your earrings gold or some other type of metal?


Gail

[DFrey]

The pearls look like freshwater to me. I have been using freshwater keishi like those for a couple of years now. And yes in gold earrings and other gold pieces. The best have incredible orient and are a good value and better or at least as good quality as Keishi from other sources, but they are hard to get in the bigger sizes.

DFrey

[pattye]

Hi Robinmce,

Didn't even notice that the diamond studs are separate! So one technical term for the gold and pearl part would be a "jacket." The fun part is that you could wear them with a black pearl or other gemstone stud for fun. BTW, I'm still stickin' with my original guess of SS keishi!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[jerin]

One vote for freshwater: the shape and overtones...

Besides, it is not unusual for signed jewelry to economize o ingredients, so to speak - after all, a designer's value added is not in the materials

If those pink, plump things would be SS keshi, I would rather expect them in plain studs... for the same economic reasons.

I think the same as Valeria. They very much look like our baroque freshwater pearls, that were untreated. I never have seen SS Keshis or other white SS so I am not sure but I think the orient is more Freshwater like, all the photos of SS I have seen have more of a silver overtone and not this strong pinkish, greenish or bluish tone....

[Pearl Dreams]

I have some white CFW baroques (not from Jeremy) that have a similar shape and orient. I love the orient on them-- it is much easier to see it on non-round pearls.

[Kevin Canning]

I'd say FW myself but it could be SSP too. Usually if a designer uses anything other then FWPs then they make a fuss out of the pearl type.

Forgot to add, great piece.