Need expert advice -- brown & white?

[silverseajewelry]

Hi.

I need an expert opinion here.

I got a shipment of mixed quality pearls in yesterday, most of them lovely circle peacocks. About 20 of them are circle baroques that are white/light silver with chocolatey brown rings through the circles.

I've never seen any quite like this before...they are almost striped. From an artisan perspective, they are very cool and would look great with some smoky quartz or something like that.

From a quality perspective, I have two questions:
1) (Jeremy?) do the stripes count as discoloration and call for a drop to "D" grade? It doesn't look like the odd yellow brown spots you sometimes see at the end of larger pearls.

2) Do Tahitians really come striped like this naturally? They don't look tampered with, but you never know these days.

[Hanaleimom]

Hi,
I am not an expert, but just guessing here.

Do you have pictures? Could it be the conchiolin layer that binds the nucleus and the nacre?

[jerin]

Hi,
I am not an expert, but just guessing here.

Do you have pictures? Could it be the conchiolin layer that binds the nucleus and the nacre?

Good question:
the next would be: could it be these pearls have slipped by the control as to nacre thickness? and are officially not allowed out of the country at all?

[silverseajewelry]

Here are some photos...they show the stripes but not perfectly. The nacre thickness looks right upon examination of drill holes, FYI.

[Mervione]

The pearl that´s under the others on the second picture looks like some kind of pokéball. Not the exactly colours but if only it had some kind of button in the middle of the circle it could have been... Geeky childhood memories of Pokémon wont be forgotten, sorry.

[pearlkrazy]

I'm no expert, but from a purely consumer standpoint I think they are really cool! I would love to have a pendant or Y necklace with those :-)

[Sueki]

Hi Silversea,
Those look fine to me - in fact, better than fine, they're gorgeous. Those bands of colour are what I love best about Tahitians. I'm sure they're o.k. quality-wise, too. I've some of Josh's pearls that are like that.
Yours are beautiful - thanks for the pics. and enjoy them.

[GemGeek]

When I bought Tahitian pearls to make brass jewelry, I specifically picked pearls with bronze banding so they would go with the brass color. Not a defect in my book!

[silverseajewelry]

I've done more research...and it looks like any color combination is possible with circles. So, thanks for the input. I just never seen brown bands with white before. Lucky me as I have a perfect plan for them. I'm just really careful because I only want to sell awesome pearls -- even if they are B-C grade.

I'm going to go ahead and hook them up with some faceted smokey quartz squares that I have...bracelet and earrings probably as I have a nicely matching pair of the white with brown pearls!

[Josh]

Hi Silversea,
I just got back from 10 wonderful days at my farm. I personally really like circled pearls with very strong circling. I think it makes them ultra unique and interesting.
I also wanted to add that circling does not have an impact on the quality of a pearl. You can have a strongly circled pearl that is "A" (AAA) grade if the luster is very good and there are few to no pits.

[silverseajewelry]

Thanks Josh.

Here are two items with little brown zebra Tahitians.

[Josh]

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! Sorry, big Zoolander fan here.
Dig 'em. They look great!

[Pearling Technologies]

I agree. There is undeniable beauty in round pearls but there is amazing beauty AND uniqueness in circle pearls and other shapes.

[GemGeek]

Just as you thought-- great color combination and terrific work!

[smartneil]

Hi,
I don't think there si anything wrong with those pearls but i think they are one of the best in quality that you could get. They would look amazing as a necklace, pendant or even earrings!

Amazing ones, my friend!

Hi.

I need an expert opinion here.

I got a shipment of mixed quality pearls in yesterday, most of them lovely circle peacocks. About 20 of them are circle baroques that are white/light silver with chocolatey brown rings through the circles.

I've never seen any quite like this before...they are almost striped. From an artisan perspective, they are very cool and would look great with some smoky quartz or something like that.

From a quality perspective, I have two questions:
1) (Jeremy?) do the stripes count as discoloration and call for a drop to "D" grade? It doesn't look like the odd yellow brown spots you sometimes see at the end of larger pearls.

2) Do Tahitians really come striped like this naturally? They don't look tampered with, but you never know these days.