Natural Paua Pearls

[hopepaua]

New Rings , Freeform

[smetzler]

HopePaua,

Very nice pearls. Are these your creations? In any case a thread for Haliotus Iris (vs. Haliotus Misc.) is welcome. Here is a small pendant we acquired together with some loose pearls last year, from New Zealand. It's called "Flower (Springtime)", 1.8cts pearls and 3x.01 diamonds, 18k.

[pattye]

Ahhh, Steve,

Thanks for the fab photo! That is such a delicate and delicious piece in person! The slightly different colors play off each other beautifully!
It was such a pleasure to see it when was in Seattle----

Lovely rings too, HopePaua--nothing quite like those intense colors!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[smetzler]

The slightly different colors play off each other beautifully…

Capturing and displaying images here is not only entertaining and educational for the other members, but quite often serves to enhance appreciation of one's own pieces. That's why we all have so much fun doing it! In this case, I am noticing only now how the emerald tones of the pearl on the bottom contribute to the overtones of the pearl in the middle. Fascinating…and thanks for pointing it out!

[GemGeek]

Notice how well the gold ring would go with the pendant? My mind is always looking to make sets!

[knotty panda]

I love how the pendant flows.

[airdancer]

HopePaua,

Very nice pearls. Are these your creations? In any case a thread for Haliotus Iris (vs. Haliotus Misc.) is welcome. Here is a small pendant we acquired together with some loose pearls last year, from New Zealand. It's called "Flower (Springtime)", 1.8cts pearls and 3x.01 diamonds, 18k.

Wow the pendent is delicious! They look like the blue eyris pearl that was mentioned some time ago on the forum - are they?

[smetzler]

Wow the pendent is delicious! They look like the blue eyris pearl that was mentioned some time ago on the forum - are they?

Thanks! The pearls in HopePaua's rings and our pendant are natural freeform abalone pearls, 100% nacre. Blue Eyris are mabé (cultured blisters) that use the same abalone species (H. Iris) and thus boast the same range of intense colors.

[Sueki]

Hi Steve,
That's one gorgeous pendant - have to agree with airdancer, it's delicious !
The colours, oh, the colours......
Oh, heavens, I think I'm gonna have to get me a Paua pearl or two....

[hopepaua]

HopePaua,

Very nice pearls. Are these your creations? In any case a thread for Haliotus Iris (vs. Haliotus Misc.) is welcome. Here is a small pendant we acquired together with some loose pearls last year, from New Zealand. It's called "Flower (Springtime)", 1.8cts pearls and 3x.01 diamonds, 18k.

Hi, smetzler.
Thank you .
These are not my creations.
I like you pendant, nice freeforms! Good size pearls too.I always love that paua pearls effect each others colors.

[hopepaua]

Ahhh, Steve,

Thanks for the fab photo! That is such a delicate and delicious piece in person! The slightly different colors play off each other beautifully!
It was such a pleasure to see it when was in Seattle----

Lovely rings too, HopePaua--nothing quite like those intense colors!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

Thank you, Pattye.
I agree!

[nlerner]

It seems that the two rings come from here:

http://www.nzpearl.co.nz/rings.html

[smetzler]

It seems that the two rings come from here…

Yes, clearly they have Rob and Denise Wright's (Moana Pearls) fingerprints all over them! 'Flower (Springtime)' is Rob Wright's work.

HopePaua, I trust you won't mind my making an introduction for Pearl-Guiders to these friendly and accommodating (and trustworthy) folks, who have quite a lock on the NZ paua pearl trade due to their exclusive access to pearls as byproduct of the abalone meat processing industry on the Chatham Islands. This has gone on for about 12 years, and the Wrights have amassed an inventory with a retail value going into the millions of dollars.

I had a great time with the Wrights last year selecting the pearls (among others) eventually used in my pin/avatar, subject of this thread. The process is summarized below, from the bags as they came from the Chatham harvest in 2006, to sorting by shapes and color, to final selection—all via photo. (A similar process took place in the Cooks to select the golden poe pipi used in the pin.) Next selection in situ!

Another vendor added to the Pearl-Guide trustworthy list!

[pattye]

Steve,

That gave me goose-bumps! What a small world, and how terrific you can report on your first hand experience with these talented people! It would be lovely if they could occasionally post here-----

Hopepaua, do you work with the Wrights?

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[hopepaua]

I'm glad that people noticed about them. They're suplyer for my business in Japan. Denise told me about this forum and I'd like to be a kind of spokes person for them to introduce the paua pearls to many people!