SS Pearls - are they ??

[perlas]

The luster and the center of the strand looks SS but the shapes of the pearls at the end of the strand makes me think fireballs.

I've seen fireballs and non-nucleated top FW klonks as a good doppleganger for SS. However, there are also SS with tails, but not very often, really....

Although the luster is SS...my gut tells me fireballs so I'm going for fireballs.

[Bodecia]

Well I did buy them and will let you know when I see them in the flesh, or nacre

Thanks all, was very helpful. I do know that fireballs are very expensive now too. So either way I guess it is a good buy.

Thanks again, Dawn

[pearlescence]

Quick observation - the tassel trim on the white pearls looks an exact match for the one on the freshwater greenish ones...might indicate the same source?

[Mka4972]

Bodecia, Glad you like the strand. I bought around 20 of them on a buying trip in Hong Kong (sold out, more coming in this week), at the retail level I believe depending on quality you are looking at between $1000.00 to $2000.00

Pearlescence, I am pretty sure the two strands pictured do not come from the same source, I have visited my suppliers office many times and have never seen anything like the first picture.

[Pearling Technologies]

I have a strand of Australian SSP's currently in stock; 11.3-12.5mm; mix colour; AAA grade with a 33 pc count. At retail it would be around AUD$7,000. So I'm thinking not SSP's also.

[Pearling Technologies]

I should have mentioned they are semi-baroque!

[jshepherd]

I have a strand of Australian SSP's currently in stock; 11.3-12.5mm; mix colour; AAA grade with a 33 pc count. At retail it would be around AUD$7,000. So I'm thinking not SSP's also.

I'm quite certain they are South Sea pearls. If you look carefully at the photo you can see some slight yellowish coloration concentrated in some areas. This is not something you see in beaded freshwater but it's something very commonly found with Indonesian South Sea pearls. The Indonesian strands of that size and shape will typically range in price from as little as $200 to more than $1000 in Hong Kong. The size range 9 - 12 mm is more or less standard for Indonesian goods as well.

The tassels would not be indicative of company but could be of source. They are most often used in Hong Kong and Japan. This would indicate to me that the strand was assembled in China (for Hong Kong) or Japan.

I am still curious about the mention of auction. The strand is not one I'd expect to see at any auction and the price range isn't such that it would be a debate. Unless the seller is Cogent I think they're pulling your leg. A single $500 strand is not something one sees at auction. 250 of those strands sold in a lot maybe. But not a single strand.

Btw, when I was in Hong Kong in February I met with a friend of mine at Man Sang. She had just had a baby and we had not visited in quite some time. While there she showed me two large lots of Indonesian SSP that looked very much like the strand in the photo. There were about 200 strands and I was offered the entire lot at $250 per strand. I thought it was a good deal but I did turn it down, primarily because of the slight yellowish colorations that were concentrated on ridges and in valleys of the pearls' surfaces. Having this in a few strands would not have been a problem. Some people are going to love it. Having it in 200 strands and not having a true white or a true golden out of all of them ... that would have been a problem.

[Pearling Technologies]

Price does seem too cheap for Australian SSP's hence my query. When living in (and during my travels to) Indonesia, I did not see many baroques although there are one or two farmers with the production capacity to potentially produce that many baroques. The size also seems large for Indo SSP's.

[Mka4972]

You must be talking about Cora at Man Sang she's a great person, haven't seen her since she had the baby.

[Caitlin]

Bo
When you made your comment about gold, I had a sudden flash of gold getting as unreachable for the average consumer as natural pearls! <moment of fear> If the prices keep spiraling up, I bet a lot more gold-plated silver, aka vermeil, will hit the market.


I made silver my metal of choice many years ago because of personal preference, but I am having flashes that many others could be forced into it by cost.

[pattye]

Hi,

I'm a bit late to the party, but I think they are SS, something about the shape and lustre and color. I find them very appealing, as baroques are a favorite of mine.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[perlas]

I'm quite certain they are South Sea pearls. If you look carefully at the photo you can see some slight yellowish coloration concentrated in some areas. This is not something you see in beaded freshwater but it's something very commonly found with Indonesian South Sea pearls.

I've seen the sligthly yellowish to brownish concentrated coloration in unpolished, untreated fwps, non-beaded though. Wouldn't this be possible in the beaded ones?

[Bodecia]

Hi All,

Thanks for all your opinions. I will consider them most likely SS but possible Fireballs. I will compare them to the SS pearls and the Fireballs I have already when they arrive which should be in a week or so.

I had server problems last night and today which now seem to have cleared up so finally I can thank you all.

The did have a similar strand but the pearls were a little larger and it was twice the price. They were white SS pearls.

The auction started at $499 with a buy it now price of $539 so I went the the BIN price to secure them. The site was in Holululu (spelling) but going from the name once I emailed I am sure the owners are Chinese.

Will let you know when I get them.

Dawn

[Mka4972]

So you bought them on an Ebay type auction?

[jshepherd]

I've seen the sligthly yellowish to brownish concentrated coloration in unpolished, untreated fwps, non-beaded though. Wouldn't this be possible in the beaded ones?

I think what you are referring to is the "copper rust".
(http://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/12958-post14.html)
That is more of a surface discoloration and tends to be more brown and looks like stains. The yellow/gold in the Indonesian strands is very soft and has no edges. The colors blend together.