Zeide & Pearls: What's the truth?

[Slraep]

The figures are all listed on the Professor blog too (http://www.pearl-professor.com/2009/...-problems.html). It goes into detail on the Shima Shokai, the Robert Wan and the Paspaley auction.

That's a great article. The Professor is certainly on top of things. The comments section in some of the articles on that blog almost reads like a forum!

The "big boys" may have enough reserved funds to tough it out for a while but they roll on sales just like everyone else. It's just a matter of time...

Slraep

[pearlescence]

I noticed a mention of ZE...is this person active somewhere again or is she now an urban pearl myth?

[GemGeek]

I noticed a mention of ZE...is this person active somewhere again or is she now an urban pearl myth?

I suspect that someone is having a lot of fun impersonating her. Maybe a ZE expert will weigh in on this...

[Slraep]

I noticed a mention of ZE...is this person active somewhere again or is she now an urban pearl myth?

She's not a myth, she's a real person who lied about absolutely everything and she's still out there. At least her writings are! I know that she is a mysterious figure to a lot of P-G members who joined after Zeide's P-G demise, but for anybody wanting to know what she was(is) all about, I highly suggest reading the incredibly entertaining comments under the Pearl Professor's October '08 article: Decadence takes the Cake. Just don't be drinking any very hot beverage while you do that!!

Slraep

[Slraep]

I suspect that someone is having a lot of fun impersonating her. Maybe a ZE expert will weigh in on this...

Hi GemGeek,

It's all her crap. Trust me, nobody else can write crap like that. The question is---is that her, or someone else who is making her (deranged!)writings public? I say, "Who cares! Just keep them coming!" I'm serious about not having any hot beverages in your hand when you read those comments.

Slraep

[GemGeek]

Thanks Slraep, you should know a real ZE from a fake ZE!

[pattye]

Gemgeek and All,

I would absolutely agree with Slraep--when I read a couple of the comments by Z.E. on some of the Professor's articles--I knew immediately by the tone it was her. The less attention she gets around here, the better!

[Raisondetre]

I knew ZE was still out there. She's probably browsing this forum as far as I'm concerned. We're watching you! Still on about the Mongolian pearl farms I see. Tough to find water in the desert or grassland - must be some new species that doesn't even live in water.

[Caitlin]

must be some new species that doesn't even live in water.

Yes, those and the Lop Noors from a traveling desert lake. I think that because of ZE's belief that everything she says is true, a slew of myths has been unleashed.

Any one know if vapor deposition is done on pearls? Or that there are 3 pearl processing methods, cheaper, higher quality and the deluxe version? Well ZE has pronounced there are such methods commmonly in use in China. What is the truth?

[Ashley]

I thought the vapor deposition thingamajig was actually a new (3-5 yrs old) technology dealing with bead nuclei. I remember! It was called vapor encapsulation technology, although it's nothing that has hit the big time yet

[jshepherd]

She picked up that vapor deposition story from Strack who mentions it in the Treatments and Artificial Coloration chapter. Apparently in the 1960s, there was some experimentation with chloride vapor deposition which gave pearls a red or blue hue. But the treatment wore off quickly.

I've come across a couple of coated strands, but it has always been polymer. I've seen Tahitians that have been processed in China (by Man Sang) that were polymer coated. I purchased a strand years ago that I thought was very under-priced. But it did not seem right. I had it tested. It was coated. I've also seen a polymer-coated strand of freshwater that came from Overstock.com. Sharon Wakefield was the one that confirmed the coating on that one. Both of these were quite a number of years ago. I haven't seen any coated pearls in a long time.

[Caitlin]

Link to a discussion between ZE and Richard Wise.

How much of this needs to be debunked?

[Slraep]

Link to a discussion between ZE and Richard Wise.

How much of this needs to be debunked?

99% maybe? You can't trust anything Zeide ever wrote. She did know some things about pearls but that was usually overridden by her need to brag about herself and her possessions. That sentence where she writes that her family is composed of doctors, dentists and lawyers---which is really complete crap---is for our benefit, you see.

Slraep
PS. Caitlin, why not pull the Zeide related posts from this thread and make them into new thread!..."All you ever wanted to know about Zeide Erskine but were too terrified to ask!"

[Slraep]

I knew ZE was still out there. She's probably browsing this forum as far as I'm concerned. We're watching you! Still on about the Mongolian pearl farms I see. Tough to find water in the desert or grassland - must be some new species that doesn't even live in water.

That is funny, Raisondetre! You should write that in the Professor's blog comments!

Slraep

[Raisondetre]

"All you ever wanted to know about Zeide Erskine but were too terrified to ask!"

That would be hilarious! Unfortunately that would give her way too much credit. I'd post on the Professor's blog, but just can't be bothered and I'm sure he'll catch on soon enough.