Pearl Life

[Valeria101]

The photo archive of 'Life' magazine has just become available on Google Images... among the stash, there are quite a few vintage photos of pearling and pearls.

Try THESE, for a sample.

To search the Life archive on Google, go to Google Images and add the words 'source:life' (no quotation marks) after your search words. The list above was obtained on a search for 'pearl industry source:life'.

All in all, a good doze of typical Google fun... just in case you ever wondered how they used to match those graduate Akoya strands in the mid 40's and such. Sorting and stringhing is no longer done together for the non-graduated, is it? Strange where style comes from...

Didn't dare start a search for pearl jewelry; endless pit! [maybe just a little - found Ms. Rubinstein's Mughal spinels labeled 'Amber' ...]

[knotty panda]

What marvelous photos! I wonder why the workers wore aprons to string and sort? Poor dears, with their little hunched backs.

[CortezPearls]

Thanks for sharing...those are great photos

[barbie biggs]

What marvelous photos! I wonder why the workers wore aprons to string and sort? Poor dears, with their little hunched backs.

Wonder how long their eyes hold up?

[smetzler]

Just to juxtapose a little eye candy…

(Left: Mikimoto. Alfred Eisenstaedt, Life 9/46)
(Right: Dubai Pearl Museum. Jeremy Shepherd, Pearl-Guide.com 2/09)

[pattye]

Cool, Steve!

[Nerida]

What marvelous photos! I wonder why the workers wore aprons to string and sort? Poor dears, with their little hunched backs.

Maybe so no pearls "fell" into the pockets of their own garments??

Seems to me that even in modern Japan every job has a uniform - even street cleaners look smart with jackets and matching hats etc...

[Mitsucats]

I would love to go there and see more of those pearls! Are there any more pictures? Reminds me of a time, long ago, I went with an ex-bf, to look at a ring, and we passed a room in the jewellers offices, and the desk, the floor, everything was covered in pearls. I've never forgotten that image, it's in my brain! ...should have gotten pearls instead.....

[GemGeek]

we passed a room in the jewellers offices, and the desk, the floor, everything was covered in pearls. I've never forgotten that image, it's in my brain! ...should have gotten pearls instead.....

That image must have driven you here!

[Amrita]

A few more "eye candy" images of pearls, for everyone's viewing pleasure....

[GemGeek]

Oooooooooh! Eye candy is right!

[Pearlcat]

Kinda wants to make you dive right in!

[Caitlin]

Sorting and stringing is no longer done together for the non-graduated, is it?

Do you mean the temporary strands, or the finished ones? If the sorter doesn't put it on strings, who will?