Large Thai rounds

[Chameleon]

Hi!

I am new to the forum and this is my first post here.

I would like to ask your opinion about some pearl earring set I saw in a local shop. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture to post.
I'll try to describe them. The pair is perfectly matched, large, ca 15mm perfect round to the eye. The colour is kind of goldish paige, with strong orient, clean, mirrow type luster. They say these are Thai fw pearls. I do not know much about Thai pearls, but the size, luster, perfect roundness make me wonder. And there is nothing on the label. They are so beautiful, I just love the colour Could they be bead nucleated? The price is a little under 500usd. I think the gold setting could be max 120usd from the total price.

I hope the description gives at least some kind of idea. Thanks for all the comments in advance!

Maria

[Nerida]

Hi Maria, and welcome!

It would be more than unusual to have FW pearls that size that are perfectly round... yet alone grown in Thailand... definitely makes me wonder what they are.

Sadly, we can't really offer any opinions on your pearls without a photo, but my "instinct" tells me that they just might be imitation.. sorry to burst your bubble! I would love to be wrong, but something already smells fishy due to the Thailand origin claim.

If you can sneak a pic, please do! It would be much easier then to help you!

[Chameleon]

Thanks Nerida!

Actually I was thinking if the pearls could be faux. But to sell for such a price? It could take a small company (owning few shops in different small citys) to go under if performing such fraud would come out to public. I will try to get a pic tomorrow.

Could you advise where to find info about fw pearls grown in Thailand. I did not find much from this forum or from the net in general. Maybe due lousy searching skills.

Thank you!
Maria

[pearlescence]

As far as I know there aren't any freshwaters produced in Thailand.
If you are thinking fakes you are probably right - the problem for bricks and mortar jewellers is that they are seldom knowledgeable about pearls so it can be a wholesaler who is the one passing off fakes as the real thing and the shop keeper is as much of a dupe as his customer (doesn't excuse it though)
Have you had a chance to handle these pearls - to try them on your teeth?

[Nerida]

Hi Maria,
Sorry, there isn't a FW industry in Thailand... that's what set off the alarm bells first! So don't blame it on faulty research on your part!!
And sadly, there are plenty of places that will sell fake pearls, well set, for that sort of money.
It is such a pity though... just spreads more and more misinformation.
FW pearls do come that size, but rarely perfectly round at that size. I can't really tell what the colour would be from your description, but to have perfectly colour matched pearls, perfectly round, and 15mm pretty much screams imitation.
I would love to be wrong, but don't think I am on this one. Do the tooth test, as Wendy suggests, just to clarify.

[Miriam Reed]

Welcome to the Forum, Maria! The mirror type luster is often seen in faux pearls. Freshwater pearls have a softer look. And the fact that they have a perfectly clean surface and are that size and shape makes me think they're more likely fakes. Let us know the results of your tooth test.

[jshepherd]

Sometimes it is possible to see a very mirror finish in large freshwater. These pairs are 11 mm +.

[GemGeek]

Oh Jeremy!

[Hanaleimom]

Jeremy, are they some left over exotics? The dark lavender ones are calling my name.

[Pearlcat]

I love them all but especially the coppery looking ones on the right. May I ask what PP will make with them?

[pattye]

Durn it Jeremy,

You just gave me another case of the "wanties"-----------

[jshepherd]

I love them all but especially the coppery looking ones on the right. May I ask what PP will make with them?

Those coppery ones were difficult to describe. They were definitely the most exotic of the bunch.

Those pairs are all gone. They were spoken for almost before they arrived. But soon...soon (hopefully).

[Pearlcat]

All of them are beautiful! Hopefully they'll be more in the future! I couldn't get them out of my head last night. I was driving and thinking about them so much I drove right by her house!

[SpaceNeedle]

Jeremy - Is there a waiting list for these that I can sign up for?

[jshepherd]

No, I haven't started an official list. My plan is to gauge the actual availability of these types of pairs on my next trip to determine if they are something we can introduce as a regular item. If I can't source enough consistent pairs, I will probably just offer what I can secure privately.

This is a set made with that coppery pair for one special customer.