Rumor Control

[jas932]

Numerous times this past year I have heard consumers and patrons at art shows mention that freshwater pearl color is due to the injection of color into the host mollusk during cultivation.

At first I would just correct them and forget about it, but hearing this time and again has me wondering if there is any basis to this rumor.

According to ISG, GIA, and every pearl book I've read, artificial coloration to pearls (freshwater or otherwise) is done post-harvest.

Does anyone know of any coloring treatments being done during cultivation? Was this ever tried in the past?

thanks
julie.

[pearlescence]

The best variation I've heard on this old and incorrect tale is that green pearls happen when the mollusc is ill....

All colouration is done post harvest, yes.

[jas932]

a sick mollusk = green pearls? Oh, that's a good one.

I suppose a pink pearl is from a mollusk that's in love?

Thanks Wendy. I'll file this one away with the rumor about Tahitians being colored by bettel nuts.

I realize pearls are a very misunderstood gem, and part of my job is to educate consumers, but sometimes the depth of misunderstandings astonishes me.

julie.

[pearlescence]

You want another...the holes are made with needles which are pushed through while the pearl is still soft just as it is harvested

[jas932]

Actually Wendy, the drill holes are made from worms. Pearl worms.

julie.

[pearlescence]

Ohhhhh, I didn't know that. so I need trained worms then, not a pearl drill?

[Caitlin]

Only if you catch them before they harden up.

[Mervione]

Haha, those silly rumors...

Here in Sweden I hear them all the time. Sometimes you even hear about goldsmiths (that are supposed to have a good knowledge of all kinds of gems) that say silly things like "akoya pearls are more exclusive than freshwater pearls". Not that they know the name akoya, they usually just say salt water pearls but mean those small, white, round pearls that we call akoya... And it's so frustrating because you can't correct people when they say that, because they've heard it from a gold smith and they know pearls better than me, right?

[Chameleon]

A well known local gemologist (holds diploma from London) has repeatedly said in public that cult. freshwater pearls are not valuable because of their much thinner nacre layer comparing to cult. saltwater pearls.

[pearlescence]

A well known local gemologist (holds diploma from London) has repeatedly said in public that cult. freshwater pearls are not valuable because of their much thinner nacre layer comparing to cult. saltwater pearls.

On behalf of the city in which I was born, I apologise

[jas932]

It can be tiresome to deal with consumer questions - the most frequent one I hear is "are these real pearls or are these cultured pearls?"

But to hear rubbish from colleagues is profoundly frustrating.

julie.

[CLICLASP]

I have heard that Chinese pearl cultivators put rusty cars in the water to give pink color to FWC pearls

[judimcc6]

Ha! This is a great thread. Let's get all the wild tales in one place. Keep going.

[pearlescence]

I have had 'of course I have proper cultured pearls at home' lots of times. grrrrrrr

[Caitlin]

Here is another thread with a good jewelers story. We also had a thread called dumb? silly? stupid? things jewelers say about pearls, I can't find it though.