Blair's JCKonline article about metallic FW pearls

[Hanaleimom]

I don't think I see this article posted on PG yet http://www.jckonline.com/2010/05/25/pearls

Cut and paste below:


Pearls

This story appears in the June 2010 issue of JCK Magazine.
Yuriko Nakao/Reuters/Corbis
Heavy Metal

Three years ago, metallic-skinned Chinese freshwater pearls began appearing in mixed-color strands at major international trade shows. Since then, the tissue-nucleated pearls have been popping up with increasing frequency, ranging in shape and size from baroques to perfect rounds between 6 and 13 mm. Jeremy Shepherd, owner of *PearlParadise.com, collected whatever he could find in China in 2007 and introduced a line of mixed metallic strands by the end of that year. As more pearls became available, Shepherd reintroduced the strands in perfect rounds and soon, other pearlers followed.

The reason behind the metallic colors is not completely clear, but pearl experts say they could be the result of byproducts from newer Chinese hybrid shells—a combination of Hyriopsis cumingi and Hyriopsis schlegeli mussels—cultivated originally for Fireball pearls. According to Shepherd, the metallic colors are more exotic than typical natural-color pearls in lavender and pink, and the luster exceeds that of many Japanese akoyas. Shepherd recently spent two weeks in Asia talking to growers about metallics. Availability is still somewhat limited—Shepherd found just 25 pearls in 30 kilos (about 1,000 strands) while shopping one farmer’s inventory from the same harvest. “They still only make up one-hundredth of 1 percent of total production,” he says. —Blaire Beavers

[Caitlin]

Yea Blaire!! Thanks for putting Jeremy at the center of it! You two are a killer combo! What can Jeremy do to top this?

[Heidi]

Awesome! Thanks for posting this - such an interesting and beautiful development in the pearling world. Can't wait to see what comes next!

[pattye]

A big WOO HOO to Blaire and Jeremy!!!! Congratulations on the article!!!

[Nora]

A big WOO HOO to Blaire and Jeremy!!!! Congratulations on the article!!!

I'm joining in with Pattye.

[GemGeek]

I would have said something about it, but they didn't publish the photos. They were killer photos! You guys are so good to me, thanks!

[GemGeek]

The new magazine format was introduced at the JCK show in Las Vegas, so I was able to hand Jeremy the article in Las Vegas at dinner on June 4th. It was fun to share it with him so quickly.

I wrote two articles that were trimmed down and should appear together in the July/August issue. :::fingers crossed:::

And I have three articles in various stages of development...

[Caitlin]

Excellent work, Blaire. This is such a great way to earn a reputation. I really think Ward, Wise, Matlins and Newman have really become known in the trade and beyond (not only because they ARE experts) but through their published writings. Keep it up! Do you have a blog yet?

I am putting you in the same class as the above-named. To be recognized for it depends on people seeing you in that light. Go Amundsen! Go Shackleton!

[GemGeek]

Wow, thanks. I will endeavor to earn that appellation. Or something like that!

Sorry, no blog. ;(

[Caitlin]

I like to cheer lead a little when you get something published!