Tahitian Baroques?

[mausketeer]

Hi everybody. Need help here please. Do these look like Tahitian baroques to you or dyed freshwater? They are quite large - strand is 15" long and pearls are approx. 10x12mm each. I would think Tahitian but some of the shapes seem odd to me but of course at 10x12mm fresh doesn't make sense either........

Any input appreciated....... thanks so much!

- Jodie -

[jshepherd]

They look like dyed freshwater pearls, not Tahitian. The shape on some of them is very Tahitian and on others freshwater, but the color definitely looks like dyed freshwater.

[mausketeer]

Thanks Jeremy! You rock! I'm going to pass on them then........

[pattye]

Hi Jodi,

Not quite sure what you mean by

but of course at 10x12mm fresh doesn't make sense either........

Looks more like dyed freshwater to me, because of the overtones. Could you take another photo close up on white paper towel? Would help to see more details and color.
A very fun strand!

[mausketeer]

Hi Pattye! Oh, I was thinking that the size would be too large to be freshwater, at least vintage ones....... (the description says they are vintage from the early 80's but of course I always take the descriptions with a grain of salt). I don't have them in hand, they're for sale on a vintage website.......

- Jodie -

[pearlescence]

Hi
Freshwaters. I got some very similar to these in black and in a sort of denim blue at the June Hong Kong show.
http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/24_75_83/products_id/2715
http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/24_75_82/products_id/2725

[jshepherd]

Those links aren't working for me, Wendy.

[Nerida]

Links aren't working for me either, sorry Wendy.

It is odd that a few of the pearls have such a 'Tahitian' shape - there are definitely a few that look Tahitian - most look freshwater - but all look dyed. I would pass on them, I think. One thing they are not is vintage.

[pearlescence]

try these...
http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/produc...oducts_id/2724

http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/produc...oducts_id/2726

[mausketeer]

Until now I've basically just been going by shape to tell the different pearl types apart...... have to start paying more attention to colour as well I guess.......

[pearlescence]

Hi
It certainly isn't just shape for pearls, it is everything, even touch. Tahitians are sort of silkier to touch than freshwaters.
I think that a lot of these tahitian-ish freshwaters are suddenly in the market perhaps from one source in China. Time for the pearl police to do a sweep of ebay for them? I know I have seen a load on ebay.co.uk.

[pattye]

Sad to say, based on my observation also, misrepresentation is widespread. I could spend all my waking hours finding and reporting ebay sellers. Even sadder is the feedback from satisfied but clueless customers, who feel they've found a great bargain.

[pearlescence]

this is the item no of one particularly bad ebay seller, who gives honest chinese pearl people a very bad name.
item number 290574221751
seller treasuresyan

If everyone who can be bothered reports this stuff to ebay he should be blocked. I've already reported this particular tahitian strand....

[mausketeer]

Wow, those are uh...... those are interesting alright! lol A VERY "natural" electric blue!

[jshepherd]

It never ceases to amaze me and sicken me when I browse the eBay marketplace. What amazes me is the feedback the sellers receive. It's almost all positive and only the very few negative feedback tell the real story of is going on. What sickens me is the sheer magnitude of the fraud going on over there. It is so difficult to find any honestly described pearl pieces these days.