Look and learn

[Joyful Grow]

Forgive my camera, it is too old. so picture is vague a little.
From up to down,left to right, mark with 1,2,3,4,5 ,6 and 7
Any questions non with pearl quality, please send message to me privately. thanks.
1, the best luster we can call A or AAA(according to different rule), Round, A1 or AAA, surface perfection, A or AAA--almost no blemish(in fact,all real pearl has blemish, good one has blemish too small to find with eye).
2.The best luster, but shape is off round, I grade it A3.how about other people? surface perfection, B, small pit as a dot.
3.Ah, bigger pit, surface perfection, C (maybe A for others).
4. Compare them, Left, Luster B(AA?), right Luster A (AAA)
5 and 6, the same one, 5 is taken in sunlight, 6 is taken in lamp.
7. Could you identify the color of them?
Many people prefer luster and surface than shape. me too. because jewelry designer can use them well.

[KarinK]

Thank you, Joyful Grow. That was really interesting

- Karin

[Joyful Grow]

Hope you enjoy it.
And, As every pearl is different, when you buy a necklace, you could find pearl has its unique color, luster. if you find all pearls are the same, you must buy an imitation pearl necklace.

[perlinda]

Nice pictures, thank you for sharing.
I think it's interesting because many sellers in China are using different pearl grading than the rest of the world. Such as A1AAA for perfect round, A2AAA for near round, and then A1ABA for perfect round with minor surface blemish, and so on. I kinda like this type of grading because it's more specific... I had pearl necklace with perfect round shape, very smooth surface, however the luster isn't very sharp. I had a difficulty in deciding what the grading is using the widely known A-AAA grading (GIA grading).

And I also prefer luster and surface above shape, I love top quality baroque pearls!

[Joyful Grow]

It's almost impossible to exactly define every pearl's luster. because every one has its luster. But set a quality line is possible.
Even in luster A level, some of pearls are brighter than the other, reflect light more strongly.

[lisa c]

Hello again, Joyful Grow. Thank you so much! for reposting the photos and putting labels right on the spots you are describing! That's a tremendous help.

I'd love to see these pearls on a white, matte background to see the full glory of only the pearls.

[Joyful Grow]

Lisa:
I don't want to show white background photo here. probably bring some trouble.
Private message is trying, but I have no idea to attach photo, no attachment icon there. 0_0!

[Pearl Dreams]

If you don't want to post photos on the forum for whatever reason, you can just put the photos in your album and then use the URL of that page in your private message.

[Adeline Leigh]

Joyful Grow, a white background to bring out the pearls' colour and lustre is no problem at all on this forum. Please feel free to do so like what so many of us have

[Pearl Dreams]

The way he worded it made me think he had a superstition about its being "bad luck" to post photos on white background. Could be a cultural thing?

[Adeline Leigh]

Gosh, you are right. I was trying to make amends for my giving him a hard time in yesterday's posts. A white background, aka white paper, is synonymous with ill tidings. My grandma used to call funereal gifts "pek kim" in Teochew which loosely translated is white 'gold' wrapped in white envelopes. It slipped my mind and I am Chinese! Oh what a goon, I am.

JG, oh any background would do. You just take the pics that flatter your pearls best.

[Joyful Grow]

Put pearls together, causing them reflect each other, So it's hard to see body color. but taking photo one by one, there are too many. more, they have overtone.
I try several times, each photo looks almost the same effect. To see body color, they should be separated.

[lisa c]

Well, how about a plain, non reflective, pale gray cloth?

Oh, what the heck. If everyone else sees a 'magnificent' pearl and isn't distracted by the background, so be it. The point of white being bad luck in China was a good catch.

Anyway, these pearls look great, I was thinking more of a Tahitian pearl posted somewhere on gray chevron patterned cloth. I thought the Tahitian looked dead, and would benefit from being photographed properly.

And Adeline, you "didn't start the fire" before, you were Great!

[Katbran]

Very beautiful pearls, thank you for posting the photos!