Thoughts about GRADING South Seas

[blustilang]

Thanks to this site, I've gained a pretty good understanding of how grading is done on SS's. Through experience with 3 different on line purveyors, I've seen 1st hand that there are wide variances between different "graders" when it come to the opinions. But here is a question for you experts.

Grades are assigned prior to the pearls being set or strung, right? So if a group of pearls is graded AAA, then set or strung in a way that the inclusion is no longer visible, ie drilled out, how would a GIA appraiser know that the piece was not a gem grade? or would he/she know? (assume no prior knowledge of the grade of the individual pearls prior to drilling) Also assume that luster/overtone etc is gem standard.

Curious minds want to know! Hopefully my question is understandable?
Thanks,
T

[jshepherd]

Hi T,

I'm glad to see you learning so much on the board!

You're first comment pretty much spells it out. Because there are no set international standards, what may be gem, AAA, flawless or perfectly round to one person may be everything but to another.

Regarding your question, it's very possible that the appraiser would not know whether the pearl was a true gem-grade pearl prior to drilling. But at times, if they strand was very, very carefully examined, it is possible to see at certain drill holes why the location was chosen. Often, AAA pearls will have one small divot. That is, of course, the place to drill. If the divot was wide, you can still see the edges of it after drilling.