[imanit]

...about the pearls that I'm posting photos here. Photos are made by the seller. I got those pearls today and they do look like on those pictures.
Four strands, two multicolor drops, two dark peacock. All strands made of pearls 8mm to 10.5 to 10.9mm in diameter.
For quite some time I wanted some of those very lustrous, very smooth Tahitian pearls. Round ones that I admired on PP or TPO sites were out of my price range, so I started to shop for baroques. I noticed that pearls 8-10mm tend to have more color, more luster than bigger ones ….
I do not see any dents, scratches, pits or discolorations on any of those pearls. Some have some rings, but not many… I plan to make a rope out of those strands.



What do you think ?? I wanted AAA ( on PP scale) pearls. Did I get it ??

I’m at work now, but I plan to take some pictures once I get back home….

[jerin]

Hi Ivona,

they look very nice. Fine luster and in my opinion a very nice surface. Shape in the first two pics are oval drops, I think you did well.

Colourwise the multicolour is not so nice as the dark peacock strands. They have nice overtones. Whom did you buy them from?

They will be a lovely rope.

[pattye]

Hi Ivona,

The Tahitian grading scale Jeremy shows goes from A/D, no AAA. You could easily check your own pearls by comparing them with the description. You will be able to judge so much better with the pearls in hand. They sure look great in the photo, and certainly should measure up quite well!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[imanit]

Jerin - actually, multicolors are really nice....

I think they are nicer than peacocks. I bought them on eBay - Allure collection form pearl_society. I did buy from them previously, so I knew more or less that there is excellent chance that I will not regret my purchase....
I will take photo of all strands together so you could see how they compare.

[imanit]

Originally Posted by pattye

Hi Ivona,

The Tahitian grading scale Jeremy shows goes from A/D, no AAA. You could easily check your own pearls by comparing them with the description. You will be able to judge so much better with the pearls in hand. They sure look great in the photo, and certainly should measure up quite well!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

Hi Pattye,
check this - I see AAA .....
http://www.pearlparadise.com/detail.aspx?ID=2027

[pattye]

Hi Ivona,

You are so right! I just clicked over and took a quick look at this scale--sorry the chart did not copy quite as shown.


Cultured Tahitian Pearl Grading
PearlParadise.com has adopted the Tahitian pearl grading standards set forth by GIE Perles de Tahiti, and the Ministere de la Perliculture of Tahiti; the governmental organizations of French Polynesia dedicated to the promotion and regulation of Tahitian pearls, and consumer protection.

Please note, PearlParadise.com does not subscribe to superfluous grades such as AAA+ and AAAA. These are not industry accepted grades.

A-D (Tahitian) Grading A-AAA Grading

Grading Description and Criteria
Top Gem = Gem Grade Flawless pearl with excellent luster
Pearl exhibits no inclusions or imperfections prior to setting or drilling

A = AAA Flawless on at least 90% of pearl’s surface
Only 10% of pearl’s surface may exhibit slight, concentrated imperfections
Only a single deep inclusion allowable
Pearl should drill or set clean to virtually clean
Luster is very high

A/B = AA+ Flawless on at least 80% of pearl’s surface
Only 20% of pearl’s surface may exhibit slight, concentrated imperfections
Only one or two deep inclusions allowable
Pearl should drill or set clean to nearly clean
Luster is high to very high

B = AA Flawless on at least 70% of pearl’s surface
Only 30% of pearl’s surface may exhibit slight, concentrated imperfections
Only one or two deep inclusions allowable
Pearl should drill or set nearly clean
Luster is high to very high

C = A+ Flawless on at least 40% of pearl’s surface
Up to 60% of pearl’s surface may exhibit slight, concentrated imperfections
Deep inclusions are limited to 10% of pearl’s surface
Luster is medium to very high

D = A
At least 60% of pearl’s surface will exhibit flaws
Deep inclusions and/or white spots within inclusions on up to 20% of pearl’s surface
Luster is poor to very high

Not sure how the variation of color on one pearl is considered--good thing I will be taking the pearl grading course next week!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[imanit]

Originally Posted by pattye

Not sure how the variation of color on one pearl is considered--good thing I will be taking the pearl grading course next week!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

.... I hope you will share with us some of your newly acquired knowledge.....

[john675]

They look lovely - I like all the green overtones a lot. I had good success with pearl_society as well. I bought a strand of natural-colored akoya pearls from them (as I missed the specials that PP and TPO had in the past). I was impressed with what I received.

Congratulations!
John

[imanit]

Originally Posted by john675

They look lovely - I like all the green overtones a lot. I had good success with pearl_society as well. I bought a strand of natural-colored akoya pearls from them (as I missed the specials that PP and TPO had in the past). I was impressed with what I received.

Congratulations!
John

Thanks!
I bought from them akoyas too and I liked them too.
I seam to be missing PP specials. I was on vacation when all of you bought your exotics. I have some nice natural pearls from Pearlunar and form Apex.... but nothing like those spectacular pearls from PP, that I saw photos of on this forum.....

[silverseajewelry]

Those really do look nice. I love the pointy drop shapes myself and the luster is great. I bought an akoya rope from them but I wanted to know about their quality before selling them in my designs and it turns out the nacre was onion skin thin. Remember, you *usually* get what you pay for.

Those tahitians, however, look really nice and worth considering...and probably cheaper than the last couple lots I bought, both of which had *far* more imperfections than these!

[jerin]

Originally Posted by imanit

Jerin - actually, multicolors are really nice....

I think they are nicer than peacocks. I bought them on eBay - Allure collection form pearl_society. I did buy from them previously, so I knew more or less that there is excellent chance that I will not regret my purchase....
I will take photo of all strands together so you could see how they compare.

Can You give me the link for Pearl_Source? I am unable to find it...

[Pearl_dreams]

Could be this? Pearlsource:

http://stores.ebay.com/Pearlsource

[imanit]

http://myworld.ebay.com/pearl_society/

...not pearlsource.... it's pearl_society.....

[Valeria101]

Grading pearls on pictures must be a very, very... very inexact science

Even so... I'm guessing that these have good lustre, it looks awesome in pictures. But even taking a couple of crooked pearls out, there are blemishes on many pearls, one some around 20% of the visible surface (which is itself a little less then half of all the pearl). There are some dents... So sum total this falls between A+ and AA by the rules above.

These being said, I am not a great fan of those rules - I feel it is unfair to downgrade a pearl more for discrete blemishes then for obviously lesser lustre. And dull colors go hand in hand with lesser lustre too - double whammy!

The picture below tries to show what I was looking at:

[knotty panda]

Oh, I just love pearl math. And I love your diagrams, Ana! Since we are looking at only half the pearl's surface, does that increase the overall surface blemish percentage? I'm not sure the luster isn't just the result of treatment and not an actual property of the pearl as they appear to be largely blemished. Just my 2c.