[effisk]

Hi everyone,

I went to the "foire de Paris" yesterday. it is a trade fair where all kinds of businesses can have their booths.

There was a few booths of jewels made of Tahiti pearls. One of them was showing pendants with sculpted pearls.

The pearls are sculpted with tribal designs (similar to Tahitian tattoos) fot most of them (there was only a handful of them). When looking closely, I could see that the white nucleus was visible in some places where the engraving was too deep.

I was not allowed to make any photos.

I found the idea interesting - you obviously want to use the pearls that don't have a perfect surface. I'm a bit perplex regarding the resistance of such pearls over time though.

The shop attendants told me the sculptures where made by an artist from the Marquises islands.

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi FX,

This type of work is really more typical for the Cook Islands. I have 3 that are expertly done (15x13mm drop), one I gave set as a pendant to my son and 2 (one closer to 9mm and 1 about 10mm both fully round) I still have. I got mine from Jerehmias on eBay, the bigger for about US$150 and the smaller for US$50 each. None has the carving penetrating to the nucleus and none is otherwise blemished. My assumption was that the carving was not done to remove blemishes but rather to add value to pearls with otherwise not very attractive colors. I happen to like the ones I got and I certainly paid a fair price for them. They were by no means bargains.

Zeide

[Kevin Canning]

I have seen these before too and the definatly are interesting. Does anybody have a pic they can post for other forum members that haven't seen a carved pearl?

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Kevin,

Since my hubby's digital camera seems to make pearls look much darker than they are you have make do with some links:

http://www.tokeraujim.com/carved.pearls.html
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/s/lot-652364.html

Zeide

[purepearls]

These carved pearls are really popular in Hawaii, specifically Maui. Many of the jewelry stores there carry these carved pearls in pendants or earrings. I think some are absolutely amazing. The intricate work that can be done on such a small object really is fascinating.