Pearl Guide

The American Gem Trade Association's Tucson Gemfair has an outstanding lineup of seminars for next year's show. Of particular interest to Pearl Guide readers is the participation of three stellar pearl experts: Betty Sue King, Gina Latandresse and Elisabeth Strack.

Betty Sue King is presenting a timely seminar about the effects of global warming on pearls, mollusks, and the people whose lives are immersed in pearl culturing and production. I can unreservedly recommend this presentation...

Looking through photos from this summer, I noticed that all the photos where I am wearing pearls are the ones where I am joyous and glowing. Could there be a transfer of radiance from the pearls to the wearer? Can pearls fill the soul with visible happiness? I'm not sure, but I love my self-purchase of pearls from little h beyond measure.

Happy Blaire, followed by closeups of the pearls...

Non-glam photos, but nothing shows color like a white paper towel!




If you have never tried...

New York, NY – Nov. 2018 The Cultured Pearl Association of America (CPAA) has announced the U.S. winners of its 9th Annual International Pearl Design Competition (IPDC).
On Tuesday, Oct. 30, judges Tara Silberberg of The Clay Pot in Brooklyn and New York City, Editor and Brand Consultant Cheryl Kremkow, and Jean Francois Bibet, workshop and production director at Cartier, inspected 33 finalist pieces (finished jewels) at a private location in the city. By the end of the day, six winners had...

Karen Suen's eye for color will steal your heart. You will need to visit the collection on her website to see the finest use of clam pearl, conch pearl, opals and diamonds in a ring that I have ever seen. Searching through the jewelry images was a review of some of the finest gemstones in the world, including an enormous padparadscha sapphire and dazzling jade.

I found out about Karen Suen at the Couture Show Awards competition. Although the lighting made photo opportunities difficult this...

This is not a pearl.



The giant clam, Tridacna gigas, is under attack. The rumor mill never rests on the subject of giant clam “pearls”. They are supposed to be worth millions, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Clam pearls, technically calcareous concretions, do exist. Good clam pearls most often come from Tridacna squamosa, the giant fluted clam, although they can be found in Tridacna gigas. The Tridacna squamosa is much smaller than Tridacna gigas, whose enormous shells have been...

Chris Davies is all about style, texture and easy elegance. His signature beaded granulation gives his work a fluid aspect that works especially well with pearls, as you will see in this wonderful example selected for our Pearls of the Week from the Couture Show in Las Vegas.

Purple is definitely the color of majesty.



The fine detail.



The sumptuous full view.



Chris was featured in our Pearl Guide News article on the Couture Show here.

To see more, visit the website...