crackle

[pearlescence]

I got this pearl last HK because of the good shape, good colour and great lustre, but the photo brings out the weird nacre surface. It looks like it has been crackle glazed. never seen this before

it's freshwater. The crackles aren't visible to the naked eye.

 

[Sanippy]

Ooh it looks like a dinosaur egg! Well what I imagine a dinosaur egg to look like anyway!

 

[Katbran]

Dragon Egg? If it's big enough to have a name...I'd call it Stormborn. Wow that's really interesting looking ! And you don't see this when just looking at the pearl...interesting. It's a beautiful pearl, I can see why it captured your eye - I love the reflection in it. Great lustre.

 

[Pareltje]

Is it dyed?
Beware, the dragon is about to hatch!

 

[BWeaves]

Is it dyed?
Beware, the dragon is about to hatch!

Drogon? Is that you? (I was going to make a dragon hatching comment, too.)

I love the shape and color of that pearl. I can see why you bought it.

I wonder why the crackles only show up in the photo.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Cool looking pearl!

 

[Pareltje]

Drogon? Is that you? (I was going to make a dragon hatching comment, too.)

I love the shape and color of that pearl. I can see why you bought it.

I wonder why the crackles only show up in the photo.

BWeaves, that's what popped in my mind when I saw that crackled pearl: a baby dragon about to hatch LOL
Oh, were you talking about Game of the Thrones? Then I misunderstood you
I wouldn't mind being the little dragon inside that pearl though.

 

[jshepherd]

The pearl is poorly treated. It was in the maeshori chemical solution for too long and the nacre dried out. Then it was dyed. That's why you get the dark lines.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Drogon? Is that you?

Rhaegal was borne of the green egg. Drogon, red and Viserion the white.

Yeah, I'm a GoT fanatic too.

 

[pearlescence]

Thanks Jeremy, that makes sense. I can't see it with just my eyes (!) but I do need to muster up the courage to get my cataracts done.

 

[pattye]

Fascinating! What a surprise!! Just the kind of pearl I would have chosen, too. Thanks for sharing, Wendy.

 

[jshepherd]

I used to see it quite a bit from the smaller "family" factories. I was once told the pearls had gotten "burned" by the chemicals. They are placed in heated chemicals that tighten the nacre, but if not done skillfully can damage the pearl. The larger factories had better technology, so it rarely happened with them. They are also the ones in Hong Kong, which is why we don't see it often.

This is the same treatment that caused pearls to turn chalky after a short amount of time. This was a big problem years ago and one of the reasons a lot of dealers wouldn't carry Chinese freshwater. I haven't seen a strand of pearls "turn" for a very long time now.

 

[jshepherd]

I forgot to mention that you also see this in Tahitians. There is one vendor in Hong Kong that is in the same building as one of our primary freshwater pearl suppliers who seems to specialize is super low-grade Tahitian pearls - Shanghai Pearl. They always have a booth at the show and a lot of what I've seen there looks like heavily treated, likely non-authorized exported Tahitians. It's the sort of junk we see in the tents in Tucson.

 

[BWeaves]

Rhaegal was borne of the green egg. Drogon, red and Viserion the white.

Yeah, I'm a GoT fanatic too.

Thanks Dave! I couldn't remember the names of the other two dragons, and I forgot their eggs were different colors.

 

[JerseyPearl]

Jeremy, do you think with the change in the standards by the government of FP we will be seeing more of these junk Tahitians?

 

[jshepherd]

Jeremy, do you think with the change in the standards by the government of FP we will be seeing more of these junk Tahitians?

It's possible, but although the law changed, it hasn't been enacted. Pearls are still required to go through export controls. But anyone who has been to the Tucson Show would know that a large number of destroy-grade pearls make it out of French Polynesia. Anytime you see Tahitians with holes in the nacre, often looking like black spots as though someone held a pearl over a lighter for a period of time, you know they're smuggled.

There is (unfortunately) a market for these types of pearls, especially in the design community, which is why we see them in Tucson. You can get really large (think 15 mm+) for little of nothing, while a fine quality 16 mm Tahitian costs thousands.

 

[SunSeeker]

How interesting, Jeremy. I'm afraid I really like the shape and luster of Wendy's pearl, I would have bought that dragon egg too

 

[Katbran]

Really interesting Jeremy. I dont think my eyes are good enough to see that pattern .. I'm going to have to take my magnifying goggles to the next show and look like a complete turkey. Goodness knows there are some dreadful pearls around...

 

[Pearl Dreams]

... Anytime you see Tahitians with holes in the nacre, often looking like black spots as though someone held a pearl over a lighter for a period of time, you know they're smuggled.

There is (unfortunately) a market for these types of pearls, especially in the design community, which is why we see them in Tucson. You can get really large (think 15 mm+) for little of nothing, while a fine quality 16 mm Tahitian costs thousands.

Jeremy, do you happen to have any photos of Tahitians with that kind of flaw?

 

[jshepherd]

I don't have a photo, or at least I don't know where I might have a photo. Blaire may have one taken in Tucson.