Golden Freshwater Vs. Golden South Sea

[jarpalm]

Hi,

I wanted to know what people on the forum liked better. The golden south sea or the treated Golden freshwater pearl. Which do you like best?

Alec Rupp-Smith

 

[nlerner]

Alex,

The first and the second photos are dark and the pearls look the same.
As to the design, the third one is nicer and more interesting.

nora

 

[pearltime]

Hi Alex! The first and second pearls look exactly alike to me too. Are they the same pearl?

Karen

 

[Valeria101]

In my opinion, comparison would be helped a great deal if the three pearls could be cought in one and the same picture, preferably on white backround. Between separate images, it is hard to tell what is there to compare - the pearls, or the differences (not necesarily intended) between the photograhic conditions in each image.

On the side, 'must say that some light yellow freshwater pearls are the nicest round yellows I have yet seen. Some of the died pearls look too golden for their own good - even knowing that rather psichedelic yellow pearls are possible, the died still look somewhat fake.

 

[Caitlin]

I am certain you put the same pic up twice.
I would like to see them in the same picture.
Also, my suggestion is you put one pic per post. Do 3 Posts, then we can see them side by side without clicking between pages. Just a thought!

 

[Ashley]

Hi Alex-

Both of the pearls look beautiful- it would be hard to tell which is which with an untrained eye. The darker golden pearl with the bronze overtones looks like the untreated pearl to me; the lighter golden color retained some very nice luster (at least that's what comes through in the last image you posted.), but it's shininess just verges on plastic-looking. I really liked the GSS with the shell inlay that you posted earlier- very pretty design!

 

[Valeria101]

Great picture!

Well, the light yellow pearl looks more 'natural', even knowing both are treated color, and keeping in mind Zeide's saying that both colors could be had naturally. Taken at face value, the darker pearl looks too colored and too mirror-like to be 'credible'.

Could anyone imagine what a sudden demand for treatment disclosure for pearls could do to the world? (thinking of the latest about color treated sapphires).

 

[jarpalm]

freshwater golden natural color?

freshwater golden natural color?

Hi Zeide and Valeria,

I really like the color of the treated golden freshwater pearls as well.

As far as natural golden freshwater pearls, I have yet to see any on the Chinese market. Where are these pearls available, Zeide?

In China, many of the wholesellers do not even have the nice, big (10-12mm) round treated golden freshwater pearls.

I think this is where the market for freshwater pearls could be the strongest. In Hawaii, alot of jewelry stores are really pushing the golden south seas. So it might be a natural to start selling the golden freshwater pearls as well.

Alec Rupp-Smith
http://www.alohapearls.com

 

[jshepherd]

Try Ruan's - They have a lot of strands and loose. They have a few dozen large strands in the showroom off the main atrium, but they want upwards of $600 per strand.

Shanxiahu (Pure Pearl) has also been dying a lot of gold. Last week they sold a friend of mine (David from Bella Findings in Los Angeles) several kilo of smaller 8-9's, and a large lot of dyed nucleated freshwater (fire ball style). I saw mass separation of their golds in the factory as well, both large and small rounds.

Those were the only 2 factories where I noticed a lot of golden. But David left after the 2nd day and I was not looking for golds personally. I am pretty sure they are quite widespread in Zhuji, actually.


The naturals do not really look like the dyed for the most part. They have more of a bronze coloration. The color is used mostly in multicolored strands as the production is just too low to compose hanks. But, if you get your hands on a large lot of lavenders there will often be several strands that lean more toward the bronze.

 

[Valeria101]

[...] if you get your hands on a large lot of lavenders there will often be several strands that lean more toward the bronze.

Which brings in a rather silly question: nearly every shops classifies freshwater pearls in... 'pink', 'levander' and 'white'. It is easy to imagine that these three categories are not exactly pinstripe tight and there should be some variation of the colors as long as they are natural. Is it not worth the hassle to have some separated? Just curious...I am quite amazed that nothing like this happens with freshwater pearls while for any other precious 'stone' dissecting slight color variations is all the rage (for better or worse).