Where have all the fancy coloured pearls gone?

[Slraep]

I know there are more interesting colours in freshwater pearls than just white, peach and lavender. Where are the aubergines, rich purples, reds, greens, translucent oranges, glowy pinks and silvers?

I know these colours occur naturally because ! have some of them. But why are we not seeing them anywhere? Even high end jewellers do not carry any. Where are they hiding? Are they all being snatched up by collectors?

Slraep

 

[perlas]

Hi Slraep,

I think there's just too few of them to be sold in jewelry shops. Usually a couple of fancy colored pearls are scattered in a multicolored strand because it's difficult to match the colors. I've seen single colored strands but usually in small sizes (about 4-7mm).

 

[Slraep]

Hi Perlas,

Only 4-7mm? Small strands! What colours were they? Do you ever see any really dark, saturated colours?

Slraep

 

[jshepherd]

Hi Slraep,

I think there's just too few of them to be sold in jewelry shops. Usually a couple of fancy colored pearls are scattered in a multicolored strand because it's difficult to match the colors. I've seen single colored strands but usually in small sizes (about 4-7mm).

I second that. They can be made, but it is very difficult. The fancies are just too few and far between. But you will often see them mixed into the multicolor strands. I suppose if one's goal was to create 2-3 strands of a specific exotic color, it could be done from a decent size lot. But making enough to market would be near impossible. It would be a collector's strand.
Anyway, I will try to make one and see how it turns out.

 

[purepearls]

There is a reason they are called "fancy" To make an entire strand with the fancies is very difficult because there are so few of them and they are very hard to match. Even when you have a wide range of fancies, matching them from pearl to pearl is much more of a challenge.

 

[perlas]

Hi Perlas,

Only 4-7mm? Small strands! What colours were they? Do you ever see any really dark, saturated colours?

Slraep

Hi Slraep,

So far I've only seen 3 strands of fancy colored pearls. a 7mm potatoey glowing orange strand, a 4mm round saturated purple strand (since the color tend to recede, they didn't look that appealing to me), and a 6mm round glowing brownish silvery pink.

That's about it.

 

[purepearls]

Continuous research is being performed to pinpoint what factors affect the color outcome. Up to this point, there are many theories, but no consistent data has shown what might encourage certain colors to be produced. Pearl farmers are very aware that certain colors are more desired than others and want to capitalize on these demands.

However, the great thing about nature and natural occurrences is that sometimes or actually more often than not, rare products can not be reproduced. If all rare products could be reproduced, the prices would drop, the rarity factor would go away, and there would be nothing left to be desired.

 

[Casey.R]

I'd like to know where to view some fancies too. There is a jewelry designer called Carolyn Tyler and she has a few interestingly colored pearl;s in her pieces.

 

[Valeria101]

I'd like to know where to view some fancies too. There is a jewelry designer called Carolyn Tyler and she has a few interestingly colored pearl;s in her pieces.

On her web-page only one pearl appears 'fancy': an orange Tahitian... and there is another 20mm monster that seems too green for a 'normal' color, but does not come with a 'fancy' description for color (obviously, size was remarkable enough). Does she make a point of selling unusually colored pearls elsewhere?

I do not know any jeweler making a specialty of fancy color pearls, but unusual colors do pop up on the top shelves. The first 'fancy' Tahitian pearls I've seen were a pair of earrings in a London shop - made of a pair of drops matched for size and shape, one dark turquoise blue (think, blue opal) and another intense purple. It's been a while and there's no way to forget those guys... they were impressive pearls.

 

[Casey.R]

No she doesn't mention it. I think she just added them to her pieces because they look nice and unusual. I just noticed the colors while browsing. And of course the huge one on the first page, 20mm. There is a peach colored one in there somewhere , a bright yellow orange one and a greenish one.

 

[Valeria101]

Aside the orange that she singles out in the description... I'm not sure the others need to be called 'fancy'. They could be great pearls, but how unusual and in what way makes the cut?

Now that I'm thinking... did you ever hear about 'fancy pearls' anywhere but on this forum? The word sure comes handy in some cases (did in the previous posts), but I wouldn't know to define what fancy pearls are in general, etc.

'Fancy sapphire' is sapphire that isn't blue. How about pearls? If it's 'to each his own', the consequence of calling pearls fancy can't be all that much (esp. on value).

 

[Casey.R]

No, I had never heard of the word fancy pearl before. I'd like to see some pics actually of what would be considered a fancy pearl.

 

[Valeria101]

Well, at least unusual if not 'fancy' (whatever that means). This used to be a common fate for pearl, but not anymore.

LINK

I don't see any notice prohibiting links to pictures, so here goes:

The work looks particularly fine to me, for what that matters.

 

[cindyclark]

I have seen some gorgeous 10 mm slightly bumpy pearls at a U.S. retailer. They were light brown with a bit of pink. Absolutely gorgeous and VERY expensive. I am pretty sure they were Freshwater as the color was similar to to some of the darkish lavendars I have purchased in China. Never have I seen anything like it in the Chinese markets, but I will keep looking! I think a lot of the magnificent FWs leave China immediatley.

Cindy Clark
passionpearlsjewelry.com

 

[Valeria101]

HERE THEY ARE!

LINK
Ok. Almost... just a few. But this form of presentation seems so close to the nature of the beast and intent of the discussion, that the page had to be linked

The two I would have loved are a-gonner (the first 'pair' of simver white and deep purple - Yum!).


BTW. Not sure if ID's Pearl Perspectives (informal) journal has been mentioned around here as yet. If you missed it like I have, try THIS.