We are stumped...South Sea Black Pearl or What

[Eric]

Howdy From Texas...We are excited to have found this site...As liquidators of estates we run into some interesting gems and pearls regularly...This one has us stumped...It is a baroque looking pearl/stone, the color of a beautiful South Sea Black Pearl; however, it is flat cut on the backside (ala cabachon) and the coloration is akin to a dull slate...The frontside is very pearI like, I have attached photos for your perusal and hope someone can enlighten us...The light color on the pearl/stone is a shadow...Thanks for any input...Eric and Debbie

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Hi Eric,

Have you tested themetal?

It doesn't look like a pearl to me, maybe a stone of some kind? Onyx maybe?

 

[Parrot Lady]

Maybe it's just my monitor, but that looks more like black hematite.

 

[BWeaves]

It does not look like pearl or shell to me.

 

[86Corvettegirl]

It doesn't look like a pearl to me either. It looks like some sort of stone to me.

 

[KarinK]

There isn't really a think such as South Sea Black Pearl. The dark pearls are called Tahitians. If you look at some of the online vendors, or the threads about Tahitian pearls here, you can see what those pearls typically look like. They are never really completely black.

- Karin

 

[ennui]

Maybe it's just my monitor, but that looks more like black hematite.

Hematite is my guess, as well.

 

[pattye]

Agree with the others, not pearl, some kind of stone.

 

[ericw]

I agree Parrot Lady, it's a hematite.
A manner to be sure is to strike a bit the back of this stone with a piece of quartz.
If the (little) scratch looks red, it's a hematite