are these basra natural pearls?

[kaisoni]

 

[pattye]

Kaisoni,

We'd like to help you, but can't tell much from these photos. If you want comments you will have to provide clear, close ups of the pearls, and even then we will not be able to give you a definite answer, only a lab can do that. A white paper towel is a good background, nothing shiny, please.

 

[BWeaves]

I think it would be hard to tell from a photograph, but you could check with Kari Pearls. She only deals with natural pearls. She has a lot of Basra pearls.

http://www.karipearls.com/catalog-natural-arabian-gulf-pearls.html

 

[Orient]

Doubt anyone can answer your question accurately. All you will receive are opinions. Whether they are correct or not is another matter. Better images (macro) and some history/provenance may help but failing that just guesses until some actual data is collected on them by a lab and then you MAY have a better idea. Would need chemistry and examination/interpretation of the internal structures by someone who has some idea what to look out for when studying said results. If some of the pearls are found to be non-beaded cultured pearls for instance you can say that they are more likely to be cultured in Pinctada maxima, so hence not Basra. If they are natural and show the correct types of structures for Basra pearls then they could be from Pinctada radiata. Good luck with your quest. The very large one on its own could even be a freshwater pearl from a distance, so hence chemistry would be useful.