Calling pearl pros - Strange baroque SSP

[Adeline Leigh]

Salamat pagi.

I love my baby wild pearls too. Nothing quite compares with their colour and sharp lustre. From Antz on this forum. Hmm, I may post a pic on his thread right now just to let him know the latest batch arrived safe and sound.

And I just googled Sumbawa and Maluku; way off the tourism radar. I'm just happily imagining you circumventing the Java Sea, Banda Sea and oceans in search of the amazing pearls. I love your selection and have bought from you before; keep it up.

Oh I edited this post to also ask, I remember a few years back you reported a break-in in your Bali premises (think I was told it was Legian? Nusa Dua? as I was visiting and had asked about the possibility of a visit to your shopfront); was the culprit ever caught? Hope the 'damage' wasn't too great

 

[Caitlin]

Regarding the Mabe's yes that is correct they are cultured in the Penguin Wind Oyster ( Pteria pengiun ) and they way the blue mabes are treated is a Indonesian developed process, the implanted nucleus is painted with a special ink which will slowly release the color during the cultivation process inside the live oyster, which will enhance the undertones of the color seen on the surface. The color penetrates into the nacre and gives a rather natural appearance in comparison to any other treatment

Fascinating information about the dye process! I didn't know there was any commercial production of pteria penguin. Do you think China would try, or is using the same techniques in freshwaters?

 

[Caitlin]

I bid on one of the last batch of abalone antz put up. Someone got it for .50 over my highest bid, so all I did was drive the price up.....sorry, if one of you got it....

 

[R&B]

Gidday Caitlin

There's plenty of Pteria Penguin production going on.

James Cook Uni in Townsville is involved with Spat production experiments in North Queensland as a business assistance package in the south Pacific with Australian Foreign Affairs.

Bron's getting right into it here as well as we collect quite a few wild spat off our baskets. Pteria Penguin will not overtake our South Sea Pearl production, but Bron's quite enjoying it as a sideline.

I recall a thread in the Guide not to long back that showed a Chairman Mao Mabe from Pteria Penguin by a chinese mob.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Fascinating information about the dye process! I didn't know there was any commercial production of pteria penguin. Do you think China would try, or is using the same techniques in freshwaters?

Interesting both you and Sven mentioned the process. I went back to my email to dig out some old correspondence with the supplier that my domestic helper had to help 'translate' as the syntax was a little awkward; the information I received is similar:

Traditional mabe colors (4 colors) created in pteria penguin shells: white, pink, blue, gold plus black coffee (dyed)
Nowadays they have what is called new generation mabe with more than 30 colors available. It is created by adding colors when they first implant the nucleus against the oyster shell. So usually the result of new generation mabe colors are traditional color plus another hues mixture on top of it.

E.g. Maroon red luster--> it is actually traditional blue mabe pearl plus additional red color added on the nucleus, that's how it gets the maroon red hues and the pearl itself looks like purple color.

Now as for the abalone style new generation mabe, it is actually traditional blue mabe pearl plus additional green, purple and pink colors added on the nucleus. Their purpose is to create mabe pearls with amazing colors like abalone shell. However the result turns to be different on each batch depending on comparison of the added colors measure and the growth process of the pearl itself.

 

[R&B]

That's interesting Adeline but we will never add dye to any of our pearls or mabe.

As soon as you add dye, you've joined the chinese revolution.

All power to those that like it dyed, we feel the true beauty of a pearl is it's natural state.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Rusty, Bronwyn and all the other SP farmers here on PG, you go on doing the fabulous work that you do, and if it should please the Asian producers to do so otherwise and experiment, that's their call.

 

[KarinK]

That's interesting Adeline but we will never add dye to any of our pearls or mabe.

As soon as you add dye, you've joined the chinese revolution.

All power to those that like it dyed, we feel the true beauty of a pearl is it's natural state.

Couldn't agree more. Very suprising that mabe would be dyed. I'm glad I'm warned. I'm a puritan

- Karin

 

[Caitlin]

Indeed, R&B, it is great that you comment on these things! A lot of Chinese cultured freshwaters need help, serious help, in a way the sea pearls, don't.

If they must be bright orange or green to find a forever home, so be it. They always have tons more pearls in China, waiting to be adopted! tons and tons and tons.....

 

[Adeline Leigh]

And a pearl lover like me will never snub the cheap CFWP as they too are intrinsically beautiful. I somehow find the 'bastardized' abalone mabes intriguging. But of course the SSPs, tahitians and SoC's are in a league of their own; just like the wild natural pearls.

I love them all.

 

[Agustus-Collection]

Hi Adeline,

unfortunately, as so many things in Indonesia no one was caught and at that time we lost 95% of our stock, while the financial damage was huge and i must say we are more than happy to be back on track after such a short time. The loss of all our beauties and finished jewelry was much greater, our heart was hanging on each single piece and none of them are things which are easily can be recreated, same goes for everything else which was collected for so many years, so you could say it was a devastation time for Edi and me both financially and personally.

I remember on the very same day we went straight back to work maybe that saved us for falling into a black hole!

I may add that in Indonesia to insure our business is almost not possible and due to corruption and wont go into any details of the police work....

 

[Agustus-Collection]

Caitlin and Adeline,

when it comes to Mabe Pearls there is a lot going on for years, just like in china there are a lot of fakes out there, some are just coated plastic which you can get the most funny fashion colors.

The 'real' deal is however not dyed.

 

[Agustus-Collection]

since we are talking of colors... we have taken our shell and mabe addictions a step further

how many different materials you think was used for this carving?

!

 

[Adrienne]

Wow that is truly a work of art...4 different types of pearls/shells?

 

[lisa c]

Wow, that's intriguing art- I see a stringed instrument, a feather and a fin...

 

[Adeline Leigh]

AARRGGGHH, I can't see, please re-post image. I can't see...

Good on you and Edi you just ploughed on and persevered.

Corruption in Asian countries. Sigh. On a side note, my brother's on-off fiance (it's now on, again) that poor dear (in many ways), her parents (jewellers and goldsmiths) were both slain a year ago in a robbery in Kuala Lumpur. Case is still open despite the bribes paid to the police to investigate. The family believes it's an internal job done by the authorities themselves. Too many coincidences. Sad that she can't have the much-needed closure.

 

[GemGeek]

That is so lovely!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Wait a sec, Sven. I see it now! Wow, 4-5 types.

The outermost is derived from the Chinese FW mussel that creates those lookalike kasumi pearls (I've a couple of your ginkgo and forest designs in various shells), followed by the paua (haliotis iris), then the pteria penguin, then the sumbawa mabe edged by the (gasp) sliver of red abalone (haliotis rubensfens) or is that the paua again?

Love it! Ingenious, you have eleveated the humble shell to great new heights! If it really is the haliotis rubensfens in your carving, it is my holy grail of shells in my little collection. Let's see if I can locate the pictures I've posted before. Ah, here they are:
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/s...=83784&highlight=haliotis+rufescens#post83784

 

[Agustus-Collection]

you all hit the nail of the head somehow...!!

This a peacock feather pendant which we created from a brown-lipped Wing Oyster shell ( Pteria sp ) with a Paua Abalone shell (Haliotis iris), Tahitian black-lipped oyster shell (Pinctada margaritifera) and a blue Mabe pearl inlay, the carving is again fully backed with a Brown-lipped Wing Oyster shell.

We just love making these and many others

Adeline, this is very sad to hear about your story, even though this is not very surprising especially for Asian countries. We have stepped our security to Alcatraz standards after that happened.

Sven

 

[Adeline Leigh]

"Alcatraz standards" so it is. I had to laugh a wry laugh. All the best to you both in Bali. I'm there every 2 years or so; it's my idea of utopia. Oh an keep up with the exciting creations.