Recent content by ennui

Tiffany abandoned the Iridesse stores in 2009. Most of the articles I found are behind paywalls, so ... There are a few items on eBay, if you want to watch there for a while. Maybe something similar will pop up? If it is Iridesse, it should be hallmarked somewhere, maybe on the opposite side of...

I thought about that at one time, but now I plan to leave them as is. I was more concerned about losing them back in the days when you held the telephone handset to your ear. :giggle:

I simply use a polishing cloth, especially for something as small as one clasp. I have the two part cloth -- white side has jeweler's rouge, gray side for finishing off. I like baroque Akoyas, please let us know what you decide to do.

These earrings were given to my mother in the 1950s. I don't often wear them because they are screw backs, but they are 14k and need to get out once in a while. I like that there is a left and right.

The tricky language is "inversely related," I think. Two variables are inversely related when an increase in one variable causes a reduction in the other variable. We all agree on cold=thinner, etc. I'm wondering if these satiny Australian Akoya look similar to freshwater pearls, and it would...

Apparently there are Akoya pearl farms off the south coast of India, too. Learn something new every day.

Hoarder or passionate collector? Btw, I think you need more Tahitians. :giggle:

The grass is greener where it gets watered. ;)

It's one of the best AI responses I've seen. :giggle: I think your faux pearls are a very cool find -- even if you only wanted the clasp.

CoPilot says: Glass Beads Filled with Essence d’Orient Glass beads filled with essence d’orient were a type of wax-filled imitation pearl developed in 17th‑century France as a safer, mercury‑free alternative to earlier methods of creating pearl‑like beads journals.uoregon.edu+1. Historical...

You can buy diamond testers on Amazon; they are surprisingly inexpensive.

The first image reminds me of Murano glass. I hope cleaning didn't harm them too much?

I found this elephant at a street faire today. She's about 3 1/2", Tahitian shell, and I believe her eye is a Tahitian pearl. I have no idea what to do with her, but she was only $4. Did I pay too much? (No, I did not.) ;)

The price in the link is a little startling until I realized it was not my currency. :pat:

Is there a university near you with a Geology department? Perhaps they'd take a look at it for you. But I think we all agree, it's not a pearl.