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These are dyed Chinese freshwater pearls.

Wow, wow, wowzers!!!

I just got my copy! That was quick! I don't think there's anything quite like it out there.

These are all government dollars~

So the hcApo protein absorbs and stores carotenoids, which are the pigments that give shells their color. So they are selectively breeding shells that exhibit higher gene expression activity...

We are seeing a lot of deep colors come out of China, specifically with the new Edison-style, large beaded pearls. A recent study in the journal Aquaculture dives into how scientists are using genomic selection (GS) to boost the purpleness of the inner shells in triangle sail mussels, aka...

Earrings and pendants are stand-alone pieces, so pearls are specially selected for them. They tend to be perfectly clean or very close to it.

It looks like a real Mikimoto clasp. Yes, you may find blemishes on some of the pearls. That does not mean they are fakes. Mikimoto carries a range of different qualities. There is no way to tell what year the strand is from as far as I know.

Why not squeeze the butterfly bale together so it becomes a single loop? It looks like there's a knot in the middle of the bail now that is also getting dirty. You could also set a 14k bead next to the pendant on either side to cover the knots.

I've seen large clam shells at furniture stores, but they are much more prevalent in Asia. There's an area in China where they farm tridacna for the shell, so there are a lot of different things made from it there. I've never been in the market for one though so I haven't spent much time with them.

Yes, you wouldn't want to ship the shell overseas. It's protected by CITES.

I have seen giant clam shells for sale at stores. They are usually used for display in homes, offices, etc. The piece you have is nicely polished, so I imagine it might retail for $200 to $300.

The original poster learned in another thread this is not a pearl. What you have is not a pearl. It is a piece of shell it has no value. As you can see here at the following link, many people have come here with pieces of shells like this promoting them as pearls...

These are Quahog pearls -

I don't see Quahog pearls here. Three could be clam pearls, but I'd need to see additional photos. The others are beads.

Nice pairing with that blue bi-color! :love:

Yeah, for the most part we don't see that in Hong Kong. There is no local or tourist traffic, just wholesale buyers. So there are a lot fewer games.

Most wholesale buyers prefer the Hong Kong shows over the mainland. It's a lot easier to find what you want, and to understand pricing structures when vendors are lined up in booths. But affordability and price depends on you no matter where you choose to go. If you are unfamiliar with the...

There is a Hongqiao market in both Shanghai and Beijing. The one in Beijing is much better suited for your purposes. As for the hand-carry, it depends on where you're going. If the pearls are loose or unknotted, there is no duty. But if you hand-carry, you still have to claim them and arrange...

If it's your first time to buy pearls, Hongqiao in Beijing would be the easiest to start. Zhuji is more of an advanced trip. You will get taken advantage of in either place, so it's best to get your feet wet at Hongqiao. Your second question doesn't really have an answer. Someone could say $5...