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Wishful thinking: I'd like to imagine that Bunny and Pearl somehow fell into the hands of a young woman who stole our hearts on Halong Bay a few years ago. With baby on board, she rowed steadily for an hour chasing our ship until we anchored for the evening. We happily bought more Halong Lager...

Doesn't take misery to be in the fraud business. Greed is sadly blind to economic condition. Tahitians will need their own thread, it will be a very different conversation. The conch ring when finished would best be posted on that thread, as a logical follow-up.

Ah yes, that is the seller we told you to cross off your list. Looks more like he was trying to fake an underripe strawberrry. Not bad.

Can you post another picture here in this thread? I'm not sure I saw that ring. Melo Melo is uniquely subject to fraud given the headlines obtained by the most perfect large specimens. They are priceless. I wonder if he got to keep his badge?

Well, take a look at that cert before going to GIA, it may be sufficient for your purposes.

Not such a small pearl for a ring, in fact about as big as you'd want. I'm beginning to like the pearl and its possibilities a bit more! Didn't you say seller's cert is GIA? No need for another one. You'll want to match size to cert and see whether it says 'no evidence of shaping' or other such...

Yes, Tridacna flames often present in the same manner. How are you judging the value of that Yellow Melo if you do not know its size?

Keep in mind that at last count there are 13 Volutidae species, only one of which, the Indian Volute, is called 'Melo Melo'. Cassis Cornuta, Horned Helmet, coincides in the light orange and brick color range and can easily be confused. Finally, there is NO WAY to prove the species of a...

The first pearl is so obviously a piece of shell that it made me doubt whether you were showing it to expose the seller, or if he was exposing himself. Liulab does not appear to be specialized in pearls, although Vietnam is certainly a habitat for Baler shell. Natural pearl traders quickly...

In the future please post on your existing threads, no need for new ones. We will need to see the certificate. As for the item, are the photos from the seller or are they yours upon receipt?

As I mentioned in another thread, only buy Melo-Melo with a certficate from a top gem lab, And the more attractive the pearl appears in the photo (with commensurate price), the more the certificate is needed.

Species determination of porcelanous pearls is based on provenance, in addition to typicity. What does the seller say about his source? The volute (melo melo) shell can certainly produce all these pearls. But only one of the specimens would be considered 'typical' and in fact gemologically...

Glad you're not disappointed. Look forward to seeing it set!

The astronomical tariffs on Fiji and Indonesia are part of the 90-day arbitrary reprieve, but the universal 10% applies.

Customs is preoccupied informing themselves of the latest. But Trump tariff of 10% on all goods from everywhere (unless specified higher) is now in effect. The carrier will provide requirements upon engagement. but for ongoing shipments best to find a broker.

In the years following publication of The Pearl Book in 1996, saltwater keshi production advanced to such a degree that the labs had to step in with high tech scanning. There was no longer a way to distinguish cultured from natural by eye, The keshi producers made hay "while the sun shined"...

Today is another day, China now at 125%. No rest for the innocent.

Here a conclusion of sorts. While traveling, an order of 18k findings was delivered and has been worked by our jeweler. Per above, the concept of a bail for attaching the tassel directly to the strand was discarded upon receipt, and the idea of hanging the tassel from the clasp came to mind. So...

The resulting intra-day stock market swings would make millions (if not billions) for traders aware of these announcements in advance.

The tariff is on trade value, not pearls per se. I also worked in another sector that has been specifically targeted, European alcohol and wine, which continues under threat of a 200% tariff to shield the US Bourbon industry.