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Jeg, Cat Ba cable car towers were in place in 2018, the entire course is 21kms, an incredible project said to be 100% graft by members of 'the Party.' The boats must now be taking some circuitous route to avoid seeing them. But on balance if it helps reduce boat traffic that would probably be a...

You have the advantage. We haven't seen clear enough photos to determine back vs. front vs. top vs. bottom, mostly the pearl appears to be uniformly lustrous under varied lighting conditions, with an attractive creamy-orange color. There was that one apparent missing section of the top surface...

Glad to see pendant vs. the shell ring, especially as the pearl seems relatively clean on all sides. The cage is too distracting, something more delicate would do more justice to the pearl. White metal would be my choice also.

Jeg, did you take the Cat Ba Cable Car out to the islands? They were just building that when we were there 6-7 years ago. Farms definitely have to be outside the bay and main tourist areas, the massive number of tourist boats and junks create a complete environmental disaster in the main bay...

Your certificate follows the example of the specimen I posted above, and confirms that Melo Yellow is a natural non-nacreous pearl, untreated in any way. Likewise, it confirms that it may be referred to as a ‘Melo’ pearl. It is a very nice pearl and you have a good plan for it. And at 6.8...

GIT website with description of services posts a sample certificate that coincidentally certifies a "Melo" pearl. The methods and terminology are consistent and professional, so no problem. The most important detail is under Treatments. "No indication of treatments" means no working, shaping...

I'm not aware of their level of expertise with pearls vs GIA, can you post the certificate?

You must be pleased, it is nicer than the seller's photos, also is less yellow with tendency to the more typical brick/light orange. While creative, the photos are taken under different lighting and background conditions that make it impossible to judge which side should be up. What is your...

You certainly found the right conch for that setting. It screams MIAMI !

This is the one. Your ideas are clear, and you have extensively searched for natural porcelanous pearls that do work well with the settings you had in mind. Hopefully, as mentioned above, you are able to set the 'Yellow Melo' side with missing section of outer layer down. I personally have...

Photos and discussion are on your other Melo thread. See the danger of multiple threads? Best if you repost there!

It's attractive, and that conch was the perfect shape for its intended home. It would be interesting to see the shell ring prior to your enhancements, also a photo of the finished ring on finger. Are the pearls epoxied in place?

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...