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I think the OP was wondering where the bit of pearl dust on the black mat came from. Marianne explained that it could be dust from the drill hole, left over after drilling.

The colors of that large baroque are natural colors of Tahitians, not of irradiated fwp.

You may wish to read this detailed and highy informative series on mabe and blister pearls, written by @CortezPearls. It starts here: https://www.pearl-guide.com/threads/i-introduction-to-blister-and-mabe-pearls-ultimate-guide.454956/

You can see what new (not pre-owned) baroque Tahitian pearls are listed for on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/search?q=baroque+tahitian+pearls Pre-owned pearls typically sell for less. And then there are the fees for listing the item. In the end you might not make very much. I would be inclined to...

The market prefers round pearls-- large round pearls are scarcer, and if it has great color and luster, a large round Tahitian can be quite valuable! Baroque and circled pearls are more common, and thus have a lower market value than rounds. Blemishes reduce value also. So I would say, while it...

1. The flat drilled one is a dyed cultured freshwater "second harvest" pearl. This is how these pearls come to be: The freshwater mussel has a bit of donor mantle tissue implanted in its own mantle, which grows into a pearl sac and secretes nacre, making a pearl. (Usually many such bits of...

I'll message @Dan678 a code to take the Pearls As One course free. Course website: https://www.pearlsasone.org/

Also, the skyrocketing price of new akoyas may be leading some buyers to seek estate pieces. If one can't afford new, buy used....

No, but they look like this photo of Renee Newman's (top pearl):

@SteveM makes excellent point about natural pearls. Natural pearls are wild pearls created in nature without human intervention. Cultured pearls are farmed pearls. You can see the price of some natural pearls on this website: https://www.karipearls.com/

The shell pearls (imitation) I ordered have arrived and I have tested them. The bead is composed of ground up shells. Unfortunately they pass the temperature test. They are cool like real pearls, not warm like glass or plastic pearls. However, like other imitation pearls, they slide smoothly...

Just as there are lower and higher quality/priced gems, there are lower and higher quality/priced pearls. An untreated, vivid color true red ruby can be very expensive indeed, and in larger sizes can be quite rare, but a glass-filled ruby is just about worthless. Yet they are sold, and people...

No, sorry, I don't think they are worth that much, used. As a general rule pre-owned pearls don't hold their value unless they are a famous brand like Mikimoto or unless someone famous or historically important owned them. Also, freshwater pearls are the most common pearls there are-- eBay is...

It tends to be lower quality FWP that were dyed. But many unscrupulous sellers advertise them as Tahitians, which are saltwater pearls of much greater value. You'll see this on eBay quite often.

You got it right! They are dyed cultured freshwater pearls from China. The dye is stable. The pearls are tissue grafted, no bead inside, so very durable. Will you wear them?

Just the appearance of the surface when I blow up the photo, mostly. But if you have other pearls that you know are real (or fake) you can test these pearls using the temperature test. Real pearls are cooler than glass or plastic pearls. If they have been in the same temperature environment as...

They look like imitation pearls to me.

@PearlyLibrarian, Happy Anniversary! Lovely photo and lovely pearls!

Sure, let the clasp soak too. Just 10 or 15 minutes is enough. If they are currently strung on silk, you want to make sure the thread is dry before wearing them again as silk stretches when wet. That's why I suggest waiting 24 hours. It will certainly be dry by then. Polyester thread is more...

So freshwaters, then. Well, as I like to say, sunscreen isn't good for pearls-- but cancer isn't good for skin! So wear the sunscreen-- and clean the pearls every time when you take them off. Use a damp soft microfiber cloth, and wash the cloth often. And if they need a good cleaning, give them...