Golden Plating Nuclear Freshwater Pearl????

[LedaM]

I saw a post on ebay with this description... what does "golden plating" mean as far as FWP go? Is it a fancier way of saying "dyed"?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/18-13-17mm-...735179?pt=Fashion_Jewelry&hash=item58b1a88c0b

 

[Lady_Disdain]

My guess is that it is really gold or "gold" plated - electroformed over the pearls.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Weird! Spray paint?

 

[GemGeek]

Who would plate poorly-surfaced pearls with real gold? And would it adhere? I think Pearl Dreams is right.

 

[GemGeek]

Says "white gold plated" farther down the page...

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Pearls are non-conductive. They'd need to be treated in copper sulfate or other toxic metals, but electroplating requires submersion into strong acids which would certainly dissolve them.

Probably sprayed or dipped in acrylic or enamel paint.

It reminds me of macaroni art we did in school as kids.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Ha! We did the macaroni art too! Gold colored ziti.

 

[pattye]

Some of us have seen and purchased the leaves that are are plated. This is the description from the vendor, GODDESS: "We take a hand picked real leaf and hand paint the surface with a copper based paint. Once the natural surface is coated with the copper metal we are able to electro form 24kt gold onto the leaves. The result is a beautiful leaf that is preserved in pure 24KT gold." I've seen acorns and small pinecones done this way, too, so likely pearls can be done.

I have seen the plated pearls listed in a few etsy shops before, too. (Someone I buy gems from occasionally has sold them, but I wasn't interested.)

 

[Lady_Disdain]

You can plate almost anything with electro plating. We used to experiment with whatever weird stuff we could get there.

 

[Katbran]

Maybe gold foil/leaf covered?

 

[BAS]

They're charging $20.28 -- doesn't that mean spray paint...?

 

[Marianne]

Yes, spray paint or dipped ! (rather like the old painted pasta better)

 

[BAS]

Agreed, the old pasta was at least made with love by our grubby little hands or handed to us by grubby little hands by someone we love.

My mother, literally, had my shellacked macaroni art on the wall of her office until she retired.

 

[GemGeek]

As a kid, I thought that those gold noodles were gorgeous!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Ok, I am now offering a new service: send me your macaroni necklaces (or bad pearls) and I will electro form them, so they will last forever.

 

[SunSeeker]

LOL, LD, you crack me up! I was about to suggest similar service for reknotting your antiquated macaroni jewelry! By the way, I bought an aspen leaf years ago that was treated as Pattey described. It has held up well, albeit it is usually tucked away in the box with the Christmas ornaments.

 

[JerseyPearl]

I believe my macaroni pasta necklaces are much prettier than these pearls.

 

[pattye]

Ok, I am now offering a new service: send me your macaroni necklaces (or bad pearls) and I will electro form them, so they will last forever.

On some of my early freshwater pearl buys, that would be a HUGE improvement!

 

[Katbran]

LOL I hear you Pattye !