Hi, Ken.
I firmly believe that if one looks hard enough, one can find a really good deal in the Philippines.
Many of the points Pearl Dreams, Cees, David, and Pattye have brought up are valid. But in the end, we're only looking at photos. You will still be the final judge of what you have.
Here are three photos that may help in your evaluation. The pearls are all bought in the Philippines, and in one of them, I use the 25 centavo coin, as you did.
In this day shot are three undrilled golden SSPs (10.8-12mm) and a strand of dyed golden FWPs (7mm). In Greenhills, some gSSPs lean towards yellow overtones, although these gSSPs have a pink overtone. Dyed gFWPs tend to be more peach-like and orange in color. I was lucky to find a strand that closely matched the color of my gSSP.
Here is another daylight photo of another FWP strand, a multicolor necklace in peach, lavender, and white (8mm). In the right light, they can look golden.
I took this photo tonight, using a diffused LED lamp. Same 7mm gFWP strand on the left; same 12mm gSSP in the middle above the 25-centavo coin, and the multicolor 8mm FWP strand on the right.
From what I can see in your photo, your pearls are pale-coloured, leaning toward peach. Plus, their size in proportion to the coin puts them at about 7mm, like my dyed gFWPs.
From what I know of pearls markets in Manila, no one sells 7-8mm golden SSPs. Vendors would rather push 7-8mm dyed FWPs than SSPs of the same size; the ROI with the former is so much higher. Likewise, buyers would never pay good money for a small SSP. That's why Akoyas (small saltwater pearls) sell so poorly here.
But like Pattye said, your earrings are lovely. If you decide that they are FWPs, don't be disappointed. FWPs are bang for the buck; they come in all colors, shapes, and textures. They're less expensive, yet they last longer. Simply put, they are like the Philippines, more fun. Don't let pearl snobs tell you otherwise.
Own your pearls with pride.
