Identifying dyed pearls

[CortezPearls]

I'm surprised it's that many!

It is rather high, BUT when you factor in that less than 5% of the pearls are perfectly round, then to have them in at least AAA quality...the number of pearls takes a large plunge!
But yes, went to my notes on a talk given by Jacques back in 2017 and that is how many he said had the 22-24K deep golden color.

 

[pearlescence]

Sure is...22-24K deep golden color is the rarest amongst golden pearls...I once recall listening to Jacques Christophe Brannellec Jr stating that just around 30% of the pearls in a yearly harvest will display this deep golden color

Does Jewelmer raise its stock? Rigorous selection in breeding and grafting will produce a better result than random nature usually

 

[CortezPearls]

They sure do Wendy! And it is in no small part that their pearls are this GOLDEN now...they were not this deep golden nor so many when Monsieur Branellec Senior started pearl farming way back in the 1970's, they first had to learn how to breed the pearl oysters for lab production (the Pinctada maxima seems very "picky" in its nutritional requirements as larva).
Afterwards, came the selective breeding...for a couple of decades, until today we have this unique pearl oyster and its pearls. It is quite a feat!
Something I would have loved to do with Cortez Pearls...oh well!

 

[pearlescence]

I was trusted to do some mantle tissue selection when visiting one of the Vietnam pearl farms. Depth of nacre, lustre and colour quality were the criteria.

Paspaley gather wild stock to grow their pearls..how do they select mantle tissue?