Pearl codes

[Wendy]

Hi. I bought a strand of pearls and bracelet in Spain (Majorca or Ibiza) around 1984. On the outside of the boxes, there are some codes which I am curious about. I can decipher that the strands are 80cm & 18 cm,, the pearls are 6 & 5 mm respectively, but then there is a v. with a number 1 underneath, and then a Col. (which I assume means color) and the letter R underneath. Can I find out more about the number 1 and letter R? Also, are all cultured pearls just "cultured"? I'm completely ignorant about this, so I would appreciate any info.
Thank you.
** just noticed, on inside of cases, stamped "Majorica".

 

[jshepherd]

I am not sure about the codes that Majorica uses to describe its product, but one thing you should know is that these are not cultured pearls. They are actually man-made pearls (fake pearls). They are considered, however, to be some of the nicest fakes in the world.
Majorica uses a type of natural fish essence (fish scales) and coats glass beads with it approximately 30 times. The end result is a bead that resembles a very high-quality pearl.

 

[Wendy]

Thank you so much for your response. I was suprised to learn they are man made, they are so beautiful, and have "kept" wonderfully! I will definitely use this very informative website again when I decide to buy some "real" pearls!