Question about Tahitian pearl grading

[Peterson]

I have a question about Tahitian pearl grading.

I am in the market for a Tahitian strand and have been searching the Internet getting my education here. I have looked around at a lot of pearl dealers in my area but have not found any strands that really are what I am looking for. They all have a lot of marks on the surface, and I want a dark strand which will look best on my complexion, not a light-color strand, which most are.

I have started looking at Websites and did find a Site that has several Tahitian necklaces listed that are graded a AAA with a 'clean' surface. But when I use the zoom-in feature on the Site it appears as though there are marks on the surface of the pearls. When I emailed about the strand I was told that they are not perfectly clean and that quailty is nearly impossible to find. If they are they cost a mere fortune.

I am hoping someone could tell me whether or not my standards are too high. I do no not want to settle for a so-so necklace if there are better strands readily available, but I do not want to spend 20 thousand dollars.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[jshepherd]

If you are looking for a clean strand I would definitely not recommend settling for anything less. These strands are readily available, and they no longer always cost $20,000+. Our clean strands typically start in the $3000 range.

The reason you see flaws on a 'AAA-quality' strand is there are no internationally recognized grading systems for pearls. Companies are legally free to use their own. When purchasing Tahitian pearls wholesale we buy them on a scale that ranges from A-D. Anything below D is not considered marketable, and A grade is the best. This grade focuses on the shape, the surface of the pearl, and the color. In order to achieve an 'A' grade (or what we call AAA personally), the pearls are allowed only one small blemish. This is where we drill. The surface must be free of inclusions, spots, or other noticeable inclusions. When the pearls have been drilled and matched you are left with a perfectly clean strand. The pearls also must have a dark color and high luster to reach this grade. You may see light grey pearls that are clean, but the value is not as high. Dark colors with overtones such as peacock, green, purple, blue, and cherry command the highest prices.

When shopping for your strand on the Internet (which is a great place to get a good price) I would suggest not paying much attention to any letter grades. They really will not mean much to you unless you know and trust the company publishing them. I would request specific answers to questions such as:
Does the strand have any blemishes? If so, how many? Does each pearl have blemishes or just a few pearls within the strand. What is the body color and the overtone?
You should also request a high-resolution photograph of the actual strand so you can be certain what you are going to receive. Most importantly, make sure the company has a good return policy so if the strand is at all misrepresented you can send it back.

One other thing I would like to mention is the dyed strand. Be careful to specify you want a natural color (if this is important to you). If the pearls have a bronze coloration, they are likely dyed. This will lower the price of the strand, but it will also lower the value. If the strand is perfectly matched from pearl to pearl so that you can see no differences in any of the pearls and no noticeable overtone variance the pearls may be dyed as well.

 

[Peterson]

Thank you for your repsponse. I am glad to hear that I am not dreaming about getting one of those strands. Can you tell me about any of the gem quality Tahitian strands that you have available now?

 

[jshepherd]

You can take a look at our selection via the link below. It changes nearly on a daily basis, but we usually have quite a few to choose from. If you have any questions please send me a PM instead of posting it here.

http://www.pearlparadise.com/tahitiannecklaces.html

 

[jshepherd]

PS

If you do not see the size you are looking for drop me a PM. We have loose up to 16mm we can use to make a strand.