Show Us Your Pearls In Action!!!

That was a very interesting discussion. I enjoyed reading it.

Today I'm wearing a mishmash of pearls. A blue tahitian pendant that I really only bought because I loved the setting. I don't need any more tahitian pendants but couldn't pass it up.

20240613_120204.jpg
20240613_120251.jpg


Paired that with my baroque blue akoya bracelet.

20240613_120531.jpg


And natural white hanadamas.

20240613_124811.jpg
 
Some pearl oysters had very small "pearl sacs" (mind you: a pearl sac is a sac of mantle epithelial cells, but the "area" of the oyster's gonad where the pearl is grown is also called the same way, so this is what I refer to here) and I could not even insert a 6 mm bead/nucleus in it...the oyster is already there, ready to be operated...so: just tissue is inserted.
It was a way to avoid waste and obtain a keshi.
One more return to keshis. Following the SOC live stream in which I missed a keshi bracelet lot another lot was offered that I stupidly passed on as I had bracelet on the brain. The pearls were beautifully formed. Would it make commercial sense for SOC to increasingly specialize in keshi and decrease dependence on the beads? After all it isn't a mass market product.
 
Today I'm wearing a mishmash of pearls. A blue tahitian pendant that I really only bought because I loved the setting. I don't need any more tahitian pendants but couldn't pass it up.

View attachment 469869

OOOOO, I love the setting, too. I'm a sucker for an interesting bail. It just elevates a pendant from just being a pearl, to being a necklace.

I've been wearing my new Takahashi BBA pendant a lot. White gold, diamonds, and stunning blue akoyas. Today I'm pairing it with white topaz silver hoops and dyed freshwater drops from Kojima. Gee, can you tell the difference in quality between the metals, gems, and pearls?

IMG_3087.jpeg
IMG_3088.jpeg
IMG_3090.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I have a feeling that pendant will be worn frequently - as it deserves to be! It's remarkable.

Today I'm wearing the new SoC mabe pearl from the Mexico live event, the new golden pendant from Takahashi's first event, baby 7.5mm light golden SS studs from Ocean's Cove on Etsy, and 5.5mm golden Vietnamese akoya from PP.

20240614_115532.jpg
20240614_121404.jpg
20240614_115909.jpg
20240614_133006.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20240614_121404.jpg
    20240614_121404.jpg
    2.3 MB · Views: 72
  • 20240614_115909.jpg
    20240614_115909.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 55
  • 20240614_115532.jpg
    20240614_115532.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 56
And I just gave my earrings a good cleaning. Nothing like a giant blow up photo to make me realize that I need to get out my dazzle stik (sic).
 
One more return to keshis. Following the SOC live stream in which I missed a keshi bracelet lot another lot was offered that I stupidly passed on as I had bracelet on the brain. The pearls were beautifully formed. Would it make commercial sense for SOC to increasingly specialize in keshi and decrease dependence on the beads? After all it isn't a mass market product.
I wanted to move a part of the production to keshi pearls...but well, the idea never caught on with my partners. If I ever have a chance to do it all over again: I probably would have a farm that would produce 50% keshi, 50% beaded and 100% Mabe (all pearl oysters would also have Mabe inserts) so at the time of harvest I would always have something on the table.
But seems far-fetched now, almost a work of fiction.
 
Wow, lary007, that’s such a wonderful assortment of pearls you have put together! I love your new golden pendant!

The keshi discussion over the last couple days has been very fascinating to read! There is always so much to learn here at Pearl-Guide!

I’m having dinner with my family tonight to celebrate my graduation, and I felt that the occasion called for my fancy pearls. I’m wearing my graduation gift to myself, which is a strand of golden south sea pearls from JNB. Paired with golden SS drop earrings, also from JNB.
 

Attachments

  • 9CD84872-D637-4542-9CC9-96D92068AABA.jpeg
    9CD84872-D637-4542-9CC9-96D92068AABA.jpeg
    583.6 KB · Views: 112
Wow, lary007, that’s such a wonderful assortment of pearls you have put together! I love your new golden pendant!

The keshi discussion over the last couple days has been very fascinating to read! There is always so much to learn here at Pearl-Guide!

I’m having dinner with my family tonight to celebrate my graduation, and I felt that the occasion called for my fancy pearls. I’m wearing my graduation gift to myself, which is a strand of golden south sea pearls from JNB. Paired with golden SS drop earrings, also from JNB.
Beautiful! And congratulations on your graduation!
 
Yes 2thdktr ... I was surprised by the use of Keshi instead of baroque. If it's nucleated then as I've always understood then it can't be Keshi.
In the same vein, I've seen a lot of pearls trecently hat are being described as Keshi that are small oval and semi round very symmetrical in shape ... I think I'd want an Xray.
 
Wow, lary007, that’s such a wonderful assortment of pearls you have put together! I love your new golden pendant!

The keshi discussion over the last couple days has been very fascinating to read! There is always so much to learn here at Pearl-Guide!

I’m having dinner with my family tonight to celebrate my graduation, and I felt that the occasion called for my fancy pearls. I’m wearing my graduation gift to myself, which is a strand of golden south sea pearls from JNB. Paired with golden SS drop earrings, also from JNB.
pearls&pugs: Wow, those goldens are gorgeous.
 
Yes 2thdktr ... I was surprised by the use of Keshi instead of baroque. If it's nucleated then as I've always understood then it can't be Keshi.
In the same vein, I've seen a lot of pearls trecently hat are being described as Keshi that are small oval and semi round very symmetrical in shape ... I think I'd want an Xray.
Certainly, any baroques trying to pass as keshis may be discovered by keeping on good terms with your dentist and his X-Ray equipment. The greater challenge is distinguishing a tissue-nucleated keshi from a natural.

Nucleation refers to the insertion of mantle tissue. If a bead is inserted without the accompanying tissue, the mollusk is not nucleated.

Just to sum up what we've been discussing above:

We have seen the CIBJO definition of keshi as a saltwater pearl produced without a bead, either intentionally or unintentionally. Grafting techniques developed in China in the 1990s (I remember Jeremy telling me "It's all in the wrist") to create rounder pearls without a bead began to be applied surreptiously to saltwater oysters with the specific aim of natural certification. Thousands were likely certified. The labs reacted to this sudden inundation of 'naturals' by raising their technological game with CAT scanning (Microtomography). THIS 2010 paper describes how the world of pearls was saved from the scammers. But the grafting techniques applied happily resulted in a greatly expanded and more predictable Keshi category. I am unaware if historical statistics exist for Keshi production and sales but they would be interesting to see.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top