Hi everyone! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
I am currently vacationing in Orlando and happened across a Pearl Factory 'shack' in Downtown Disney. Other than their jewelry counter they also offer this "pick your own oyster" service where for $15.99 you select an oyster from which they dig out the pearl, clean it with salt, and then drill it for you to set on a necklace or other jewelry of your choice (separate charge). This seems like something of a gimmick and for a pearl newbie I have suspicions but wanted to see if there was already some consensus on PG about these types of establishments and this service they are providing in particular.
Some impressions when watching videos of 'pearl births' from these businesses taken by vacationing customers, from watching at the booth myself, and from what the businesses have to say online:
- The businesses claim that these are cultured pearls from saltwater oysters (presumably Akoyas) and adamantly state that they do not "get their 'pearls' from freshwater clams then insert them into saltwater oysters" and that "all of our pearls come from genuine saltwater cultured oysters" (Pearl Factory). The shells look Akoya-like and are 2.5-3 inches across on average.
- At the same time, there have been video recordings and client reviews stating that they have on occasion 'birthed' pearls of black color.
- Their oysters are preserved in formaldehyde solution and therefore are dead at the time of display and harvest by the customer at the booth; one can also purchase a "canned" variation of an oyster that is presumably dead and preserved in the same solution.
- These pearls seem to always be round, exhibit decent luster and range from 6-8 mm, in colors from white to silver-blue, pink, gold, and black. They are not entirely blemish-free. Sometimes the sales associates point out either a 'bump' or 'dip' that define the pearl as a boy or girl and then drill from this spot (but why is this consistent?).
Now to me these facts don't quite add up to me in supporting their marketing of this experience as a 'harvest your own real pearl straight from a real oyster" (note that while the business stated that they don't insert freshwater pearls in their saltwater oysters, they didn't specifically deny inserting saltwater pearls into their saltwater oysters either).
I was under the impression that Akoya oysters don't produce black pearls, and although the chances of getting a blemish-free round pearl are higher with bead-nucleated oysters, it is not a 100% guarantee every time. The pearls that I have seen come out of these dead oysters have most certainly been round and without significant blemishing (pits or bumps) but they do seem to have patches of duller nacre, if that is really what it is. So what is really happening here?
Is it...
1) They are inserting imitation pearls into dead oysters.
2) They are inserting real saltwater pearls into dead oysters. Pearls that they have decided are not up to nacre thickness or luster or blemish standards for retail sale. Pearls that may have been processed and dyed prior to insertion.
3) These really are cultured saltwater pearls from their original oyster, and they make more of their money with the setting and jewelry that people buy for the pearl so that they are always operating at a profit. (In which case, the likelihood of getting a singe black pearl from an Akoya is not that low?)
I find this to be very intriguing and would like to see if you more experienced folks could give your impressions. Has anyone tried this out just to see for themselves?
Happy Holidays, everyone!
I am currently vacationing in Orlando and happened across a Pearl Factory 'shack' in Downtown Disney. Other than their jewelry counter they also offer this "pick your own oyster" service where for $15.99 you select an oyster from which they dig out the pearl, clean it with salt, and then drill it for you to set on a necklace or other jewelry of your choice (separate charge). This seems like something of a gimmick and for a pearl newbie I have suspicions but wanted to see if there was already some consensus on PG about these types of establishments and this service they are providing in particular.
Some impressions when watching videos of 'pearl births' from these businesses taken by vacationing customers, from watching at the booth myself, and from what the businesses have to say online:
- The businesses claim that these are cultured pearls from saltwater oysters (presumably Akoyas) and adamantly state that they do not "get their 'pearls' from freshwater clams then insert them into saltwater oysters" and that "all of our pearls come from genuine saltwater cultured oysters" (Pearl Factory). The shells look Akoya-like and are 2.5-3 inches across on average.
- At the same time, there have been video recordings and client reviews stating that they have on occasion 'birthed' pearls of black color.
- Their oysters are preserved in formaldehyde solution and therefore are dead at the time of display and harvest by the customer at the booth; one can also purchase a "canned" variation of an oyster that is presumably dead and preserved in the same solution.
- These pearls seem to always be round, exhibit decent luster and range from 6-8 mm, in colors from white to silver-blue, pink, gold, and black. They are not entirely blemish-free. Sometimes the sales associates point out either a 'bump' or 'dip' that define the pearl as a boy or girl and then drill from this spot (but why is this consistent?).
Now to me these facts don't quite add up to me in supporting their marketing of this experience as a 'harvest your own real pearl straight from a real oyster" (note that while the business stated that they don't insert freshwater pearls in their saltwater oysters, they didn't specifically deny inserting saltwater pearls into their saltwater oysters either).
I was under the impression that Akoya oysters don't produce black pearls, and although the chances of getting a blemish-free round pearl are higher with bead-nucleated oysters, it is not a 100% guarantee every time. The pearls that I have seen come out of these dead oysters have most certainly been round and without significant blemishing (pits or bumps) but they do seem to have patches of duller nacre, if that is really what it is. So what is really happening here?
Is it...
1) They are inserting imitation pearls into dead oysters.
2) They are inserting real saltwater pearls into dead oysters. Pearls that they have decided are not up to nacre thickness or luster or blemish standards for retail sale. Pearls that may have been processed and dyed prior to insertion.
3) These really are cultured saltwater pearls from their original oyster, and they make more of their money with the setting and jewelry that people buy for the pearl so that they are always operating at a profit. (In which case, the likelihood of getting a singe black pearl from an Akoya is not that low?)
I find this to be very intriguing and would like to see if you more experienced folks could give your impressions. Has anyone tried this out just to see for themselves?
Happy Holidays, everyone!
