What in the SHELL hell?

wonderweasel

Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2024
Messages
4
Hello,

New member. 1st post. Super excited to learn and grow my collection with intention. Trial and error I'm sure. Reading about it and watching videos without the hands on experience doesn't exactly work.

What is this? In non Metropolitan texas so not sure if most jewelers even have as much knowledge yall do.

So what are these baroque "pearls" I have. They are long strand, completely uniform in color- no over tones but not same shape. They seem smooth. In regular white vinegar they bubble instantly but the outside surface does not like the inside. After breaking one open the inside had what looked more pearl like sheen you'd expect(nacre) and the luster has faded on the parts it did seem iridescent after being in vinegar. Did come apart along a internal seam is only way I know how to describe it. Seemes much more solid than the one video I saw of a pearl smashed with a hammer which was very onion layer like. Couldn't find hammer so just karate chopped it with a can opener.

Thanks for your input and well wishes. Merry Christmas to All.
 

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These kind of look like mother of pearl beads to me.
 
I thought fake, too.
Rubbing with acetone would take any fake pearl coating off the underlying bead, if you want to test it. Acetone is a solvent and it would dissolve the coating. Just test one bead.
 
Thank yall for the acetone tip(didnt know it wouldnt hurt pearls), it did melt the top layer, the piece I did put in vinegar did dissolve.

Mother of pearl or shell coated with paint...whomp whomp whomp :(

Anyone want to point me in right direction learn about mother of pearl, or don't bother it's not really a jewel like pearls.
 
This is bead after acetone removed paint. They are actually much more interesting and pretty.

I think CortezPearls is right they are mother of pearl.

Is this a common way to fake pearls? Is there any value to a 36" mother of pearl necklace?

Merry Christmas, hope Santa hooked yall up ;)
 

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Well, the newer photos do help see them better and they look like MOP beads made using silver-lipped shell. I purchased a necklace like that one back in 1994. I paid some $30 dollars for it. Got it directly from Lu Pearl...so price was wholesale.
Hope this helps!
 
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