What is going on here?

It sounds like some sort of damage. It may not even be damage caused by you, but some sort of prior exposure.

I'm just wondering......... when pearls are mailed internationally, are they x-rayed by customs? If so, I have to believe this can not be a good thing for pearls.

Also, could the temperature in the mailing facilities have a detrimental effect on pearls?


Gail
 
The question about the effect of X rays is a very good one. Especially for anyone traveling with pearls while on vacation.
 
I'm just wondering......... when pearls are mailed internationally, are they x-rayed by customs? If so, I have to believe this can not be a good thing for pearls.

Also, could the temperature in the mailing facilities have a detrimental effect on pearls?


Gail

Hi,
Tahitian pearls are x-rayed to determine if the nacre is thick enough to be exported...so I don't think x-rays are bad for pearls. Unless the ones used by customs are more intense/stronger than normal nacre checking x-ray done in Tahiti?
 
Sorry, I didn't take very good pictures.

Picture of strand now
This is taken in fluorescent white lighting - the colour is inaccurate. The strand is rosier and is not as dull as pictured.

This other picture is taken in march in evening light. This picture close to what I saw when I first opened the box. At this time, I already thought the strand is not as pretty as it first came. The colour in the picture looks quite peachy but it's the camera picking up the colour.

Comments welcome!

Jeremy, your unexpected generosity is appreciated but I don't think you should take back this strand when it cannot be sold. Perhaps if you could take a look at these pictures and comment on them before you decide that I should send it back. I mean if it is something that I did wrong, I would run into the same problem with another new strand.
 
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I think the photo's being a little out of focus makes it hard to judge.

Maybe take another photo, with similar lighting as the one in March?
 
Sorry, I didn't take very good pictures.

Picture of strand now
This is taken in fluorescent white lighting - the colour is inaccurate. The strand is rosier and is not as dull as pictured.

This other picture is taken in march in evening light. This picture close to what I saw when I first opened the box. At this time, I already thought the strand is not as pretty as it first came. The colour in the picture looks quite peachy but it's the camera picking up the colour.

Comments welcome!

Jeremy, your unexpected generosity is appreciated but I don't think you should take back this strand when it cannot be sold. Perhaps if you could take a look at these pictures and comment on them before you decide that I should send it back. I mean if it is something that I did wrong, I would run into the same problem with another new strand.

It is going to be impossible to tell from a photo. Don't feel bad about it. Just send it back to us.
 
My purple freshie was one of the first Jeremy brought home. I thought it had not been processed or treated at all.
 
Airdancer:
I've been thinking about this for some time.. Forgive me if you've already figured all this out but have been wondering. Where do you swim? In a pool with chlorine? The showers probably don't do much harm, we all do that but the Ph of the water might make a big difference.
Just curious.
barbie
 
Great customer service :) .

I'm where airdancer's at, so now I'm a lil worried too!

I can't imagine adding more moisture to the air around the pearls though... it's insanely humid here. Wonder if it's the extremes of temperature- it's so hot and humid outside, that whoever sets the thermostat for ALL the buildings here almost always blasts freezing airconditioning. It's a really weird habit here which everyone complains about. But the people in-charge always bring out weird stats to show that you need a certain (freezing) temperature for comfort. *sorry about off-tangent*

The tap water here is soft... not hard water. Pool water is always chlorinated, unless swimming in the sea. Nobody swims in rivers/ lakes here. I doubt airdancer showers or swims in a strand of pearls?

Maybe it's the daily wear? Air pollution? But air here not that bad for a city.

Sorry am just thinking out loud... would love to know if the mystery's solved.
 
There is another reason pearls can lose their luster. If you have acidic skin, it can gradually degrade the surface. My skin eats the plating off of gold-vermeil jewelry in two or three wearings, while my quartet friends are still wearing the same gleaming jewelry two years later.

Just something to think about. I rotate my pearls so that I don't wear anything often enough to wear it out. ;)
 
Airdancer:
I've been thinking about this for some time.. Forgive me if you've already figured all this out but have been wondering. Where do you swim? In a pool with chlorine? The showers probably don't do much harm, we all do that but the Ph of the water might make a big difference.
Just curious.
barbie

Hi barbie biggs, i don't swim with the freshadama strands and earrings, only the akoya. And with the akoya its in a pool at my gym.
 
I haven't sent the strand back, fyi, as I'm thinking of getting a present for a friend
 
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