What kind of pearl is this?

[Bodecia]

Hi all, haven't been online lately due to ill health but have started lurking again and will hopefully check the posts everyday again.

This is a very large antique pearl and I wondered what the opinions on it were. I think it is beautiful and so very big. I also have my opinion on what it is but don't want to influence anyone else's opinion.

Please do give me opinions.


Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Caitlin]

That's a winner! How large is it?

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Caitlin and others, it is over 1 inch in height. But you didn't tell me your opinion on it. Is is a South Sea Pearl, is it a natural SS?

Come on people let's get some opinions.


Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Is it 2 osme?a/nautilus shell "pearls" glued back to back? Or only one, filled in and with a backing?

 

[Bodecia]

Hi, I will add some more photos, showing the pearl from the other side and from the side to help



Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[pattye]

Hi Dawn,

Although I know you are saying it is an antique pearl, it looks most like a high quality coin pearl to me. It appears rather flat in the photos, but perhaps it isn't. It looks like a faint ridge highlighted in some of the photos. What is the filigree made of? Can you see how the pearl is attached? Is it on a post? It is lovely and interesting.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Pattye,

30mm high x 26mm wide x 20 mm deep. That is app. 1.3/16" x 1.01" x 0.78" or thereabouts. It is huge. So not flat but not the deep is not quite as deep. I don't have it so can't answer all questions. But it is set in silver. Think is is post and glue. Must be between 60 and 80 carats somewhere. It is egg shaped with a slightly flattened bottom. I hope some other experts give their opinions. I think it is beautiful even though it is not set in gold with diamonds.


Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

More photos. One of big pearl and 2 baroques further back. The baroques must be close to 10mm.


Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Caitlin]

One of those photos might be a 3/4 view? Is there a side view? You never give all the dimensions.

It is the size that makes me think PD or Pattye might be right. The edges are so exact that both sides match. I looked again using my reason instead of just my eyes. No one in their right mind would put an SS that large in that silver mass manufactured setting. I have a strawberry pearl that has that exact luster, but it is a slice of carved pinctada maxima shell. I have drooled over many an MOP object from this shell. My closest friend from college wears one carved into a mabe as a ring. It is so lustrous under the surface and so beautiful you think it could be a pearl.

So, it looks manmade from a lovely piece of carved SS shell. or maybe it is a coin pearl with an odd luster.

edit: I just saw the dimensions. And drilled through like a bead? Just couldn't be SS Pearl.

 

[Bodecia]

"It is the size that makes me think PD or Pattye might be right. The edges are so exact that both sides match."

If you check the second lot of photos and look at the one on the right you will see that is not perfectly shaped. I know putting a huge pearl in a silver setting is odd to say the least. But do check out this SS pearl set in silver with unknown little gems apparently not diamonds or special.

Not sure if the photo has come through. Tried twice



Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[pattye]

Dawn,

It certainly piques my curiosity, and as I said before, lovely and interesting. I don't think the silver setting affects my judgement. (My personal gemmy tastes have always been eccentric; I have never ever ever been a fan of diamonds even when in my 20's, my preference for an engagement ring was jade, didn't get it, though.) However, I can appreciate good design with diamonds.

Seems like this would be easily to take apart, when you have it in hand, to have a look inside the drill hole, of course, done carefully. Then if you still feel the pearl is a natural, send it to be certified.

 

[pattye]

Glad you are feeling better, Dawn.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Pattye,

I am just hopeful and of course it is down to removing the pearls from the necklace first, checking them and then possibly sending them off if I feel there is reasonable chance that it is the "real" thing.

I am not a diamond person either. They are okay setting a pearl off but I much prefer emeralds, rubies and sapphires and even garnets. So many beautiful gems that are better looking than diamonds.

Still hoping sme of the natural pearl experts will come in with info. and opinions.

I am very good with Basra as they have that special look that I can recognise but I have not had much experience with natural SS pearls so am out of my depth here.



Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

Hello All,

I am going into town tomorrow and just maybe the necklace with the above pearls? may be waiting for me at the post office. If so I will give you my first impressions, good or bad.

I am a forever hopeful but am also a realist and will I eventually find out just what I have bought. What I believe is we live twice as the movie says. Once in the present and once for our dreams. But those dreams can be fun until they are dashed. It is just necessary to accept whatever happens and in this case whatever is. But I still do hold a little hope in my heart. I am an optimist and prefer to go through life as one.

About 2 years ago I went in a huge lottery. I think the prize money was about 30 million. Can you imagine. I enjoyed the idea, the totally remote idea that we could just possibly win. I enjoyed the little dream for a time, imagining what that money could do. I thought okay one million for all the things we could possibly want or need in life, one to give to family and then the real enjoyment. All of the wildlife animals in the world that are in danger of extinction that I could help with the rest. In Africa, in India, in Australia and the list grew and grew and instead of counting sheep while waiting to sleep, I thought of all the animals and the initial list in my head grew and grew.

Of course it was totally unrealistic but the thought, the dreams I had were wonderful, if only for a short time.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

Hello All,

Well my monster pearl arrived. Unfortunately it was as all suspected not the real thing. And in fact all the pearls were imitation pearls which explains a lot. It was obvious to me that they were faux pearls even before I checked them. I contacted the seller who seemed very upset as well but she/he has made a full refund to me even before I can post it back. Said she will pay me for the cost of return postage when it arrives.

At least I did not have to wait long for my money to bounce back at me. Pity it was not the real thing. I had very pleasant dreams about it until it arrived. Amazingly it is a quite lovely piece of costume jewellery and I actually wore it for a few hours in town after rapidly unwrapping it.

I will continue to live in hope

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Oh, that is too bad! But it's good that you didn't have to file a dispute to get your refund.

 

[pattye]

Sad for you, Dawn. Yes, we do keep our hopes up.

 

[Caitlin]

A sad lesson, but think about it- the odds of finding a natural SS are astronomical, let alone, one that size. So, It is MoP?

I am now very careful of that SS MoP, it is easy to fall for in photos and even when you see it in hand. My friend's ring is absolutely beautiful. I KNEW it couldn't be a SS pearl, though it looks a bit like a blister pearl- she bought it for $6 anyway, but even when you look at it you think it just could be a pearl. And my strawberry pearl.....Jeremy had to tell me about three times it was MoP before I believed it.

My lesson is that SS MoP is gorgeous and cheap and looks great when well done.

 

[Bodecia]

Thank Pearl Dreams and Pattye. It would have been a miracle but was not to be. Still I enjoyed the dream and was not upset over it all. It was worth the punt from the photos. I don't gamble on lotto tickets, horse, dogs or casino games. But I occasionally gamble on pearls. Sometimes I win, sometimes I don't. At least I don't pass my mistakes onto my customers on eBay and.that is the main thing. Of course I can make mistakes like everybody else but that is not often. With the natural pearl necklaces I have listed I have broken the strands and removed one or two pearls to be broken and examined under a very high magnification. Any size or hint of mop and they are cultured. All nacre and they are natural as I thought or gambled on.

With some of my natural pearl necklaces listed there is not even any reason to do that as they scream natural Basra pearls. I still would like to have them certified but this is for my customers peace of mind and my pocket as I could up my prices. But saying that I have had quite a bit of interest in these natural Basra pearl necklaces recently.

Caitlin, not MOP .... Imitation pearls, I did say that before. The big pearl so heavy it could only be glass or similar with the faux nacre covering.

Yes, very pretty but as soon as I saw the large pearl I knew it was imitation because of the shape mostly. That shape did not show in the photos but no pearl could ever grow like that. If it was mine to keep I would actually wear it because it is comfortable and appealing, but not the real thing. Imagine wearing a real pearl that big. It was scare me, image the terror of losing it.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.