What's Wrong With These Pearls?
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jshepherd
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Yes, in my preview of the post, the image showed up. The dark spots do show up in person. Here are a couple more pics:
http://imgur.com/a/aUaXC
The first is an unedited shot of some pearls, the second shows the specific spots I'm concerned about highlighted in pink. I've never seen pearls that had...I'm not even sure what to call it other than defects...like these before.
Also, is there a specific post count where moderators no longer have to approve each post?
http://imgur.com/a/aUaXC
The first is an unedited shot of some pearls, the second shows the specific spots I'm concerned about highlighted in pink. I've never seen pearls that had...I'm not even sure what to call it other than defects...like these before.
Also, is there a specific post count where moderators no longer have to approve each post?
pattye
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I've had large flat pretty pearls with bad blemishes like this before, usually a few on a strand with better quality pearls.
In spite of the pearls have a large area of lustrous nacre, the blemish makes them commercial grade, so many don't reach the market, is my guess. Have you broken any apart to see if there is anything inside used to nucleate? Like a thin piece of plastic film?
There would not be any way to correct a blemish like this. If the hole is small, sometimes a gemstone or ornamentation of some sort can cover it. Perhaps a custom bezel could be used for the pearls where the blemish is on the side. One has to decide if the "cure" is worth the time and expense, imho. I hope you did not pay very much for these pearls.
The earrings are very pretty and the smaller blemishes don't detract very much.
In spite of the pearls have a large area of lustrous nacre, the blemish makes them commercial grade, so many don't reach the market, is my guess. Have you broken any apart to see if there is anything inside used to nucleate? Like a thin piece of plastic film?
There would not be any way to correct a blemish like this. If the hole is small, sometimes a gemstone or ornamentation of some sort can cover it. Perhaps a custom bezel could be used for the pearls where the blemish is on the side. One has to decide if the "cure" is worth the time and expense, imho. I hope you did not pay very much for these pearls.
The earrings are very pretty and the smaller blemishes don't detract very much.
I paid $200 (wholesale) for the strand at the Bead and Button show...I'd been kind of eyeing them since shopping opened, but they were marked as $800 retail/$400 wholesale. The last day, the owner said I could buy them for $200, and I was so excited I didn't look that closely at them. Only time I'll make that mistake.
Out of 55, I'd say 33 have blemishes as bad as those pictured. I'd be fine with one or two, but OVER HALF?
Everything else that I bought at their stand was wonderful! I bought 30 strands of pearls for $2 each, a $150 strand of teal colored teardrop shaped pearls, 6 $15 strands of seed pearls, and two $100 strands of white/cream keshi pearls. All of them look fine, or what I would expect for the price.
Since I *did* pay a lot for them (or at least a lot, to me...) I'm going to try to return them. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll try the custom bezel idea. I'm not sure what else to do.
Out of 55, I'd say 33 have blemishes as bad as those pictured. I'd be fine with one or two, but OVER HALF?
Everything else that I bought at their stand was wonderful! I bought 30 strands of pearls for $2 each, a $150 strand of teal colored teardrop shaped pearls, 6 $15 strands of seed pearls, and two $100 strands of white/cream keshi pearls. All of them look fine, or what I would expect for the price.
Since I *did* pay a lot for them (or at least a lot, to me...) I'm going to try to return them. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll try the custom bezel idea. I'm not sure what else to do.
Pearl Dreams
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That seems like an awful lot of money for pearls of that quality. We've all made purchasing errors, though. I hope you can return them.
pattye
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Wow, that is truly unfortunate. I agree that the pearls are not a good value even at $200, that would still be $10 per pearl, and hope you'd get your money back on them. Yeah, for most of us, that is lots of money. It's worth a try, contacting the seller and see if they will take back, but if the strand has been split up, I can't predict what they will say. Good luck. Especially when buying wholesale, we are expected to know what we are doing.
I had similar experiences when I was first buying, such as white pearls with white dull spots which are signs of over bleaching, and tiny hairline cracks in a 2 strands of expensive large flat petal keshi similar to yours, caused by clamping too tightly when drilling. Which my buyer spotted, of course I refunded her money, photos are somewhere here on the forum.
My solution now is to examine pearls carefully under good light and with my 3.5x craft glasses on. If pearls look good for the money then, I know they'll be even better to the naked eye. (Yes, I'm old and the ************ glasses 3.5x make it possible for me to make jewelry all day.)
I had similar experiences when I was first buying, such as white pearls with white dull spots which are signs of over bleaching, and tiny hairline cracks in a 2 strands of expensive large flat petal keshi similar to yours, caused by clamping too tightly when drilling. Which my buyer spotted, of course I refunded her money, photos are somewhere here on the forum.
My solution now is to examine pearls carefully under good light and with my 3.5x craft glasses on. If pearls look good for the money then, I know they'll be even better to the naked eye. (Yes, I'm old and the ************ glasses 3.5x make it possible for me to make jewelry all day.)
Amrita
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Ah - I do see the bad spots clearly now. And you're right, that is a lot of money for a strand! I hope you can get a refund! Good luck.
And Pattye, I am sure it was an innocent word (coming from you) that got bleeped!! Now, that really made me smile.
And Pattye, I am sure it was an innocent word (coming from you) that got bleeped!! Now, that really made me smile.
