That's true about the epoxy and the posts...but but but I really can't take a ring that's sitting a couple of feet above your knuckle.

I agree with you...I'd be hitting it against everything. Even with that massive platinum setting. They are not for me!

Lance was kind enough to give me a reasonable explanation for the pearl which looked like a ruby: What happened is that the flash has accented the color beyond normal. It is a burgundy, which is rare, but I have seen them. They are lovely.

a burgundy? but why does it look so translucent? and karen, i've only seen smaller pieces of tanzanite. wonder why that is.....

Bounce reflection fooling the eye? I'll have to check it again...

http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/Geo/18.79 Ok, I checked and can see how it could be a pearl. Flash distortion.

i looked again, guess it's not as translucent as i had originally thought. think it was that flash shining on it that did it. it's still beautiful, but never having heard of i would've thought a pearl that color was fake. very pretty!

He suggested a $15,000 price for it...but probably just for that pearl. All those diamonds are gonna cost ya (especially with a one-of-a-kind hand-crafted piece of jewelry.)

For Lance who is a black Kelt of the Welsh sort and all others who celebrate St David's Day by putting a leak in their hats:

For those who have known and love the Welsh language and people: Cymru am Byth

i've only seen smaller pieces of tanzanite. wonder why that is..... So far, that's the only way they've found it. Just forms that way, I guess. The same goes for peridot in Arizona and a lot of the neat colored sapphires from Sri Lanka and Australia. Big formations appear to be very rare.

OK, got another type of pearl for y'all: but the one I have is closer to this one, long and simple.

Gnarly!

that's quite a change from all the round pearls. it looks more natural to me. lovely, karen! marcia, what's the phrase mean?

aarrrgh! I have misplaced my Welsh Dictionary, so I will have to rely on Anne's Welsh-speaking husband for a translation, unless someone comes to my rescue before she gets online. I'm not a fancier of lumpy pearls, but Mabe' pearls are beautiful.

I love Mabe pearls. As for lumpy ones, I wouldn't mind a strand of baroque pearls. They're not perfectly round, just a little irregular, but more or less round. As for round pearls, what can you say, the white-cream ones look like miniature moons. Which is perfect. The moon causes tides, and pearls come from the ocean. I once saw a strand of beautifully matched blue pearls; they mostly blue, but had the most wonderful green-gray, slightly peach sheen. I hope someone knows what the Welsh phrase is. I think the word "Cymru" is what the Welsh call themselves, or is it their country? Or both?

I sent it off to Anne but she is not yet awake, I think. They are the Cymri and the country is Cymru. If I had to guess, I'd say "Wales forever" - like Erin go bragh (or however that is spelled) for "Ireland forever". Those silvery to orange South Seas pearls I posted the picture of back a few postings just might be like those pearls you saw. I just am not fond of baroque pearls which look like painted wads of chewed gum. Some do! I like braided ropes of baroque freshwater pearls interspersed with garnets and gold spacers.

Agreed, some baroque pearls are a little too, err, lumpy. They should atleast be mostly spherical, only just a little asymetrical. We haven't really touched on freshwater pearls. I do like them. Not as refined as ocean pearls, but charming in their own right. Garnets and pearls always make a good combination.

...and here they mix them with rosy-orange coral and peridots and they look like little flowers interspersed amongst the pearls. They are mostly warm-weather jewelry rather than sea pearls which are more formal and are for all seasons.

I'm really ambivilent about coral. I love the orangy-rose color, but I worry about coral reef destruction. I do have a piece of jewelry of a very politically incorrect substance -- ivory. No catcalls, please. It's vintage. I received it as a birthday gift, a carved ivory carnation stick pin, circa 1910. So I can wear it good consceince.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/pearl/freshwater.html is a great resource from a NOVA program on growing pearls. Pretty pictures, as well. There are some really good freshwater pearl places on the web but the pictures are pathetic. This one has good links and pictures you will find hard to believe - like the one mussel shell producing 10 or more beautifully-colored pearls. http://www.pearloasis.com/freshwater.html These are the most beatiful pearls I have seen from the luster point of view. South seas: Tahiti Black:

South seas: Don't worry about reef coral. Precious coral, whether black, oxblood, or orange do not grow as reefs. They grow like little trees all by themselves planted in the sandy bottom like separate rose bushes.

That is the most beautiful pearl. It is perfect, perfectly shaped, perfect lustre. It really is exquisite, which is a word very often misused, but not in this case.

um....don't tell anyone...but I have a whole necklace of Ivory (yes, the worst kind) carved to replicate pikake (jasmine) blossoms. I have never worn it and it is an antique. Totally legal. I just don't want any dead elephants around my neck!

That is the most beautiful pearl. It is perfect, perfectly shaped, perfect lustre. It really is exquisite, which is a word very often misused, but not in this case.

I'm delighted you like that black pearl. I had to make that image mine when I saw it and to share it with you. It beggars the language to find words praiseworthy enough to describe its beauty. The South Seas is not bad, either, but is far behind the black one in luster.

the black one looks metallic.....

I have all sorts of hematite beads and hunks and polished pocket stones. They have a very hard brilliant luster which lacks the depth of that black pearl. I should hunt up a picture of one such for comparison - off I go!

i've got a hematite band ring. very shiny grayish black.....don't wear it very often though.

Cymru am Byth = WALES FOREVER!! hematite earrings: More pearls:

What I am seeing as differentiating the hematite from the pearl is that in the luster of the hematite I see a cold steely-blueishness and in the pearl I see a warm slightly yellowishness or golden sheen ... does this make sense?

perfect sense!

Thank you! I also have ring guards of hematite, and of carnelian and of Jade and onyx (black) Don't wear mine much, either, but they are lovely in an arrangement on my specimen display-go-round.

a ring guard of hematite? sounds neat. my hematite ring was one of those $5 jobs you find at festivals and such.

So is mine a $5 one. I got two of them ('cause they are skinny and the jade and carnelian are fat ones) Next time you see one, get another one and put a silver or gold band between them - or that Avon amethyst...! I have little hands and small fingers so I try to keep larger stones from rotating under my hand by putting guards around them. The Alexandrite has two thin braided gold bands either side of it to keep it on top of my hand and to set it off. Looks lovely!

the hematite band is 1/4" or so wide. much too big to put that little amethyst between.

No wonder. Mine are only 1/2 that wide. The others are like that, though! I'll bet it is pretty!

all of the ones on that display were that wide. will have to look for one smaller, next time. it bothers my finger because of the width.

I know about the feeling on your finger...and in warm humid climates moisture tends to stay under there and soon your finger is less than well and the skin starts coming off. Not a great thing!

all the rings come off at the end of the day (maybe sooner during the summer)

g'night marcia dear! (stayed up toooo late last night)

*g'night Woofie *hugs*

Hello Everyone! Looks like something got started here. As Marcia said, I've been in Mid-Terms, and trying to pick a school for next year, as I'm at a Community College now. Now, for a few comments. On entry 47, if you number L-R,[1-8], #'s 2,7,& 8 are the rarest, and 1,3,and 4 are the most common. Karen- If you can afford to buy it, you WILL be careful. This is feedback I've gotten from customers. You are very aware of the piece, and change your body movements to accomodate the pearl. Marcia- No, Detergents ARE terrible. Oil from your skin or Ex.Virgin Olive Oil are best for storage or for brightening up a pearl. I disagree, entry 60 is a KILLER piece!!! I'd love to have a crack at selling that! Wolf- From your description, I'm 99% sure it's real. A good fake cream is hard to find. #75- Thanks, Marcia! #81- The pearl is a Bronze/Brown over another layer of Burgundy/Black. VERY rare 4 color mix! Not a "South Seas" pearl to experts, but Australian Gold Lipped oyster pearls. Grown on the North and NW coasts. HUGE size, 15 - 30 mm.! Also, excellent Mabe. The tip on choosing is spot on perfect. 113 and 114 and definately baroques, probably freshwater from China from the snowy shade. The photos have been bothering people with the colors. Understand, please, that pearls are actually crystalline in structure. They are composed of calcium carbonite formed into crystals called argonite, and held together in a protein/tissue matrix. This makes pearls the only stone that can absorb and hold oils and water. There is even a debate over whether pearls are alive or not because of the tissue in the pearl. But the argonite causes light to bend when directed into a cultured pearl in a way that a traineed eye can see the core irritant, and use that to help determine the quality. A pearl that is large, but has little nacre,[or pearl coating], is not as valuable or desired as one of the same size that has a thick coating. Pearls that stay in the oyster longer have more coating, but also risks flaws developing the longer it stays. Number 79, the burgundy, is a good example of how to look. You can plainly see the dark circle in the center, which is the core. It is a rare color, but not quite as thick a nacre as I would like. But since these oysters are pulled up and x-rayed yearly to check on pearl growth, I would have extracted that one myself. Good size and perfect shape! Marcia- Thank for the Flag. Lovely.

Whew! Thanks! I have to check back and see what things refer to...but I am as sure he is right about it as anyone on earth can be. I appreciate it. I am more than ever positive Lance is going with me when / if I ever own a real pearl of any sort!

#114 Tennessee freshwater and baroque of course. :-)

Karen- Thought that was Tennessee! Saw them when they first hit the market. Not bad quality. Photos better than I thought it would. Fooled me. As good in photos as Yalu Chinese.

Sheesh...gotta go back and look...I'm lost!

I found a shot of tennessee freshwater pearls which were orange...peachy orange. You'd have to root for Tennessee to wear them! I'll post the pix tommorrow.

Sorry, decided to go to sleep. Yes, they're Tennessee. The one I have is not as "gnarly" as the second, Marcia. It is about 1-1/2" in length and a long oval shape, set with tip guards on the two ends. Very simple. It has to be one of my favorites and I wear it all the time.

tennessee pearls? (i get the color and rooting for them) they grow pearls in tennessee? (am a total duncecap today)....

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/gemstones/sp14-95/pearls.html Demand for U.S. freshwater pearls is a function of quality. Quality is determined by the size, color, shape, degree of translucency, texture, ability to match and blend, and luster. Usually, the quality of U.S. freshwater pearls is as good or better than any other pearl. The possible exceptions are the availability of round pearls and the ability to match colors. Yet, it is thought by some that these exceptions are not detrimental, but that the variety of shapes and colors available are advantageous and are positive selling points. To date, 31 different States have reported production of freshwater pearls and shell. During 1993, 18 States reported production, they were Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. The bulk of the shell and pearl production came from Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana. Figure 6.--Freshwater, Pearls from Tennessee. (Photo is courtesy of American Pearl Co.) There is some U.S. production of saltwater pearls. Abalone from along the Pacific Coast, primarily California, produce both blister and free pearls and their shells are used for inlay in jewelry and other items. The pearls are green, blue-green, yellow, or pink in color and may have high luster, but the texture is always coarser than that of other pearls. Some of the pearls are very large, as large as 60 carats each. It also appears that attempts are underway to start a saltwater cultured pearl industry in Hawaii. The Hawaiian industry would be based upon saltwater oysters. Only time will tell of the success or failure of the abalone and Hawaiian cultured pearl programs. It appears that the U.S. freshwater shell and pearl industries are well and growing. The pearls are beautiful, valuable, and the consumer is willing to purchase and wear them. The oldest of U.S. gemstones is doing well and its future is bright.

Where is Lance when I need him?! How do carats equate to size in mm's? Btw, his 12 mm Tahitian pearl is quite large - and very noticeable on him - and he is a big guy. It is, however, protected from getting oiled by his body by the gold scallop shell in which it is mounted. I have noticed him fingering it a lot, though... Another Tennessee example which is not so extreme: Nature's beautiful gift, Tennessee freshwater pearls are all pearl, all the way through. These three lustrous, Tennessee freshwater pearls are nestled in free-form 14k gold tracery. Price includes shipping and handling. Sabrina - Pearl Ring USP1$448.00

carats = weight Re: American pearls (also from those websites) Apparently, the mollusk shells are exported to Japan and they form the nucleus of most of their pearls.

I realize carats = weight. But, I can visualize a 2 carat diamond. I cannot relate to 60 karat pearl. 12 mm I can visualize. I would imagine that the makeup of the pearl also affects the weight so it may just be a rough estimation. I am sure he has an excellent answer which I will let him post in here rather than email-and-post the answer. That gets to be an old thing! Ah...they are not only seeding the pearls, they are seeding the stream beds, as well. Interesting!

Btw, those USGS websites I posted the URL for above has a page on every gem and a lovely picture or two. It is a great resource.

cool beans. ok, now another dumb question: cultured pearls; does that mean they have the sand planted in the oyster (or mollusk) to develop a pearl?

Geo Motto: There are no Dumb Questions. On occasion I may give dumb answers, but the questions are what keeps us going! Now, Onto Wolfie's question... They usually have a shaped pellet placed in them (until Lance can get here to tell you) They used to use small glass spheres. Yup! You are correct! See?!

so you'd be really lucky, then, to find a "naturally" occuring pearl (and probably have to dive real deep too). i have a picture of buddha casts placed in an oyster for pearalizing (in my gembook).....

I've never heard carat used with pearls - only mm. Was that in a description up above? Since we were on the subject of opals (on the other subject but does anyone care), they aren't measured in carats either. Love them mabes too.

Cultured pearls are real pearls, but the deep water pearls have a mystique and romance. But both can be very beautiful.

Some of those jewels I posted had the pearl weight rather than size listed. Curious! Opals have water in them so they cannot! I have something to post on opals shortly...working my way over to the hard stuff!

If this duplicates what Lance said last night in his posts, please forgive me. He said this regarding the image of the solitary black pearl of great beauty: It's got very nice luster, shape, and depth of color, but I would need to see it personally to judge the color itself. It appears to be a bit lacking in brightness, something which many value, but my experience says the average consumer doesn't want. Most people want more brilliance in the color they choose, not just in the luster.

Since I did not make it clear who wrote the stirring and poetic comments on http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/geo/2.13 It was Lance who wrote those words, not David. Dave is usually deep in the lava fields just ahead of the flow front. Lance, when you visit Hilo again, I hope you will be able to show me how lovely that must be.

marcia, give me the name of your "how to buy jems" book...i looked and looked all over a bookstore and found nothing....

Simon and Schuster's Guide to Gems and Precious Stones

that's what i thought, thank you!!!!

They have a companion book for rocks and minerals which is also excellent

i saw that one....when i go back, i'll pick that one up too!

They work very well together...and they are sitting on my book shelf right next to me! Great photos as well. Enjoy! I got the set for David, as well!

I have found the perfect Mothers' Day gift. It's a 36" strand of freshwater pearls with small accents of amethyst, blue topaz, citrine, and peridot. Very pretty. I think Mom will like it.

do ya have a pic?

This mom would love it!!! But, this mom is not going to get it, I think. Please post a picture or send it to me and I will post it!

Couple of quickies.... #154- carats ARE weight. I don't remember the correlation, but try mommes. That's the Japanese measurement for pearl weight. On #160, a good point was raised. Surprisingly, there is no difference in price between cultured and 'natural' pearls on the open market. There probably should be, but if there was, it is thought that the pearl oyster species would soon be extinct in the mad search for pearls. As far as the core, or seed, goes, it is logically now made of rounded pieces of the same mollusk shell that is being grafted, i.e., black-lipped shell for black pearls, Tennessee mussle shell for Tennessee pearls, and so forth.

I much prefer the size designation. We are used to a one or half carat daimond and think everything else of that weight should be that size. Wrong! CZ's weigh twice as much as diamonds so a 1 carat CZ is half the size of the same weight diamond...and so on. Thanks for the information on seeding the oysters. I was taught it was an irritant that caused the oyster to secrete nacre to smooth over the rough places. If the seed is not rough will a pearl for anyway? And, how do they get them to make Mabe pearls? Lance, we have missed you!

Oh, yes. Anything in the right place is an irritant. Just ask anyone who wears false teeth! The seeds are smooth now to encourage smooth secretions by the oyster. Mabe pearls are made on the shell. A small form of plastic is glued on the shell, sometimes more than one at a time, and the oyster is then going to coat that with nacre. By the way, Tahiti and Australia started a good ecological trend with they're oysters. Because of the rarity, the oysters are babied in special nets, harvested after a couple of years, the good ones then are placed back in to breed a year, then implanted again. This can go for 2-3 cycles. On the last cycle, the Mabe pearls are made, as the oyster must be killed to harvest the shells. Sound ecology, that.

I am suddenly even more of a fan of pearls than ever before (but still without same)... it is good to know they are not sacrificing one for one to harvest the pearls. Too bad they cannot make a decent pearl out of a tridachna!

I imagine drilling would be facilitated by having the same material at the center than a foreign pellet of differing hardness. Not a great place to have the drill bit go off of center line!

Not just drilling is improved, but the cement used to hold the pearl in place will hold better by being formulated to one substance rather than two.

Yippee! Good morning, Lance. Incredible to see you *happy me*

Stronger bond was something I did not think about as regards the inner post adhesive. Definitely an advantage. Thanks *hugs*

What sort of number of Black Tahitian Pearls are harvested each year? Is there a cartel involved, such as DeBeers is in diamonds, to keep the prices high and the investment value intact?

Or the Austalian or Tennessee pearls, as well? America has another gem claim-to-fame but I am posting it in Geo 8 to keep it on topic.

There it is!! (the one in lower right) Finally got around to scanning Mikimoto's Black Tahitian cultured pearl necklace. Its in 18K white gold, with 2 bezel set diamonds on a gorgeous omega chain. Price was $1,800; now is $2,000 according to the latest catalogue from Bailey Banks and Biddle. I don't know the mm of the pearl, but does not look to be any larger than 8 mm (by my practiced eye) ;-)

Probably could've scanned the entire catalogue, but here's another from the Mikimoto page that I liked and could definitely wear this to an upcoming wedding.

Ooops. Let me try this again:

OOoh, Me too. I love the mounting for the white pearl, but it would be stunning with a black or aubergine Tahitian...*sigh* How much is the set with the white pearls? Thanks for the eye candy.

White pearl necklace (18K white gold and diamonds) is a very reasonable $2420. Matching earrings are a mere $1650. Shall I order them for you? Or can we get somebody to knock those off for a tenth of the price or less?

It might be better to pay extra and one of us get one specially made with black pearls, while the other gets the white pearls. It would make for a nice change. Same setting, of course...or, do you fancy the black one being set in yellow gold?!

BB&B does not know the meaning of discount unless a great deal has changed sinceI was last in their proximity.

gorgeous pearls, karen!

Don't we each need a set? I would not turn them down...

Yes! (am having a hard time: "new roof? necklace?" "new roof" necklace?" terrible dilemma)

Decisions, decisions. New roof -- necklace. You can get many years of use out of each of them. Actually the pearl necklace will outlast the roof, so as far as value for money goes -- the pearl necklace is the better investment. It just isn't the more practical choice. Karen it is good to see you posting on the gems topic again. If you're not the goddess on this subject, you're an avatar at least.

*sigh*....i know...i know...

Good eye, Karen. From the price, I judge the pearl to be approx. 9 - 9.5 mm. For a non-professional, very good estimate. Ladies, if you happen to live in an area where there is a pearl specialist, you'll get better quality AND price on Tahitians than from a BB&B, Zales, etc. The Big boys don't carry the volume to get quality, unless you can go to Cartier's or Harry Winston. They carry very nice pieces at reasonable prices, considering the quality of workmanship involved on the setting.

As to how many are harvested, that is an ever increasing number, as more producers enter the market and production techniques improve. Mikimoto has a lot of control due to their supplying most of the men for the implant surgery. They have teamed with the largest producer, Robert Wan, in an unofficial cartel. I have no idea about the Aussie's plans.

*sigh* It is SO good to see you here....(melting in my chair)

hi lance! (and marcia) and i'm the 200th post, what's my prize???? *laugh*