Learn how to test for pearls after how to identify pearls. The jeweler first identified my pearl as a south sea pearl, but then when i told him it came in a modest package he looked at it 10 seconds without me taking it off my neck and said it was a fake. The very large ones, weighing in excess of one hundred grains, are called "paragons".
There are several standard forms of these hinge pearls. The pearls from Mexico, the South Sea Islands, and the American rivers are especially noted fro their great variety of coloration, covering every known tint and shade.Analysis has shown that those from the fresh-water mussels of England and Scotland and from the pearl-oysters of Australia and of Ceylon, have nearly identical composition in the proportion of about 5.94% of organic matter, 2.34% of water, and 91.72% of carbonate of lime. Golden South Sea pearls are sometimes dyed to achieve a deeper, more desirable golden color. They also have the thickest average nacre of all cultured pearls. We're the premier online resource for top-quality South Sea pearl jewelry, complete with breathtakingly beautiful white South Sea pearls that provide a classic look as well as lovely golden South Sea pearls that bring some major glitz and glam to the traditional pearl. Chemically considered, aside from the nucleus, the structure of pearls is identical in composition with that of the nacre of the shell in which they are formed.The structure of pearls may be studied by examining thin cross sections under the microscope, or by transmitted polarized light. When subjected to sufficient heat, the laminae separate from each other, as do shells of edible oysters and similar mollusks.In the shells of some mollusks--as the edible oysters (Ostrea) or the giant clam (Tridacna),--there is almost a total absence of the crumpled corrugated laminae, and, consequently, there is little luster.
I asked if he was sure because I had an other opinion, he didnt even let me finish my sentence and just turned his back on me without further ceremony. South Sea pearls are quite large, and they tend to have very thick nacre. For this reason, not all golden South Sea pearls are as perfectly spherical as other saltwater pearl varieties. In a typical pearl harvest, there will be a large number of drop pearls, button pearls, baroque pearls and circle pearls. While White South Sea pearls predominately come from Australia, golden South Sea pearls are now primarily grown in the Philippines and Indonesia, with Australia making up only a small percentage. This short, visuals-rich overview will provide you with the “Quick-Start” info you need to make an informed decision about which pearl type you’d like to buy. The choicest are commonly found within the soft parts of the animal, and those of poorer quality are at the edges of the mantle, or within the fibers of the abductor muscle of bivalves. Golden South Sea pearls are, however, typically sold on auction in cooperation with white South Sea pearl producers, and many of the auction lots will offer a mixture of both white and gold. The average size is around 12mm. Homepage for Karipearls. South Sea pearls are generally much larger than other pearl types and have a unique luster quality – a soft reflection due to the large aragonite platelets that make up the pearl. Each piece includes a complimentary pearl Identification Report, using the GIA Pearl Grading System. This oyster can produce pearls in silvery white, cream white or very occasionally gold, with subtle hues of pink, blue or green. Information on how to identify pearls from Kunz and Stevenson as found in their book about pearls, 1908. It appears that ordinarily a pearl is made up of many independent laminae superimposed one upon another "like the layers of an onion".