Photo courtesy of Christies Catalogue
The most expensive Tahitian Pearl necklace in the world.
]]>The most expensive Tahitian Pearl necklace in the world.
The most famous as well as the most expensive Black Pearl Necklace, the Cowdrey Pearls were originally owned by Lady Pearson, the Viscountess of Cowdrey.
The necklace of 38 natural pearls consists of some of the most beautiful Tahitian pearl with overtones of pistachio, deep teal blues, roses and bronzes. The pearls range in size from 6.8-11.4mm and are finished with a spectacular large diamond clasp by Cartier.
The strand was originally 42 pearls but two larger of the pearls were removed to make earrings.
In 2012 the strand was restored to its original 42 pearls with the addition of some very special Tahitian pearls to match.
The Cowdrey Pearls were most recently auctioned at Christies Auction House in 2007 for $3,000,000. and later in 2015 at Sothebys Auction House for $5,300,000. This sale. makes this necklace the most expensive black pearl necklace in the world.
]]>photo courtesy of Sothebys Auction House
Pearls are most seductive and there are many reasons for a pearl necklace to be sold for a mouth watering amount. As well as the beauty of a piece, most often it will have something to do with who owned it previously.
]]>Pearls are most seductive and there are many reasons for a pearl necklace to be sold for a mouth watering amount. As well as the beauty of a piece, most often it will have something to do with who owned it previously.
You may have heard of the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette (1755-1793). She had fabulous collections of jewels that was worth many million of livres. She attempted to flee Versailles during the French revolution with some of her pieces, but most of her collection was later smuggled out to Belgium and Vienna.
The story is that she had shipments of her jewels taken out of France with the ambassador to France, the Compte de Mercy Argenteau. They were delivered to the Queen's sister, Archduchess Marie Christine, who was the governor of Brussels. Marie passed them on to her cousin, Emperor Franz II of Vienna.
The Queen and her family were captured before they could escape and executed. One daughter escaped, Marie Therese de France, known as Madame Royale. Miraculously, she was allowed to live with her cousin Emperor Franz II.
Madame Royale inherited her mother's collection and it has remained in the Bourbon family for 200 years.
This beautiful natural pearl and diamond pendant was auctioned off by the famous auction house, Sothebys in 2018. The natural baroque pearl measures 15.9 X 18.35 X 25.85. The bailis shaped like a bow with a large oval diamond in the center. The original estimate from Sothebys jewelry department was between $1,000,000 and $1,900,000. The provenance of Marie Antoinette and the succession i. the Bourbon family created a frenzy of bidding, ending in the purchase price of about $36,500,000. That obliterated all previous records and made it the most expensive pearl necklace ever sold.
This record is as of 2023. We'll see what happens in the future.
]]>The pearl market immediately felt the effects of a dramatic surge in Tahitian popularity this 2023 summer. So, the industry was eagerly waiting for the September Asia World Expo buying shows and the Robert Wan auction. When the event opened, it was very clear that Ni Ni's social media promotion had had a major impact. Booths were crazy with the frenzy of buyers. Some closed in the first hour. Most of the buyers were from China.
This was a wholesale only trade show. The prices for a 9-11mm strands of pearls were going for $50k. For 12mm, the price was double that!
And then, in a most astonishing move, a Chinese buyer offered to buy the entire production of Robert Wan's luxury pearls for a much higher sum than he was expected to have earned from the auction.
Don't ever doubt the power of social media.
]]>This tiara was made by a commission of Napoleon Bonaparte who was then the Emperor of France for his wife, Josephine. Some of the most famous cameo makers of that time were brought to carve these cameos. Vincenzo Catenacci, Filippo Rega, and Giuseppe Girometti created these cameo carvings. Each carving is estimated to have taken up to a year to complete.
Each of the scenes are portraits of gods and goddesses or a scene depicting a story of love.
The court jeweler, Marie-Etienne Nitot is thought to have created the settings for the tiara. The tiara would have been completed by 1809 before Nitot's death. There is not a single diamond in the tiara
This is a Frederic Westin portrait of Empress Josephine of Leuchtenberg wearing the Cameo tiara and other exquisite pearl jewelry.
]]>I have done sufficient education of pearls and have experienced pearl farming first hand, so I was not interested in an education of pearl knowledge. I wanted to know what Mikimoto staff does with that information.
What I did not know was the detail to which the company strives to be open and accurate with the information that they possess. It was so encouraging to hear the sales staff talk about the qualities of a pearl and how to look for them. They knew the process of culturing a pearl and spoke about their 2 pearl farms in Japan.
I asked them about their grading of Akoya pearls vs South Sea and Tahtian Pearls. You know from these blogs that Akoya pearls are graded D, C, B, B+, A, A+, AA, AA+, AAA, AAA+. With Akoya pearls there is no AAAA. AAA+ is also called gem quality.
With South Sea and Tahitian pearls there is only D, C, B, A. All D pearls are crushed because it is illegal to export or sell them. There are no AA or AAA South Sea or Tahitians. Be suspect of a company or store that claims so.
The Vice President of Merchandising, Shogo Nakanishi, had spent his first years with Mikimoto actually doing the surgery of implanting oysters with a nucleus. He admitted to killing many oysters because the surgery is so delicate. But he spent 2 years on the farm learning farming from experience.
I am telling you this, not because I am sending you off to Mikimoto to buy your pearls, but because it is so important for anyone selling you pearls to know these kinds of facts. I have been in a jewelry store where the salesperson didn't know the difference between freshwater and saltwater pearls. That is a tragedy.
This is what I give you with the blogs of Pearl Knowledge. I want you to have the tools to know what you are getting when you go to buy pearls or even to admire what a friend is wearing. I want you to have the confidence to buy pearls from my website as well.
]]>Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine have long advocated ingesting the marine treasures in pulverized form—not only for better looks, but as a tonic for everything from tuberculosis to eye disease to sexual dysfunction.
While there are many uses of pearl powder in cosmetics, (even Goop has a line they support), the more interesting is the study of pearl powder in biomedical applications. Because of the natural elements in pearls, studies are being conducted in applications of pearl powder in wound healing, bone repairing, treatment of skin conditions, and other health indications.
Calcium carbonate is the main ingredient in a pearl. "Animal studies have demonstrated that pearl powder has beneficial pharmacological effects such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory (due to the magnesium that it possesses), anti-aging (through the stimulation of fibroblasts), immunomodulating, and wound healing".
The biochemistry of medical applications of pearl powder are relatively new. Research has shown some promising advances in using pearl powder in wound healing, tissue engineering, and bone regeneration. There are active components in pearl powder that are beneficial for skin cell regeneration and therefore valuable for wound healing.
There are differences in the properties of the pearl powder from the actual pearl and the powder made from the mother of pearl or inside shell of a mollusk, Shel powder is much less expensive. The actual pearl powder has more of the healing properties and is the component that would be the most beneficial. But, most products on the market don't differentiate between the two. This makes it difficult to determine the benefits of any over the counter product.
There is much promising information about the possibilities of pearl powder's success in biomedical applications, but so much more study has to be done to validate this work.
For those of you more chemically minded and interested, here is the link to the NIH article, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8197316/.
I must say that the pearl powder I create when drilling my pearls will now be judiciously saved to powder my face. You might comment on my "glowing" skin when you next see me.
]]>Baroque Pearl figurines were popular in the 16th century. Goldsmiths would work irregular shapes of pearls into figures as a part of the body. Artists created mermaids, mermen, sea beasts, dragons, and other animals out of unique pearl shapes, gold and gems.
Anna Maria de'Medici had the largest collection of these figurines. The Italian goldsmith, Benvenuto Cellini created many of these works of art for the Medici family.
You have to marvel at the wit and master work in these tiny sculptures.
]]>High end pearl suppliers have just returned form Asia where the Jewellry and Gem World Hong Kong Show was held.
The strongest quote I heard was, "All prices have gone crazy".
Those pretty little saltwater Akoya pearls from Japan have doubled from the prices last spring, because of demand from China. It's not only the prices but the availability is scaringly scarce.
Major pearl stock from commercial to gem quality is all going to China and they are paying high prices.
South Sea pearls are the same story. Retail airs of 9-19mm earrings are $3000. and even so, there is so little svailability.
And then there are Tahitian pearls. Tahitians have tripled in price in the last six months.
Interestingly, there is the story that a popular Chinese actress and influencer, Ni Ni posted selfies on social media dressed in Tahitian pearls that caused a crazy popularity in China.
You may have heard of Robert Wan's Tahitian pearls. He has a major auction at the September Hong Kong Show. The night before the auction a Chinese man came in and bought the whole auction. I wondered why my bids didn't get acknowledged...Needless to say, the auction was canceled.
Multi colored Tahitian strands at 9-11m were selling, wholesale, for $40,000.
Cut and paste to my Tahitians,
https://judimccormickjewelry.com/collections/necklaces/tahitian
The pearl farmers are deliriously happy, but it is not sustainable. Going forward into the second half of the year and into next year, it's going to be very challenging.
I have old stock prices on my inventory. You might want to take a look.
https://judimccormickjewelry.com/collections/necklaces/products/tahitian-pearls-large-globes
Cut and paste the URL.
]]>This current Antique Pearl Tiara was made in 1900, designed after the Pavlovnik Tiara that was worn by Anna Pavlova in an 1849 portrait.
The Amalia Pearls are the beautiful pear shaped pearls that sit on top of the current Antique Pearl Tiara. They had belonged to Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, a 17c. Dutch princess. The tiara can be worn without the pearls as well.
Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was the first to wear the current Antique Pearl Tiara. She put it into a family jewel foundation so that all of the Netherland's Queens and Princesses could wear it. It was passed on to her daughter Queen Julianna in 1962. Since then, it has been worn by Queen Juliana's daughter the Queen Beatrix, who became Queen in 1980, as well as her sisters, Irene, Margiet, and Christina.
Queen Beatrix's son, Willem-Alexander of the Netherland, married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti in 2002 and became the Queen consort in 2013. Queen Maxima is the current wearer of the Antique Pearl Crown. She often wears it without those gorgeous Amalia pearls, though. Queen Maxima did name her first daughter Amalia in homage to the Amalia Pearls in her tiara.
]]>]]>
Sterling Silver is the benchmark silver for jewelry making. It is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other alloy, usually copper. It is combined with an alloy to increase it's strength and durability, but it is also prone to tarnishing. It is the least expensive of the silvers.
Fine Silver has a purity of 99.9% and a brighter color than Sterling Silver. But because it has no alloys, it is softer. The jewelry made from Fine Silver would be pieces that didn't require the strength of pieces like a ring or clasps. It is beautiful and more expensive that Sterling Silver because of its purity.
Argentium is a unique formula developed by Rio Grande Jewelry Supplies. This formula gives an incredible natural brightness that even outshines white gold, platinum and sterling silver. The measurement is done with a scientific process called the CIELAB system.
Argentium alloys are purer than sterling. There are 2 grades of Argentium, 93.5% and 96%. Regular Sterling Silver measure 92.5% and UK Britanian measures 95.6%. This shows that Argentium measures above even the prestigious UK Britanian silver.
Tarnish resistance is also another factor of Argentium.
Charts are provided by Rio Grande.
Argentium qualities are that it is tarnish resistant, and it is a responsible silver made only from certified recycled silver and does not contain any nickel.
]]>
Over 100 years ago, Jacques Cartier traveled to Bahrain to search for natural pearls. This began the legacy of Cartier jewelry and many famous pearl pieces.
]]>In the early 1900s, Jacques' travels to the Middle East were to investigate the natural pearl. He spent most of his time talking to pearl families and pearl divers. He spent days on boats with the divers who brought up boat loads of oysters to open for the prize of one single natural pearl. He would spend all day on a boat and the entire crop wouldn't produce even a single usable natural pearl. He came to understand how very rare pearls were.
Jacques was one of three Cartier brothers that really fulfilled the dream of taking the Cartier name to the world. Louis and Pierre and Jacques each had a special contribution to this goal. Jacques was the brother with the artistic eye. But all of the brothers were obsessed with detail.
Beyond his work in the Persian Gulf, Jacques traveled and photographed in the Middle East. He was a man of details and used many of his photographs of images for inspiration for his jewelry designs.
If you are intrigued by the Cartier story, you must read Francesca Cartier Brickell's book, The Cartiers. She is Jacques' great grandaughter, who has traveled the world to research her families history. It is a spell binding story.
]]>I love to take you on a visit to a pearl farm every once in awhile.
Pearl farms are fascinating for many reasons, but most importantly, they can only exist in some of the most clean and sustained water conditions. They are wonderful places to visit.
]]>Pearl farms are fascinating for many reasons, but most importantly, they can only exist in some of the most clean and sustained water conditions. They are wonderful places to visit.
Phuket Pearl Farm is the oldest in Thailand, opened in 1967 on the island of Koh Rang in the Sapam Bay. The Phuket penisula in Thailand is the "gold coast" of southern Thailand.
Sapam Bay was chosen as the site for the Phuket Pearl Farm because of the quality of the water. High and low tides bring in much of the nutrients for the oysters. The water temperatures are perfect between 26 and 29 degrees centigrade.
There are three types of pearls produced in Phuket. Pinctada maxima oyster produces South Sea pearls, Pinctada fucata produces Akoya pearls, and the Pteria penguin, Mabe pearls.
They also have their own breeding facility to maintain a natural environment that is free of enemies of the oysters. The farm produces over 100,000 oysters a year.
Pearl farms are traditionally very socially responsible. Phuket provides education for many students to learn marine biology.
The farm also supports many jewelry designers and a major exhibition of crowns made for various Thai events.
]]>Have you heard this? Set the scene. Queen Cleopatra is dining with the Roman Statesman, Marc Anthony. She is holding a large pearl.
Oil painting on canvas, Cleopatra dissolving the Pearl in Wine by Andrea Casali (Rome 1705 - Rome 1784). Cleopatra seated at a table dropping a pearl into a bowl of wine watched by Mark Anthony with soldiers and figures in the background preparing the banquet. According to Pliny the Elder in his Natural History, Cleopatra
The story of Cleopatra's pearl is told by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History (9. 119-21): 'There have been two pearls that were the largest in the whole of history; both were owned by Cleopatra, the last of the Queens of Egypt—they had come down to her through the hands of the Kings of the East....In accordance with previous instructions the servants placed in front of her only a single vessel containing vinegar, the strong rough quality of which can melt pearls. She was at the moment wearing in her ears that remarkable and truly unique work of nature. Antony was full of curiosity to see what in the world she was going to do. She took one earring off and dropped the pearl in the vinegar, and when it was melted swallowed it.'
So, it must be true.
]]>It is common misconception that Mikimoto invented this process. But Mikimoto acquired the culturing of pearls from Dr. T Nishikawa's research through marriage to Nishikawa's daughter.
Dr. T. Nishikawa of the Tokyo Imperial University first discovered the technology to produce spherical "akoya" pearls. In a letter he wrote in 1907, he stated: "It is a great pleasure for me to tell you that I am studying pearl formation and pearl-oyster culture work this summer (1907). Fortunately, I have found the cause of Japanese pearl formation, i.e. the reason why and how the pearl is produced in the tissue of the oyster. I made a practical application of this theory with great prospects for producing the natural and true pearls at will." (Kunz, George Frederick. The Book of the Pearl. New York: 1908. pp 292-3).
It is Nishikawa's work that changed the science of pearl culturing from shell nucleation to tissue nucleation. After receiving his patent in 1916, round Japanese akoya entered the pearl market for the first time. However, Mikimoto became famous for inventing round "Akoya" pearls from the P. martensii oyster.
]]>The grading of a pearl necklace takes in the whole appearance of the necklace. Matching the pearls for qualities of shape, size, surface, luster, and color all combine to make a good quality necklace.
There are some necklaces that have taken decades to collect the right pearls to create a magnificent necklace.
There may be a deduction of up to 25% for a necklace that shows differences in quality factors.
Matching is really the final and total Quality for judgement of a spectacular necklace of pearls.
]]>This is the week of The Coronation in England and we are naturally curious about the crowns that will be shown.
This is the Crown of Queen Mary that Camilla will wear, but with significant changes that are political and historical.
]]>
This is the Crown of Queen Mary that Camilla will wear, but with significant changes that are political and historical.
This 1911 Crown that Queen Mary wore to her coronation will be recycled and worn by Camilla. It is breaking with tradition that Camilla will not commission her own crown. Spending such an extravagant amount of money in these modern times on a one time crown would not be a wise decision in the eyes of the British public.
The Queen Mother's Crown was a natural choice because she was the last queen consort to be crowned with her husband King George. The major problem was the very large Koh-i-noor 105.6 carat diamond in the center. The picture above is Queen Mary's Crown with the Koh-i-nor diamond in place. This exquisite gem was presented to Queen Victoria in 1850 as one of the spoils of the Anglo-Sikh wars. It was a good decision to replace this diamond with another and avoid another scandal.
Camilla's choice of Queen Mary's 1911 crown is a monumental piece that reflects Camilla's taste for diamonds. The Queen Mary Crown is set with 2200 diamonds that display a brilliant and dazzling effect.
However, Camilla is adding a few significant diamonds to the crown. The 94.4 carat Cullinan III Diamond and the 63.6 carat Cullinan IV diamond will return to their original places in the crown. The center gem will be the 18.8 carat heart shaped Cullinan V diamond. The value of these replacements is speculated at $50 million.
All of these Cullinan diamonds were cut from the original Cullinan Diamond, the largest rough diamond ever found at 3,106 carats in 1907 out of a South African mine.
]]>This is the Crown that will be worn for the actual moment of coronation, but why won't he wear it for the entire coronation?
This is the St. Edwards Crown that was created in 1661 for King Charles II. King Charles III will only wear it for the exact moment of coronation because it is extremely heavy. It is solid gold.
He will then don the Imperial State Crown for the rest of the coronation and appear on Buckingham Palace balcony with the Imperial State Crown. It is the more commonly used crown and was made for Queen Victoria in 1838 for her coronation. It contains the fourth largest diamond in the world, the Cullinan II Diamond weighing 317.4 carats.
]]>
Pearl-diving trips were held annually under the patronage of the Kuwaiti Emir in order to keep alive traditions that accompanied the once important national trade of pearl diving, prior to the discovery of oil.
Historically, the best natural pearls come from here. The pearls from this region have an exceptional sheen thanks to the mixture of salty and sweet waters in the Gulf.
Kuwait inaugurated the Pearl Diving Festival, which aimed to recreate the traditional pearl divers routes.
Kuwait has staged more than 30 pearl diving trips over the past couple of years within ongoing plans to revive pearling and other pre-oil activities that had formed the backbone of living for the Gulf country before the discovery of oil. However, with the advent of the Covid pandemic, 2019 was the last of the current pearl diving trips sanctioned by the Kuwaiti Emir.
One of the wealthiest nations, it has just staged its 31st pearling expedition in which 228 men set sail aboard 13 Arabian dhows (wooden boats) on a pearl diving trip that lasted more than three weeks.
Because of the pollution of the Persian Gulf from drilling for oil and leaks from the drilling the waters are not healthy enough to continue to produce strong oysters. Over fishing in the area, dredges up the young oysters along with other fish catches and they don't survive.
It seems this is the story with so many of the past premier pearling waters. What was once a major clean industry has been supplanted by more current desires. There are a number of organizations that are working to change these conditions. More on those in a future blog.
]]>Here is a more in depth look at how to care for your pearls.
]]>Pearls are organic and are sensitive to both chemical and physical environments. When pearls are worn a lot or are subject to certain hazards they can be damaged if not handled with care. Good quality pearls with a substantial nacre thickness are less sensitive than pearls with a thin nacre or blister pearls.
Pearls are mostly calcium carbonate that can be damaged by acids. One of the major acids to effect pearls is the sweat produced by the body. Our sweat contains salt, trace elements, and lactic acids. That sounds pretty ugly. These acids after a period can wear away part of the surface nacre of the pearl. As you can see, pearls with a thinner nacre are more susceptible. Different people have different levels of these acids in their skin and pearls react harshly to people with higher acid content in their bodies. It stands to reason that if you are sick or are taking strong medicines the acids will be stronger and it is not a good idea to wear your pearls.
Pearls are also sensitive to drying out. In this case, pearls shouldn't be left in a drawer or safe for long periods of time. They should be worn to keep them from drying out. This exposes them to natural humidity in the air and the good surface of the human skin. Pearls dry out more quickly in hot weather or near any heating elements.
As you might imagine, pearls should not be worn while taking a shower or swimming in the sea, lake or swimming pool. Swimming pools have chlorine and the sea has a host of other contaminants.
As well, pearls shouldn't come in contact with cosmetics, perfumes, hair sprays, powders or creams. Perhaps you have heard that pearls should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off. It makes sense. Just in case you were thinking of doing your dishes or vacuuming while wearing your pearls, don't.
So, what do you do?
Regular cleaning of pearls with a soft cloth, even with a touch of alcohol after wearing them is the best maintenance. The sweat and dirt are cleaned away by the alcohol.
Once or twice a year, your pearls should be thoroughly cleaned. You can do this yourself or have me do it. I would take your necklace apart and clean the pearls individually and when they are dry, I would restring them. If you are ding this, put your necklace, bracelet, or earrings in lukewarm water with a few drops of dishwashing detergent, perhaps Ivory Snow for 15-20 minutes. Each pearl can be cleaned with a very soft toothbrush. Make sure it is very soft so it doesn't scratch the surface of the pearl. Rinse thoroughly and layout on a soft cloth to dry for at least 24 hours. Don't try to dry them with any kind of heating unit. Make sure the string is completely dry.
It is also recommended to treat your pearls with an Extra Virgin Olive Oil every two to three years. I confess. I haven't done this, but it does seem like a good idea.
And lastly. I know you know this. Do not put your pearls in your jewelry box where they can rub against other metals and gemstones that will scratch the pearls. It is best to keep pearls in a separate little bag that is not plastic or cotton that will dry them out.
The best you can do for your pearls is to wear them and then give them a wipe down with a soft cloth and some alcohol. But...wear them.
]]>
The French historian, Bernard Morel believes the Charles II of Spain pearl came to Spanish possession from Venezuela in the late 16th century. It was known as the companion of La Peregrina. The Charles Pearl is rounder than La Peregrina and weighs 223.8 grains to La Peregrina's 133.2 grains.
When the royal castle of Madrid burned down in 1734, it was thought that the pearl had been lost. But it found its was to Victoria Eugenia, who passed it on to her grandson, Juan Carlos, the present King of Spain.
The past Queen Sophia of Spain would wear the King Charles II Pearl for public occasions.
]]>At over 700 pages long, I go to Strack's book whenever I have a question about pearls.
]]>There is information about the history of pearls, all of the different mollusks that produce pearls, pearls the are nacreous and non-nacreous pearls, natural pearls, saltwater and freshwater pearls and other...types of pearls. So, I try to break down all of this information to get you a taste every week.
I hope you find what you want in my Pearl Knowledge blogs, but now you can go to the source, if you want to know everything.
]]>A pearl is formed when an irritant, such as a parasite or piece of shell, becomes accidentally lodged in an oyster's soft inner body, causing it to secrete a crystalline substance called nacre as a defense mechanism, which builds up around the irritant in layers until a pearl is formed. Whether a pearl is natural or cultured, they are both formed the same way.
The difference is that a cultured pearl is formed with some human intervention. That human intervention is the surgical process of implanting a nucleus (a shell bead that won't be rejected by the bivalve mollusk) on which the soft tissue muscle starts to coat with concentric layers of nacre. This is a protective defense that produces the beautiful pearl.
]]>Henry Philip Hope, who died in 1839, was an astute collector and fine gems and art. He had at least two of the finest specimens of important gems in the history of gemological collections.
The Hope Pearl is the most famous pearl because of its size and history. It was probably acquired by Jacques Tavernier perhaps from the Persian Gulf around 1650 and sold to French King Louis XIV in 1669. This beautiful and one of the largest pearl, measures 150 X 83 X 50mm and weighs 454 carats. It is its size and cylindrical drop shape that makes this pearl so unusual. The pearl is set in a pendant. that represents the crown, decorated with rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. It has a long history of traveling through many important hands And, it was shown at "The Allure of Pearls" exhibition at Smithsonian Institution in 2005. It was the first exhibition of the Hope Pearl and the Hope Diamond together. Today it is the hands of a private investor.
The Hope Diamond has a significant history, as well. It was possibly mined in the Golcanda area of India. In 1668, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, a French gem merchant sold a 112 carat blue diamond to King Louis XIV of France. Yes, this was the same King that owned the Hope Pearl. It was recut to show more brilliance to a size of 67 1/8 carats in 1673. When the French Revolution erupted in 1792, during the reign of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, the royal Crown Jewels were looted and disappeared. Twenty years later, a blue diamond that was undoubtedly the missing blue diamond was in the possession of London jeweler, Daniel Eliason. There is no more report of the diamond until in 1820, King George IV bought a blue diamond of 44 carats from Daniel Eliason. It was after King George's death that Henry Philip Hope purchased the diamond and gave it, its name. It remained in Hope's family until 1901 when it was sold to Adolph Weil and eventually to Pierre Cartier in 1909. Cartier artistically set the gem and sold it to Evalyn Walsh McLean, who delighted the public by wearing it everywhere. Perhaps we can learn something from her. After her death in 1947, her collection was bought by Harry Winston, a prominent New York jeweler. In 1958, Mr. Winston graciously donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institute to inaugurate its National Gem Collection.
Henry Philip Hope was a man with a fine eye for important gems and art. He had many more pearls in his collection and some of the finest pink conch pearls. Little was known of their value in his time. He just loved the look. What a nice thought.
]]>
I am always asked how to clean certain pieces of jewelry. This is good because, cleaning can be a beautiful thing or a disaster of destruction.
]]>It happens. Gemstones and metals get dirty and dull. Remember all of the lotions you rub into you body and the detergents you clean with? Not too good.
To clean your jewelry at home, the best way to start out is with a very mild solution of a dish soap and warm water. Using a soft bristle toothbrush, you can reach in between and behind most settings. Perhaps a drop or two of Dawn dish soap for its grease cutting ability. Rinse and then dry with a microfiber cloth. Most jewelry can be cleaned this way.
There are jewels that one should be extremely careful cleaning. Most are the organic gemstones and pearls, of course. These gems would benefit from a damp cloth to remove sunscreens and oils. I wouldn't recommend putting your pearl necklaces in a water solution because of the silk on which they are knotted. It will weaken the silk.
Interesting information of our all-knowing-web instructs some to use ketchup because it is non acidic and toothpaste, which is an abrasive. I wouldn't clean my jewelry with either of these.
You can buy over the counter ultrasonic jewelry cleaners that can be used on all but coral, pearls, opals, turquoise. Gems such as Emeralds and Rubies may have had treatments of fillers that are acceptable, but could be damaged by an ultrasonic cleaner. Professionals have a much stronger ultrasonic cleanser for a deep clean.
Along with cleaning your jewelry regularly, check your pearls every few years for restringing. Look for fraying knots and silk stretching. As well, check the prongs on your set gems. They can wear down and loosen. Quelle horrors! It's not crazy to have your engagement or any ring you wear regularly, checked annually by a professional bench jeweler.
]]>White pearls range from the pure electric shiny color of the Akoya pearls to the champagnes and pinkish tones. South Sea whites are more of a satiny soothing color.
There are the delicious Golden South Sea Pearls which start with a light creamy yellow to deep very golds.
The natural pinks, peaches, purples and bronzes of Edison pearls create a whole color category by themselves. Some of these colors are so electric, they almost defy description as natural.
New to popularity are the Blue Akoyas that are a soft blueish grey. The more valuable and desirable are more on the blue spectrum.
Tahitians are many many colored. Let's start with the silver grey and go all the way to black. In between, there are many overtones of blues, peacocks, rose, eggplant, green, pistachio and chocolate browns. All of these can be seen in combination for a wild show.
Do not, ever, in your life confuse natural colored pearls with dyed and irradiated pearls. If you look at the photo of last week's blog, you can see some of theugliest pearls I have ever seen. I blanch when I look at that photograph. It's painful.
You have so much to choose from. Be my guest.
]]>This is a picture that I actually took at the international gem show in Tucson. I hope you never see a "pearl" as disrespectful as these are. Let me explain.
Describing the surface quality of a pearl comes in terms of “flaws”. Most of the synonyms for flaws are: blemish, imperfection, irregularity, spot, surface characteristic, and surface mark or marking. But, which blemishes are acceptable and which are not?
These blemishes are not acceptable:
Cracks through the pearls surface. It is thin nacre that cracks, not thick. Thin nacre is the result of not spending enough time growing the pearl’s nacre.
I can't even begin to tell you how bad these pearls are and they were for sale at one of the side shows in Tucson! Also, please note that these are not natural colors. They are very dyed and irradiated. Ugly.
Missing nacre. The pearl farmer has not taken care to grow the pearl with care and time. These are pearls that should not have even reached the market.
Discoloration throughout the pearl. It’s just not pretty.
Blemishes that cover the majority of the surface of the pearl.
It is normal for pearls to have some surface irregularity that gives them character and authenticity.
GIA, Gemological Institute of America, has established a 4 level system for grading pearls surface.
Clean-Pearls are blemish free or contain minute surface characteristics that are very difficult to see by the human eye.
Lightly Blemished-Pearls show minor surface irregularities when examined by a trained observer.
Moderately Blemished-Pearls show noticeable surface characteristics.
Heavily Blemished-Pearls show obvious surface irregularities that might affect durability.
Now you know.
]]>You might be thinking about purchasing some pearls for the coming holiday season and I want to give you some guidelines for making a decision on what kind of pearls to buy and what qualities to look for in pearls.
This will be more than a one week blog, but please, email me with any questions that you have. I really want you to make an educated purchase.
]]>This will be more than a one week blog, but please, email me with any questions that you have. I really want you to make an educated purchase.
There are six different qualities that you will want to look for when you buy pearls. And, there are at least four different varieties of pearls to choose from. All of these have their pros and cons.
The first and what I consider the most important quality of a pearl is its LUSTER. This is the soul of a pearl. It is the essence of the beauty and brilliance. Luster is the light that is reflected from the surface of the pearl through all of the multiple layers of the nacre that a mollusk deposits on a nucleus or an inserted piece of tissue. The higher the quality of the nacre will produce the highest quality of lustrous shine and reflection.
In this photo from the Gemological Institute of America, from top to bottom, these Japanese saltwater cultured pearls show excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor luster. The differences in the sharpness of the reflections between each adjacent strand are subtle but still noticeable.
Luster is one of the most significant pearl qualities. The luster of a pearl is much more than the luster of an object that is just reflective of the light on its surface. Luster refers to the light reflected off the internal layers of a pearl’s nacre. It’s a glow from within the pearl. The pearl’s layers of nacre is a translucent substance that is layered like bricks. Natural light travels through these layers and reflected back out in a prismatic lustrous rainbow in the best examples. The quality of the nacre is what creates the quality of the pearl’s luster.
]]>Last August a family vacationing in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware found an extremely rare purple pearl while eating in the restaurant Salt Air.
Was this a hoax?
]]>Last August a family vacationing in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware found an extremely rare purple pearl while eating in the restaurant Salt Air.
Was this a hoax?
"This is a natural, saltwater, non-nacreous pearl produced from a northern quahog clam. So natural pearls are always rare, especially for gem quality ones with attractive color and symmetrical shapes." said the Senior Manger of Pearl Identification at the Gemological Institute of America, Chunhui Zhou.
Pearls are grown in oysters, clams, and mussels, but are rarely seen in clams. Clams produce non nacreous pearls. They are composed of calcite rather than nacre and aragonite as are oyster (saltwater) and mussel (freshwater) pearls. Their surface has a porcelain sheen, not the luster of other nacreous pearls. They are most rare because they cannot be cultivated, as are 95% of nacreous pearls.
GIA confirmed that Scott Overland had found a natural clam pearl. Joshua Hyman, a fourth generation jeweler and owner of Philadelphia Jewelry Appraisers, valued the pearl at $4071.. This price is several thousand dollars above which clam pearls usually sell. This bright lavender pearl appraised highly for its gem quality beauty.
Scott says that he will keep the pearl for now.
My brother owns a sister restaurant to Salt Air in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware called Sazio. He would be delighted if you had some clams with him...
]]>The most asked question (about pearls) is, "What is the difference between Freshwater and Saltwater Pearls?" Let me give you a short but definitive answer.
Freshwater pearls are grown in rivers and lakes, while saltwater pearls grow in the ocean.
Freshwater pearls are grown in mussels and saltwater pearls are grown in oysters.
Each mussel can grown up to 50 Freshwater pearls, while an oyster can only grow 1-3 pearls.
Freshwater pearls are ready to harvest in about 6 months, while Saltwater pearls grown from 18 months to 3 years or more.
Until recently, all Freshwater pearls were grown with the insertion of a piece of mantle tissue into the organ of the mussel, which caused the organ to produce nacre surrounding the mantel tissue. So, Freshwater pearls were entirely nacre. Recently, improved technology has been used to nucleate the mussel with a bead to create larger and rounder pearls. Oysters have always been cultured with a bead nucleus. They are not all nacre, but the longer growing time and water temperatures create a more desirable surface.
Freshwater pearls are more affordable, while Saltwater pearls are of higher quality and more valuable.
Both Freshwater and Saltwater pearls are 98% cultured today.
What to buy?? The first consideration would be your budget. If you are new to pearls, You might want to start with a reasonably priced pearl design. But, of course, the quality of the pearls may be your desire. There are many pearls on the market and it is impossible to not find the exact, wonderful, blissful, pearls of your dreams. But let this only be a beginning.
]]>The Black Beauty Pearl is considered to be one of the most important pearls in history. Why?
]]>The Black Beauty Pearl is considered to be one of the most important pearls in history. Why?
The Black Beauty Pearl is believed to have been found in Ecuador or Venezuela, which were the famous pearl fishing grounds, historically.
The value of this pearl is as a beautiful example of a well formed high domed pearl, but most importantly, the "peacock" colors in the pearl. The. most desirable and valuable Tahitians have this rare combination of rose, pistachio, yellow and teal blue overtones on a black pearl. The Black Beauty Pearl has this rare collection of colors combined with the unique iridescence orient and shape. This is perhaps the finest example of these characteristics and makes it a famous historical natural pearl.
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