The Importance of Matching Pearls for a Necklace
Just how much does it matter to match the pearls exactly for a luxury necklace?
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The definitive book on Pearls, by Elisabeth Strack
At over 700 pages long, I go to Strack's book whenever I have a question about pearls.
Pearl Qualities- Color
There are so many colors of a natural pearl. A lot of this choice is personal preference, but there are some colors that are more valuable than others. This is related to the rarity of those colors.
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How an Oyster is Implanted with a Nucleus
I am sharing a video that I took at the Ha Long Pearl Farm in Vietnam of a worker implanting an oyster so it will "grow" a pearl.
Akoya Pearls vs. South Sea Pearls. Which is Right For You?
Pearls are easily the most sought after gem in the fashion world these days. There is much confusion for buyers over the differences between Akoya and South Sea Pearls. It is best to understand what the advantages and properties are of each of these pearl varieties.
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The Colors of White Pearls
While for many of you, white is white, in the pearl world many pearls are known for their specific hue of white.
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Pearl Pioneers- Nicholas Paspaley (Picture of Nick and his sister in 1932)
It all started out as a wonderful wild adventure for 19 year old Nick Paspaley in the 1930s.
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Pearl Qualities-Nacre
This drawing shows you a more detailed look at how nacre is formed. A mother of pearl shell bead nucleus is inserted into the host oyster, along with a square of donor mantle tissue from another oyster who has previously borne pearls of high or exceptional value, and the oyster is left to begin secreting...
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Pearl Qualities-Color
Yes. Let’s talk about color. I am sure you are aware, by now, that there are many colors of pearls in their natural state. But how do they get their color? This is a Gold Lipped Oyster shell. What color pearl do you think this oyster made? Well, yes. Good guess...
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Pearl Qualities-Surface
I had to dig deep to come up with these seriously flawed pearls. I usually through away any rogue pearls with problems, but these were stashed in some long forgotten bin. Thank heavens. These are ugly. Describing the surface quality of a pearl comes in terms of “flaws”. Most of the synonyms for flaws are...
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Pearl Qualities-Size
Size dramatically affects the the price of pearls, especially above 7mm. People usually buy the largest pearls they can afford, but then again, it’s all about personal preference. Large pearls are rarer and usually require a longer time to mature. the largest pearls are from the South Seas and Tahitian waters. Pearls can range...
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