What exactly is orient? I've heard it's like a rainbow effect on a pearl. Also, do freshadama or metallic freshwater a have more orient. What is the difference between freshadama and metallic in terms or orient, and luster? Thank you in advance (:
Orient& freshadama/metallic question
- Thread starter Kpearls
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NacreLover
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I cant post this thread here but if you look at the other forum. Jeremy Shepherd answers this question on the thread called Orient color.
This was part of the posts he wrote:
No, bleach does not affect the orient. Some pearls have it, some do not. Most pearls do not as orient is considered an extremely rare value factor. It is more prevalent in colored pearls and in baroques, very rare in white. The job of the bleach is to change the original color of cream/yellow to white, and to make the pearls match throughout a strand.
Orient is very difficult to capture on film. Occasionally we are able to catch it just right, but it is difficult.
To make matters even more difficult, many experts do not agree on the definition of orient. To some it is simply the play of color over the surface of the pearl, to others it is thin film interference, to others still it is the light diffraction passing the the conchiolin translucence of the linear layers of nacre. According to CIBJO, orient is an optical phenomenon caused by the interference AND diffraction of light from within the surface of some nacreous pearls; producing delicate shades of iridescent colors.
This is why Strack says there is no orient on Tahitian pearls, although the majority opinion would differ from hers. Even Paspaley has their own (albeit unique) definition of orient. Their definition excludes all pearls that are not of marine origin from possessing orient - freshadama do not exist.
I do not think you should feel at all bad about being confused by orient. As you can see, most of the world is!
This was part of the posts he wrote:
No, bleach does not affect the orient. Some pearls have it, some do not. Most pearls do not as orient is considered an extremely rare value factor. It is more prevalent in colored pearls and in baroques, very rare in white. The job of the bleach is to change the original color of cream/yellow to white, and to make the pearls match throughout a strand.
Orient is very difficult to capture on film. Occasionally we are able to catch it just right, but it is difficult.
To make matters even more difficult, many experts do not agree on the definition of orient. To some it is simply the play of color over the surface of the pearl, to others it is thin film interference, to others still it is the light diffraction passing the the conchiolin translucence of the linear layers of nacre. According to CIBJO, orient is an optical phenomenon caused by the interference AND diffraction of light from within the surface of some nacreous pearls; producing delicate shades of iridescent colors.
This is why Strack says there is no orient on Tahitian pearls, although the majority opinion would differ from hers. Even Paspaley has their own (albeit unique) definition of orient. Their definition excludes all pearls that are not of marine origin from possessing orient - freshadama do not exist.
I do not think you should feel at all bad about being confused by orient. As you can see, most of the world is!
4Ranch Girl
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I was lucky to see this phenomenon on a strand of silver Tahitians in a jewelry case once. i did a double and triple take on that strand. It looked like it had a haze of northern lights floating over but not touching the surface of the pearls. It's price was $25,000 and they weren't all that big either maybe 10 to 12 mm. That strand was what started my quest for Tahitians. I have yet to ever see another strand like that one either.
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Excellent replies, NacreLover and 4RanchGirl. Focusing on identifying pearls with outstanding luster is a much more useful skill and can be learned through photographs, examining pearls in person and compare similar strand. Pearls are like snowflakes; each is different, so what seems like it should be simple, isn't. Kpearls, I hope you continue your quest to learn about pearls! 
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