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Dyed Freshwater Pearls

pkinnew

Brilliant_Rock
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There has been talk in another topic re: dyed freshwater pearls and I thought I would create a new one to discuss it.

When I first started seriously collecting pearls it was when The Pearl Outlet (TPO) and PP had lots of sales, especially TPO. TPO even had daily deals which were pretty nice. Some of the pearl pieces I acquired then were dyed freshwater pearls - cranberry, multi-brown/gold, dark green and purple. They were nice pearls (AA+) and fun to wear. I still wear them occasionally. Before that I had purchased several Honora pieces from QVC.

But since those early days in pearl land I have REALLY expanded my horizon to encompass many more types of pearls and I've loved every minute of it! And I've learned a lot from all of you and those I know on other boards and I appreciate your help, enabling and patience!!!

Anyone else out there have dyed freshwaters they want to share? And I promise to learn pearl photography soon!
 

NacreLover

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Pkin, I purchased some from the same place you did. It was a huge mistake which I felt mislead by the host and the vendor. The dye job was horrible which I tried to repair with a permanent magic marker. No this did not work and I couldn't send them back. It was a breaking point between me and the place and the show host and the vendor I didn't trust what they said any longer and stopped buying there for years.
After that I never purchased dyed pearls ever again and saved up and purchased the real deal. I am not sorry.
 

seaurchin

Ideal_Rock
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Nov 2, 2012
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I have some dyed freshwaters.

First photo- I love the small black ones on the left. (8mm, 64 inch). I wear them all the time, or did until they broke. Now they await restringing. The large blacks on the right, (12 mm?) I don't like so much. They seem to me like cheap, fake Tahitians.

Second photo- Just to show the small blacks in a different light, along with some other pearls.

Third photo- The lilac ones (among the pinks) are a little too fakey-bright for my taste.

So, mixed results here. The ones mentioned above are all from Overstock.com.

big_blacks_008__2_0.jpg

colored_set__2_0.jpg

new_pearls3.jpg
 

seaurchin

Ideal_Rock
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Nov 2, 2012
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Ah, forgot about the dyed greys. I think they're 8 mm, 48 inch (also from Overstock). I wear these quite a bit which is strange since I'm not all that crazy about them. Well, I have a lot of grey winter clothes that they go well with and the "problems" with them aren't really noticeable from the usual wearing distance. However, they seem kind of like they have a grey glop coating and are quite irregular, which I'm sure is also why they were so cheap. If that helps anyone, lol...

In general, I've found Overstock great for "play pearls," low price and passable. I have lots of Overstock pearls, and it's always fun when you can have lots! I find their AA grade (like both the blacks and the lilac above, I think) much better than their A grade (the greys). Then again, sometimes they can surprise you and the A looks like AA. Also, I've had a couple of their strands break before much time, whatever they use to string them imo tends to not be strong enough.

The large and the small pink strands above were also from Overstock. I wear them a lot, as well. The shorter, larger pearls are 10 mm, 24 inch and the smaller is two 48 inch strands of 7-8 mm. I didn't think they were dyed, but in the photos they do look rather uniform so hmm, not sure.

grey_pearls.jpg
 

Fly Girl

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 9, 2007
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I wear my little h stretch bracelets a lot. I consider my dyed pearl pieces to be like costume jewelry, inexpensive, colorful and fun. I wear these with lots of casual clothes and I don't give them the care I give to my nicer pearls.

littleh_0.jpg
 

Pattye

Shiny_Rock
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Fly Girl|1387244830|3575753 said:
I wear my little h stretch bracelets a lot. I consider my dyed pearl pieces to be like costume jewelry, inexpensive, colorful and fun. I wear these with lots of casual clothes and I don't give them the care I give to my nicer pearls.


Those bracelets are charming, Fly Girl! I hadn't seen them before. Personally, I do like some dyed pearls. When higher quality pearls are used, the result can be very attractive. My pearl supplier often has keshi custom dyed. This way one can have shades not available in natural colors (so far)!

I feel in most instances dyed pearls aren't necessarily trying to mimic a more rare and expensive pearl.
 
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I totally forgot I bought a bunch of dyed ones to practice stringing in 2009! I should post those... I'm not sure if I have before or not.
 

pkinnew

Brilliant_Rock
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Nov 22, 2013
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Thanks for all of the responses! FlyGirl - I forgot the stretch bracelets! I have a few also and wear them casually! NacreLover - I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with dyed freshwaters but you've got a great collection of naturally colored pearls. And seaurchin - I appreciate you sharing your pictures! They can be "just for fun" pearls.
 

LitGeek

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Seeing as the round Tahitian strand I want is $3k (gulp) I think I see some black freshwaters in my near future 8) Not that I would try to pass them of as T's...I think they are pretty in their own way. It will also give me the chance to see if I would wear a strand of dark round pearls enough to justify the expense.
 

SMC

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LitGeek said:
Seeing as the round Tahitian strand I want is $3k (gulp) I think I see some black freshwaters in my near future 8) Not that I would try to pass them of as T's...I think they are pretty in their own way. It will also give me the chance to see if I would wear a strand of dark round pearls enough to justify the expense.
Sooo - if I were to get black fwps, I'd probably opt for the smaller ones so it wouldn't look like I'm trying to pass them off for Tahitians. How soon are you looking to buy? PP is having (yet another) sale right now.
 

LitGeek

Brilliant_Rock
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sortmon|1387297550|3576125 said:
LitGeek said:
Seeing as the round Tahitian strand I want is $3k (gulp) I think I see some black freshwaters in my near future 8) Not that I would try to pass them of as T's...I think they are pretty in their own way. It will also give me the chance to see if I would wear a strand of dark round pearls enough to justify the expense.
Sooo - if I were to get black fwps, I'd probably opt for the smaller ones so it wouldn't look like I'm trying to pass them off for Tahitians. How soon are you looking to buy? PP is having (yet another) sale right now.

I would like 8-9mm and they are out of stock :(( I am guessing I will purchase after Jeremy's next buying trip. Love this look (from Pearls of Joy blog). These are 7-8mm, but I think I would like them a little larger...
black_akoya.jpg
 

SMC

Ideal_Rock
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LitGeek|1387299612|3576160 said:
I would like 8-9mm and they are out of stock :(( I am guessing I will purchase after Jeremy's next buying trip.
Maybe by the time the next buying trip comes along, you would have saved enough for the Tahitians. ;-)
 

LitGeek

Brilliant_Rock
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sortmon|1387299721|3576163 said:
LitGeek|1387299612|3576160 said:
I would like 8-9mm and they are out of stock :(( I am guessing I will purchase after Jeremy's next buying trip.
Maybe by the time the next buying trip comes along, you would have saved enough for the Tahitians. ;-)

I am just not sure I want to make that purchase yet. I have two lovely Tahitian strands (one drop shaped light silver mixed w/ wSS and one blue-green baroque) and they are both larger mm strands for my petite frame. I think I would like something a little smaller and to see how much I would wear them. I have a pearl princess at home who would love the black freshies, so if and when I got Ts I would pass the freshwaters to her.

I really am a white pearl girl and I wear my wSS pieces more than any of my other pearls. I definitely want to buy a round or near round strand of wSS before the Ts.
 

SMC

Ideal_Rock
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LitGeek|1387300690|3576174 said:
sortmon|1387299721|3576163 said:
LitGeek|1387299612|3576160 said:
I would like 8-9mm and they are out of stock :(( I am guessing I will purchase after Jeremy's next buying trip.
Maybe by the time the next buying trip comes along, you would have saved enough for the Tahitians. ;-)

I am just not sure I want to make that purchase yet. I have two lovely Tahitian strands (one drop shaped light silver mixed w/ wSS and one blue-green baroque) and they are both larger mm strands for my petite frame. I think I would like something a little smaller and to see how much I would wear them. I have a pearl princess at home who would love the black freshies, so if and when I got Ts I would pass the freshwaters to her.

I really am a white pearl girl and I wear my wSS pieces more than any of my other pearls. I definitely want to buy a round or near round strand of wSS before the Ts.
I want a strand of wSS too! I'm on the petite side too but I love big pearls.
 

LitGeek

Brilliant_Rock
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sortmon|1387301531|3576182 said:
LitGeek|1387300690|3576174 said:
sortmon|1387299721|3576163 said:
LitGeek|1387299612|3576160 said:
I would like 8-9mm and they are out of stock :(( I am guessing I will purchase after Jeremy's next buying trip.
Maybe by the time the next buying trip comes along, you would have saved enough for the Tahitians. ;-)

I am just not sure I want to make that purchase yet. I have two lovely Tahitian strands (one drop shaped light silver mixed w/ wSS and one blue-green baroque) and they are both larger mm strands for my petite frame. I think I would like something a little smaller and to see how much I would wear them. I have a pearl princess at home who would love the black freshies, so if and when I got Ts I would pass the freshwaters to her.

I really am a white pearl girl and I wear my wSS pieces more than any of my other pearls. I definitely want to buy a round or near round strand of wSS before the Ts.
I want a strand of wSS too! I'm on the petite side too but I love big pearls.

I love big pearls too :love: :love: :love: but it would be nice to have something a little smaller to wear sometimes as well.
 

SMC

Ideal_Rock
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LitGeek|1387302228|3576195 said:
I love big pearls too :love: :love: :love: but it would be nice to have something a little smaller to wear sometimes as well.
Yeah, I totally understand. You can never have enough pearls!
 

pkinnew

Brilliant_Rock
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Nov 22, 2013
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LitGeek - FYI - The Pearl Outlet has some dyed fw "black" pearls where you can pick your size, length, etc.
 

LitGeek

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 29, 2013
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pkinnew|1387303156|3576210 said:
LitGeek - FYI - The Pearl Outlet has some dyed fw "black" pearls where you can pick your size, length, etc.

Thanks for the tip pkinnew :wavey: but I don't mind waiting. I have spent far too much this holiday season and my pocketbook sure could use a little break :-o
 

LitGeek

Brilliant_Rock
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PP just got a shipment of their 8-9mm black freshwaters in today :loopy:
 

SMC

Ideal_Rock
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LitGeek|1387312414|3576304 said:
PP just got a shipment of their 8-9mm black freshwaters in today :loopy:
Sweet! What length are you going to get? Post pictures when you get them please. There aren't so many black fwps on this forum.
 

LitGeek

Brilliant_Rock
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sortmon|1387316465|3576346 said:
LitGeek|1387312414|3576304 said:
PP just got a shipment of their 8-9mm black freshwaters in today :loopy:
Sweet! What length are you going to get? Post pictures when you get them please. There aren't so many black fwps on this forum.

Either 16" or 18" inches. I will definitely take some photos :geek:
 

Smith1942

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Oct 24, 2012
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LitGeek - they sound amazing!

Just to put in my two cents, I thought that the dyed black freshwater studs I recently bought from PP were amazing. I sent them back only because I couldn't make a decision in a rush with my long foreign journey coming up and I need to plan my pearl acquisitions properly. But the dyed black freshwater pearls had different colours and tones in them, and I would never have guessed that they were dyed. I thought they looked absolutely beautiful, and I would have absolutely thought they were Tahitians.
 

LitGeek

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Fly Girl|1387244830|3575753 said:
I wear my little h stretch bracelets a lot. I consider my dyed pearl pieces to be like costume jewelry, inexpensive, colorful and fun. I wear these with lots of casual clothes and I don't give them the care I give to my nicer pearls.

SO pretty! I have been eying her rope from this collection. I think it would be lovely to have for summer!

Smith1942|1387494090|3577763 said:
LitGeek - they sound amazing!

Just to put in my two cents, I thought that the dyed black freshwater studs I recently bought from PP were amazing. I sent them back only because I couldn't make a decision in a rush with my long foreign journey coming up and I need to plan my pearl acquisitions properly. But the dyed black freshwater pearls had different colours and tones in them, and I would never have guessed that they were dyed. I thought they looked absolutely beautiful, and I would have absolutely thought they were Tahitians.

Thank you. I look forward to seeing the black freshies IRL!
 

renwea

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May 1, 2013
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These are fresh water pearls, I love the colors and the shape.

_12874.jpg
 

Pearlescence

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Here's a pic of one of a few strands I got in Hong Kong in september. These are technically black pearls but in reality they are a light copper pink. (which we still haven't photographed accurately inspite of about ten attempts)

n_black_pink_round_8-8.jpg
 

periwinklegirl

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I have a couple of necklaces of dyed FWP in quite different shades. I like them both for the colour and also for the shape and lustre!
The other necklace is a lovely soft green.
These are from the wonderful Pattye of Patricia Saab Designs!
I also have two black strands, which I like a lot for the purple and blue overtones.

_12875.jpg
 

Pearlescence

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Apart from black and grey the deep dyed colours are becoming harder and harder to find. As pearl quality improves supplies of white rounds are plentiful while even dyed potatos are not so common.
Just like the small sizes - growers and wholesalers are all chasing the white round and big natural markets. When I try to find really small pearls some wholesalers suck their teeth and shake their heads like plumbers these days!
 

periwinklegirl

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I've had luck finding small pearls on Etsy. I got some lovely golden honey coloured ones (though not dyed) that have great lustre.
 

LitGeek

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Pearlescence|1387576159|3578316 said:
Here's a pic of one of a few strands I got in Hong Kong in september. These are technically black pearls but in reality they are a light copper pink. (which we still haven't photographed accurately inspite of about ten attempts)

Oh my :love: :love: :love: I bet this strand is absolutely gorgeous IRL!

renwea|1387575445|3578313 said:
These are fresh water pearls, I love the colors and the shape.

These colors are SO pretty!

periwinklegirl|1387584354|3578401 said:
These are from the wonderful Pattye of Patricia Saab Designs!

Very nice!
 

Pearlescence

Brilliant_Rock
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When I talk about small pearls I mean 1mm half pearls..
although anything under 5mm is getting very scarce and the price is shooting up
The Etsy etc stock will probably be older stock. I still have some (having bought by the 100 strands or more a couple of years ago) but my regular 5mm pearl buyers will be horrified when I have to re-stock.
 
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