Advice on silver-blue akoya necklace

[mtsapphirelovingannie]

Hello, I am hoping for some advice on a baroque silver-blue akoya necklace. These were advertised as “natural-color akoyas featuring silver-blue body color with hints of rose in the rare and large size range of 9.5-10.0 mm”.

I purchased this strand from a well know online pearl retailer. I was looking at them today and began to worry that the nacre is thin. A number of the pearls exhibit a creamy to slightly yellowish look on close inspection. Is this normal for silver/blue akoya pearls?

I took these pictures tonight under incandescent and fluorescent lighting. I will try and take some in the daylight if that is helpful.

The strand was not inexpensive. I’d like to return them if they are not going to last. I don’t have any frame of reference so I’d appreciate any advice. Thank you!

 

[BWeaves]

I have some silver blue akoyas, same size and color description, and probably from the same vendor. My pearls also have some areas that are cream colored rather than blue. However, the pearls are baroque rather than perfectly round, which means they have very thick nacre. I chalk up the cream color to the oyster laying down different colors on different parts of the pearl.

My grandmother's akoya pearls from 1960 were perfectly round and had very, very thin nacre, to the point that by the time I replaced them (this year, 2015) the nacre was wearing off. That's 65 years of constant wear before the nacre looked unacceptable to me. I honestly don't worry about nacre peeling off unless they are very cheap pearls from a mall jewelry store.

If the color of the pearls bothers you, call up the vendor and talk to them. If you just got them, you are within the return exchange date range. Tell them what you want and I'm sure they'll exchange them for another strand that more closely matches what you would like.

However, unless you actually see flaking nacre, I don't think you have to worry about the pearls not lasting. I think they will look good for a long time.

 

[mtsapphirelovingannie]

Here are two more pictures that are not as close:

 

[mtsapphirelovingannie]

I have some silver blue akoyas, same size and color description, and probably from the same vendor. My pearls also have some areas that are cream colored rather than blue. However, the pearls are baroque rather than perfectly round, which means they have very thick nacre. I chalk up the cream color to the oyster laying down different colors on different parts of the pearl.

My grandmother's akoya pearls from 1960 were perfectly round and had very, very thin nacre, to the point that by the time I replaced them (this year, 2015) the nacre was wearing off. That's 65 years of constant wear before the nacre looked unacceptable to me. I honestly don't worry about nacre peeling off unless they are very cheap pearls from a mall jewelry store.

If the color of the pearls bothers you, call up the vendor and talk to them. If you just got them, you are within the return exchange date range. Tell them what you want and I'm sure they'll exchange them for another strand that more closely matches what you would like.

However, unless you actually see flaking nacre, I don't think you have to worry about the pearls not lasting. I think they will look good for a long time.

Thank you for your reply!

I like the overall color of the necklace when I have it one. When I looked closely at them last night, I noticed the yellowish areas and was concerned. This is the first set of pearls I've bought.

 

[NacreLover]

You are dealing with mother nature not dyed pearls. Baroque shapes which have uneven layers of nacre over a mother of pearl bead can throw off many shades of color you wouldn't see on perfectly round pearls.

If this bothers you contact the vendor and select a round strand or perhaps one more evenly colored. Remember these pearls you purchased were in a very large size for akoya and spent much more time in the shell than the smaller ones offered for sale.

 

[BWeaves]

Looking at your second set of photos, your necklace looks almost exactly like mine. The creamy areas bothered me, too, at first, because I was inspecting the pearls up close. When I'm wearing them, I don't notice. I really love my strand. I don't even see the creamy areas now because I view them from a distance now. The nacre is really quite thick, so don't worry.

But I have bought and returned other strands, too. Returning or exchanging is not a big deal.

 

[Pirard]

While I love the color of the pearls, I would be bothered by that uneven nacre concern. They are lovely, don't get me wrong, but you have to be happy with them too! I found my eye much prefers blueish light Tahitians and SS pearls to akoya blues. I suppose thats the difference between the rose vs the green tones.

 

[mtsapphirelovingannie]

Thank you to everyone who responded to my post.