Are Mikimoto Pearls Bleached and Pinked???

[soberguy]

Learning what I have learned through this process of buying pearls for my pendant I wonder how many pearls out there are bleached/pinked. Does anyone know if Mikimoto uses this process? How common is this practice? It seems to be an industry norm, which is actually a bit sad...

 

[elle_chris]

very very common. and yes, miki pinks their pearls.

 

[soberguy]

That just seems kind of sad to me.

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 6/26/2010 1:34:47 PM
Author: soberguy
That just seems kind of sad to me.

It shouldn't. it's a universally accepted treatment for pearls.

 

[soberguy]

I like the natural color pearls I bought from PearlParadise. I think I will stick to those. Something in me is very opposed to treatments of any kind...

 

[that_someone_special]

I''m not sure if this was your intention but you are coming off a bit snobbish... The reason your natural pearls cost so much per pearl is because they are obviously natural, and rare. Pearls don''t just come out of the oyster always looking gorgeous. The bleached and pinked pearls makes it a bit more affordable for people that can''t buy strand after strand of only natural, untreated pearls.

Besides my freshadamas get me soooo many compliments!! Someone also commented on my baroque blue strand and I said "thanks they are natural blue akoyas..." and more times than not I get a blank stare and an "oh.... Ok...." Point being, most people can''t tell the difference anyways.

 

[soberguy]

Not sure what you mean about snobbish. I was personally shocked when I discovered pearls went through processes like that, and I cannot see myself spending a great deal of money on a strand of Mikimoto pearls that have been treated. Would I be snobbish if we were talking about sapphires or rubies? That I prefer them to be unheated/untreated? I would hope not. And... from what I have seen, you can get a strand of natural color on PearlParadise for less cost than a strand of Mikimotos... So... again... snobbish? As far as people telling the difference... I don't care what other people like lol! I care what I like.

 

[elle_chris]

I think it's easy to say you don't want any treatment when you don't understand the differences between between them. google pearl treatmments to get a better understanding.

btw- I haven't seen too many unheated Sapphires that show the same intensity of color that the heated ones do (not a sapphire expert, just making my observation from what I've seen in the Colored Stones forum). I'm sure they exist, but I wouldn't pay the prices for one even if I could find it. Just like heating is accepted in the Sapphire world, so is pinking, bleaching, polishing in the Pearl world. Pinking does not lessen the worth of a top quality Hanadama strand. Heating does not make a top quality sapphire cheaper either.

Selling gems with a worse color and charging more for them because a vendor/jeweler can make the claim that no treatment was done, is a marketing ploy to me. But hey, to each their own.

 

[soberguy]

I respect your opinion, but attacking mine seems pretty absurd. I personally prefer gems that have had the least amount of human intervention... I cannot possibly imagine why that would offend anyone...

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 6/27/2010 11:33:31 AM
Author: soberguy
I respect your opinion, but attacking mine seems pretty absurd. I personally prefer gems that have had the least amount of human intervention... I cannot possibly imagine why that would offend anyone...

oh wow, didn''t mean to attack your opinion that''s why i ended my post with "to each their own". My only real point was that before deciding on what treatments are acceptable to you, you should really learn about them. For instance, I have no issue with pinked, but irridated is not something I would buy. Polishing is done on akoyas and freshies but would you consider that treatment as well?

As far as gems, I get that you prefer the least amount of human intervention, and if natures colors for sapps was as good as the heated ones, I''d agree. It just seems very rare. Does that mean that someone should look down their nose on a beautiful sapp because it was heated, but applaud the non-heated ones even if the color is worse? This is the only problem I have with natural vs heat treated. Sorry, I just don''t get it when the end result is supposed to be a beautiful gem.

 

[soberguy]

Again... I''m not sure why you''re responding to my response lol! It doesn''t require one. It is a matter of taste. It does not mean that I expect everyone to agree. Nor have I stated so. If you like heated sapphires, bleached/pinked pearls, by all means... buy them. They are very beautiful, I have never said they weren''t. The entire reason for this post was a strand of truly beautiful Mikimoto pearls I was considering purchasing. In any case, I have a right to whatever feeling I may have on any subject. It does not require a response, it''s just a personal feeling. Each time I get interested in a new gem, I research it as much as possible. I hate the fact that rubies are glass filled, and sapphires are irradiated. And in this case, I was saddened that pearls were bleached and pinked... Nothing to be offended by... really.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 6/27/2010 2:42:43 PM
Author: soberguy
Again... I''m not sure why you''re responding to my response lol! It doesn''t require one. It is a matter of taste. It does not mean that I expect everyone to agree. Nor have I stated so. If you like heated sapphires, bleached/pinked pearls, by all means... buy them. They are very beautiful, I have never said they weren''t. The entire reason for this post was a strand of truly beautiful Mikimoto pearls I was considering purchasing. In any case, I have a right to whatever feeling I may have on any subject. It does not require a response, it''s just a personal feeling. Each time I get interested in a new gem, I research it as much as possible. I hate the fact that rubies are glass filled, and sapphires are irradiated. And in this case, I was saddened that pearls were bleached and pinked... Nothing to be offended by... really.

Please tell me that you''re referring to some, but not all corundum.

 

[that_someone_special]

Yeah, you are missing the point

I suggest you invest a little more time into reading about the processes that are acceptable, or not....

But hey, if you want a completely un-altered strand be my guest. If I don''t care that pearls are pinked, polished, or bleached- leave it at that and stop calling it "sad".

 

[soberguy]

How dare you tell me what to call anything!

I will express what I think/feel regardless of what opinion YOU may have!

 

[soberguy]

And forgive me, but I don''t care what the "industry" suggest are acceptable practices... If I am not in favor of them... they are not acceptable... as simple as that.

 

[elle_chris]

Swedish- Don''t waste your time.

 

[soberguy]

And I'M being snobbish??? Grow up. So this is what pricescope is about huh? Lots of great education going on from the two of you here isn't there???

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 6/27/2010 6:35:14 PM
Author: soberguy
And I''M being snobbish??? Grow up. So this is what pricescope is about huh? Lots of great education going on from the two of you here isn''t there???

what? are you for real? let me point something out to you- all you were told was to go learn about the various treatments, but apparently responding to you is an attack unless it''s something you want to hear.

Since you made it clear you don''t want a response (to a thread you started which makes no sense at all), i pointed out to swedish not to waste her time.

 

[soberguy]

Whatever.

 

[anne_h]

Soberguy,

I think I understand the point of your original post.

I didn''t know about bleaching and pinking before I become as pearl-obsessed as I currently am.

I personally am okay with this process, but like you, had always sort of assumed akoyas came out of the oysters the color they were sold. lol Although now that I know differently, I am completely fine with it.

The PP natural white Hanadamas are gorgeous!! I''d take those over Mikimoto (pinked or not any day.

Anne

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 6/27/2010 6:02:39 PM
Author: soberguy
How dare you tell me what to call anything!

I will express what I think/feel regardless of what opinion YOU may have!

Take care.

 

[Lovinggems]

Soberguy if you want to learn more about pearls there''s an awesome forum with heaps of knowledgable members, just google it, ends with ''guide''.

 

[Ella]

Please be respectful of everyone''s opinions whether you agree with them or not. Personal attacks will not be tolerated.

 

[HHPmom]

I, too, prefer as little intervention as possible when I purchase pearls. I prefer natural color, no pinking or bleaching. I would rather have a strand of freshadama over a strand of bleached or pinked akoya, even Miki. I am going to visit PP in July and will get a chance to see natural white akoya in person. I can''t wait to see those beauties in person.

Regarding pearl knowledge, the majority of people I work with are clueless about pearls. One lady made a comment about my exotic necklace that I was wearing beads.

Yes, beads. I told her I don''t have beads and they are natural color pearls. Another lady thought my a tahitian pendant is made out of mother of pearl.

I gave up correcting them. I don''t need them to know what I am wearing. As long as I feel good wearing pearls, and have joy admiring their beauty (by looking at bracelet or seeing my necklace and earrings in the mirror, hehe), I don''t care what other people think.

 

[jvLin]

Re:

Heating does not make a top quality sapphire cheaper either.

Actually, it does. Unheated sapphires sell for a premium above heated sapphires.

 

[that_someone_special]

Re: Re:

Heating does not make a top quality sapphire cheaper either.

Actually, it does. Unheated sapphires sell for a premium above heated sapphires.

I think you are missing the point.. ?

 

[iLander]

I think I've seen sober guy over in colored stones before, there's an anti-treatment bias in gem land. I don't think he really means anything by it.

Soberguy: different sandbox over here, and pearls are a different animal (pun intended)

I think without some treatments, a lot of pearls would be unacceptably unattractive. Think of pearl treatment like sapphire treatment, vast majority are treated and it's fine. For the equivalent to the untreated sapphire you'd have to find a natural (versus cultured) pearl.

 

[HHPmom]

I think without some treatments, a lot of pearls would be unacceptably unattractive. Think of pearl treatment like sapphire treatment, vast majority are treated and it's fine. For the equivalent to the untreated sapphire you'd have to find a natural (versus cultured) pearl.

I am no expert and I am expressing here what I've learned from the other forum. Most akoya pearls are treated. They are really over treated. It all boils down to supply and demand. In the US, consumers want white pearls. In Europe, they are happy with creamy overtone. Akoya are bleached as white as they can be in order to sell. The more treated the pearls are, they don't last as long. Some FW are bleached too. I like pearls in their natural color, with little enhancing. Pearl Paradise has untreated akoya. They are beautiful in their own: natural blue and natural gold akoya, that's what I am talking about. The untreated white akoya are beautiful too. It's great to know that we can purchase pearls knowing its source and disclosure of whether they are treated or not by buying from PP.

Tahitian pearls, Cortez pearls, and SS pearls are not treated. By treated for these pearls, I mean bleaching, coating, color-enhancing, if they are sold as natural colors. I am not talking about irridated or dyed chocolate, etc. These pearls are washed, and sometimes polished, that's it. Polishing is dependent upon who markets the pearls. More than likely when they changed hands from the farms to Japan, they are polished in Japan. But the farms themselves usually do not polish Tahitians. Cortez pearls are washed and soaked in oil, no polishing. I bought some pearls from Tahiti Pearl Market and Margo Tahitian Pearls. I believe when I asked, they told me their pearls are not polished either.