FYI Pearl Treatments and Further Reading from RH Wise

[iLander]

Richard Wise, who is highly respected in colored stone circles, has this to say about pearl treatments:
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Update: Pearl Treatment:
Despite contrary claims South sea pearls, even those from Australia, are now routinely treated. Untreated pearls will show a softer “creamy” luster. Even Paspaley, who claims that their pearls are absolutely untreated tumbling their pearls with walnut shells, in short polishing the pearls a procedure the term “washing.” Japan is Australia’s largest trading partner and regardless of what may happen in the land downunder as soon as the pearls hit the beach in Japan, they are processed.

The proceedure known as maeshori involves chemicals and heating, the pearls are heated and cooled to tighten up the nacre producing a finer luster.
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So, this is why I am very suspicious of unusually "shiny" pearls. I think the heating and cooling are being used a lot, lately.

Just wanted to pass this along, as an FYI.

For beginners: He also has a wonderful article about choosing a pearl:
http://www.rwwise.com/choosing.html

More from Richard about pearls:
**link removed by moderator. please do not link to blogs per forum policies**

 

[that_someone_special]

Explain "usually shiny" pearls?

If I bought some pearls off of ebay from China, maybe I would be suspicious, but the vendors most of us use have pretty ethical practices and if I nabbed a shiny pearl I would feel lucky, not duped.

 

[Streeter1]

Maeshori is a Japanese treatment. It's also called pre treatment. It is done on all pearls that are bleached, before they are bleached. If any of you have white cultured pearls that are not South Sea pearls, they have gone through maeshori.

The point of R Wise's article is that the Aussies have always maintained that their pearls go through no treatment and what they hide is that washing is actually polishing and that once their pearls reach Japan they then go through maeshori before reaching market.

 

[movie zombie]

sort of like color stone comes out of the ground but we expect it to be cut and polished if we plan to set it. cabs are the least "processed" in my opinion, followed by the so-called and sometimes vilified "native cut", all the way to the precision cut that so many insist upon. all are still considered "natural". and no one wants a diamond in the rough state.

my point is that the pearl industry like the color stone industry and the diamond industry has set a standard and market to that standard much like debeers. i don't have a problem with that as long as it is disclosed and i know what i'm buying. but that means i also have to learn enough to understand what it is i'm buying and not rely on industry and/or vendor claims.

and as richard has so much pointed out....very educational....what in the mind of the Aussies is not processing may be true when compared to what happens to the pearls in Japan. personally, i don't have a problem with the polishing.......but if the japanese are processing the same pearls and then sending them back to AU to be sold, well, that does give me pause.

i've seen the "creamy" natural south sea pearl....the one i wrote about some time ago that set me off on my quest from which i have now been diverted into freshies....but it had been that particular family for years by the time i saw it 20 years ago. i still lust for that pearl over any of the ones i've seen since.

i would have been surprised to learn that there was no processing of pearls before them come to market.........

MoZo

 

[iLander]

@BEAN: I think you and I are saying the same thing; be careful, the heating and cooling gives us something else to keep an eye out for. You are right: Trusted vendors are the only way to go.

I like the way that this forum has found a good selection of reliable vendors who have different specialties. PP for freshwater and akoya, Catherine for artistic freshwater designs, TP.biz for South Seas and Tahitian (replacing the psychotic FF), Kojima for artistic SS and Tahitian. I think a few ebay sellers are reliable, at least the ones often mentioned here: Druzy Designs and Augustus Collection for Sea of Cortez and single SS. (PLEASE add to this list ladies) I find it interesting that there is not a whole lot of overlap between them or their stock. I think, as a forum, we are really a good source of info to help people find minimally treated pearls!

@MOZO: I agree. I personally don't mind a little washing or bleaching, or whatever. Yes, please take the oyster goo off my pearl. I have some Mikimoto pearls that I'm sure are bleached and pinked, but I don't really care, their purpose is to be bright white.

i have a pair of undrilled pearls that my great aunt got in Japan in the 1930's. They are a creamy ivory color, not bright white. I believe this ivory color is before bleaching and pinking were developed (someone correct me if I'm wrong). They're pretty, but boring to me. I can see why the bright white became more attractive to the market.

I do have an objection to adding heat to make a dull pearl shiny, and I get the impression it would be easy to spot (at least that's what I hope) in RL, but not in photos. Everything looks shiny in photos! I think there is a difference between shiny and luster and I thought I'd share what I'd found. I think when considering a new vendor, we need to look out for that.

 

[Streeter1]

I think there is a difference between shiny and luster and I thought I'd share what I'd found. I think when considering a new vendor, we need to look out for that.

Those Mikimoto pearls you own has been heat treated or put through maeshori. Do you have a strand of white freshwater pearls? They have been heat treated, again maeshori. You can't "look out" for this. You are better off just assuming it has happened.

 

[movie zombie]

i too prefer luster to ultra shiny.....but, hey, its like buying certain color stones [amethyst for one]....and like said above: assume treatment. for me it just doesn't take away from the beauty....but then i'm not buying strands that cost in the thousands either.

has anyone asked catherine re the treatment on the freshies she deals with? i think i'm starting to develop a liking for the less than perfect pearls.........

MoZo

 

[whitehotblank]

i don't have a problem with that as long as it is disclosed and i know what i'm buying

This is how I feel, too. My problem is not that treatments occur, but that it so often doesn't appear to be disclosed, or is sort of (imo) dishonestly not mentioned because 'everyone' does it.

I probably have more pearl knowledge than random people on the street, but I am still very, very new and untutored compared to most of the posters here, and experts whose sites we frequent. I don't think it's fair of vendors to assume some kind of knowledge (i.e. 'well, they know that 'no treatment' means 'no unusual treatments, except treatments a and b, which are totally commonplace and therefore don't count) from the general public. I want to know what I'm buying. I don't have a problem with dyed etc. pearls as long as they're disclosed. It's disheartening to me every time I see threads/commentary like this that then make me wonder if ANYONE is selling completely untreated pearls.

For example, someone told me the other day that natural blue akoya pearls simply don't exist in nature. So how is it that PP is selling 'natural colour blue akoya' pearls? I'm still not sure who to believe, or what the story is there. I will say that the natural blue akoya pearl studs I got from PP are the most gorgeous pearls I've bought this year - they really are delicious, all creamy and just shiny enough. But I bought them believing the website, which says the colour is natural. Now, is it? Or isn't it? Or is it some grey area? And if it is a grey area, shouldnt that be disclosed?

 

[4Ranch Girl]

The blue akoya's from Pearl Paradise are natural and not color enhanced. I have some of the blue akoa earrings and a 20 inch baroque 9mm strand too. I love wearing them with a hot pink linen blouse because of the pink overtones that are brought out by the blouse.

 

[iLander]

I think there is a difference between shiny and luster and I thought I'd share what I'd found. I think when considering a new vendor, we need to look out for that.

Those Mikimoto pearls you own has been heat treated or put through maeshori. Do you have a strand of white freshwater pearls? They have been heat treated, again maeshori. You can't "look out" for this. You are better off just assuming it has happened.

So, is maeshori why there are so many metallic freshie strands on the market these days? Is this practice going on in China, before the pearls are even shipped to our beloved PS suppliers?

 

[iLander]

For example, someone told me the other day that natural blue akoya pearls simply don't exist in nature. So how is it that PP is selling 'natural colour blue akoya' pearls? I'm still not sure who to believe, or what the story is there. I will say that the natural blue akoya pearl studs I got from PP are the most gorgeous pearls I've bought this year - they really are delicious, all creamy and just shiny enough. But I bought them believing the website, which says the colour is natural. Now, is it? Or isn't it? Or is it some grey area? And if it is a grey area, shouldnt that be disclosed?

Did this someone work at a standard brick and mortar jewelry store?

The majority of those people know less than nothing. . . seriously.

 

[movie zombie]

[quote="iLander|1292849166|2801616So, is maeshori why there are so many metallic freshie strands on the market these days? Is this practice going on in China, before the pearls are even shipped to our beloved PS suppliers?[/quote]


and therein lies the question of the day......i'm betting the answer is a resounding 'YES".

MoZo

 

[whitehotblank]

Yeah, I want to know the answer to that, too.

Re: blue akoyas - I think it was a misunderstanding. When I was having the convo, we were referring to a piece that was composed using blue akoyas that were a very deep, intense blue (obviously dyed) - I am pretty sure the person I was speaking to meant that akoyas THAT blue don't exist in nature. I didn't actually show them the PP natural blues I have, which are much lighter in intensity. I was thinking about this this morning and I am almost 100% sure this was a misunderstanding.

4Ranch Girl - I LOVE the blue akoyas with pink! I have thought about having a custom pair of earring made involving blue akoyas and pink stones.

 

[iLander]

More from Richard about pearls:
**link removed by moderator. please do not link to blogs per forum policies**

Didn't know it was a blog, didn't know it was a policy . . .