Who knows the worth of Orient pearls?

[rolanni]

On my sixteenth birthday, it having been the fashion when she turned sixteen, my maternal grandmother gave me a string of white cultured pearls.

I hated it. I thought,in fact,that it was creepy, every single pearl in the string exactly the same as the ones on either side of it. It was explained to me that this was "grown-up" jewelery and that I would soon come to appreciate the gift for what it was; that the pearl string would become the necklace I reached for first and wore most often.

Sadly, this never happened, which doubtless says volumes about my psyche (ooh! shiny!), and eventually I gave the pearls to a friend who adored them, and who treated them as they deserved.

Several years ago, I came into ownership of a pair of white cultured pearl studs, which I wear pretty often -- they're comfortable earrings, and there are only two of them, so I don't experience the squick that facing 24 identical clones strung shoulder-to-shoulder engenders.

I enjoy my pearl earrings enough that I was motivated to click when a link to this site went past me.

I've been looking at the first three (left to right) pairs of earrings since November, I guess. I like that the pearls are irregular and don't necessarily match. But, having deliberately cut myself off from the Fine Life, I'm confused about "freshwater" pearls and, subsequently, if the prices being asked are anywhere near reasonable.

Anyone care to undertake a quick Pearl Tutorial?

Comments

[torrilin.livejournal.com]

Go to nearest creek (no no no, not *now*, when it's actually safe), and go wading. You should find some freshwater clams fairly quickly if the bottom is suitable (aka MUD). Investigation should result in some clams that are very light, and some that feel like rocks. The light ones are alive. Leave 'em (well, unless you have a hankering for clam, know the water is clean enough and it's legal to fish freshwater clams in Maine). The heavy ones are dead. Take one, get the shell open, rinse the mud out. You should have a very pretty, very pearly inside.

That's what grows freshwater pearls.

At the ridiculous prices she's charging, I'd expect them to be low quality but uncultured pearls. Since she specifies "farmed" in the FAQ, they're cultured. So unless the size is extravagant, I don't think the price is one I'd call fair. They're just plain old boring white pearls. If she was getting the pretty purples and roses that occur in nature, maybe I'd be more excited.