How  Do You Know If Pearls Are Real Or Fake?

Ben Johnson of Seabourn Pearls

This is a question I get a lot, usually followed by some reference to the “tooth test.” The larger question is really this: how do I make sure I’m paying a fair price for the pearls I’m buying?  With many of today’s freshwater pearls available at reasonable prices most people can afford “real” pearls of one type or another.  I would argue that consumers lose far more money overpaying for real pearls of low quality than they do buying fake pearls misrepresented as real.

This is the first in a series of blogs intended to give pearl buyers the information they need to buy fine pearls at a fair price.  If you don’t want to get ripped off buying pearls these articles are for you.

Beginning with this entry here’s what we’ll cover in the next two weeks:

• How To Tell If Pearls Are Real Or Fake
• Pearl Value Factors: Subtle Differences In Quality Mean Big Differences in Price
• Pearl Rip Offs: Artificial Enhancements and Misrepresentations
• Bad Dye Jobs: Color Enhanced Pearls Are No Bargain
• Pearl Types and Prices: What To Buy and What to Pay

Artificial pearls go by many names: fake, faux, manufactured, semi-cultured, imitation, simulated and dozens of branded names. Most of them are plastic or glass.  Some are actual shell beads lacquered with layers pearlescent substances made from oils and ground fish scales.  There’s nothing wrong with liking these costume pieces.  Some are worth only a dollar or two.  High quality imitations can be $100 or even $200, but be very hesitant to spend more than $50 on fakes.

Natural Color Freshwater Oval Baroque Pearl Bracelet and Necklace $595. Why Bother With Fakes?

The best way to spot fake pearls is to fully engage your senses. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Hold them. Real pearls have heft that makes them feel heavy for their size.
• Feel them. Real pearls are cool to the touch and will warm slightly when held for a minute or two.
• Look them over. Real pearls will have natural blemishes and markings and slight differences in size and color.  Fake pearls will have a uniform quality.  If the pearls are perfectly round and perfectly matched but not expensive you can be perfectly certain they are perfectly fake.
• Examine the drill holes carefully. The hole itself should be small and clean at its edges.  Rough and broken areas around the edges can indicated either a fake or a poor quality genuine pearl.  Looking into the hole, a uniform quality to the surrounding material all the way through indicates an artificial pearl.
• Examine the knots and the clasp. Lame string, neither silk nor knotted, is a surefire sign of imitation pearls.  A cheap clasp of brass or gold vermeil or similar also signals fakes.
• Light Test. Plastic is the most common material for fake pearls.  Shine a bright pen light from behind.  A plastic bead will have a uniform glow.  A real cultured pearl will have a dark center.
• Tooth Test. The nacre of a real pearl is comprised of calcium and aragonite crystals and binding proteins that are layered on in a grid pattern.  Gently rub a real pearl along the edge of your front upper tooth and it will feel slightly abrasive or gritty.  A fake pearl will feel slippery and smooth.
• Common Sense.  Fine pearls are expensive.  A perfectly matched necklace of round 10x12MM Tahitian pearls is not a $900 item.  Know what pearls cost.  The pearl market is fairly efficient.  Pricing anomalies are not common.  If you find a deal too good to be true it probably is.
• EBAY.  There are reputable sellers on EBAY. But there are a lot of hucksters, too.  Be especially wary of buying pearls direct online from China. This is a great way to turn your hard earned dollars into a handful of worthless beads.

The more you plan to invest in fine pearls the more you should undertake your due diligence.  In coming posts I’ll discuss how pearls are valued and scams you want to avoid.  Consider subscribing to our RSS feed and you’ll be buying pearls like a pro in short order.

Thanks for reading.  Tell us what you think and feel free to submit questions and comments.

For more information please contact us directly.  To examine some of the finished pearl pieces available for sale please visit our gallery.

Pearl Lovers Find Hollow Core Souffle Pearls Deeply Satisfying

When it comes to souffle pearls you might call the folks at Seabourn Pearls the industry muckety mucks behind these way cool jewels.  Due to their impressive size, metallic luster and puffed organic shapes souffle pearls are one of the hot jewelry trends in 2011.  But Seabourn Pearls has been selling Souffle Pearls since 2009 and we have the largest inventory of souffle pearls of any pearl broker in the United States.

Souffle Assortment (Photo J. Lynch)

Souffle pearls were named for their  vaguely puffed shapes and airy centers (souffle pearls are nucleated with clumps of mud that drain when the pearls are drilled).  Indeed, it was my good friend Jack Lynch who coined the term whilst hunting for a more elegant and marketable moniker than the commonly used “muck” pearl.

While the popularity and demand for souffle pearls is surging the supply of these wonderful gems is very much in doubt.  The process of seeding freshwater mussels with pond muck is proprietary skill and presently there are only two technicians in all of China who have perfected it.  Souffle pearls also create unique pricing problems.  Because wholesale pearls are bought by weight and souffle pearls drain when drilled, wholesalers and factory processors are having a difficult time agreeing on the fair wholesale market value for souffle pearls.

But for the time being Seabourn Pearls has a huge inventory of souffle pearls in both silvers and whites and a dizzying assortment of colors mostly in hues of purple,

Multicolor Souffle Pearl Strands

bronze, gold, peach and lavender with a few greens sprinkled in.  Our souffle pearl inventory includes:

• Undrilled Earring Pairs
• Undrilled Singletons
• Drilled Hanks mostly in 13X14MM and 14X15MM sizes
• Finished Necklaces and Earrings

For the best selection and best prices on beautiful souffle pearls contact Seabourn Pearls today.  Or call us directly at 207-449-6564

Pearl Lariat Necklace Makes A Sparkling Gift

Jewels for the Millionaire on a Budget

Ben Johnson of Seabourn Pearls

One of Seabourn Pearls‘ most popular designs is the beautiful lariat necklace pictured below.  Here’s how you can buy this $7,000 design for just $1,000.

Back in 2006 a client asked us to create a diamond and Akoya pearl drop lariat.  We used an 18″ strand of 8X8.5MM Akoya pearls, a baroque Akoya enhancer of over 10MM a diamond encrusted clasp and 10 diamond encrusted rondelles. The price was $6,800.

We loved the necklace and so did the client.  When the economy nosedived in 2008 we set about creating a similar piece at a more gentle price point.  Here’s how we did it.

First, we replaced the 8X8.5MM round Japanese Akoya pearls with off-round Chinese freshwater pearls of the same size. For pinpoint, mirror-like luster no pearl can match a fine Akoya.  But freshwater pearls boast a softer glow that has it’s own special character and allure.  And make no mistake, there are a number of factors that make Chinese Freshwater pearls more affordable but quality is not one of them.

Freshwater Pearl and 18K White Gold Lariat $1,045

To keep the price of this necklace low we chose off-round instead of round pearls. Roundness in pearls is determined by rolling them down an inclined plane.  If they roll straight the pearl is round.  If the pearl veers off course it is off-round.  The difference in price is significant.  The difference in appearance is not.  To the naked eye or casual observer these pearls appear round.  At any normal social distance these pearls appear round.  Fine luster, which these pearls have, give the pearls a glow that makes them appear round.  In the end only your wallet will know these pearls are not round.

Next, we swapped the very expensive, very large baroque Akoya pearl drop with a flawlessly complected 10X11MM freshwater pearl drop. This is a big, satiny pearl that adds a lot of sway and movement to the necklace – at a fraction of the cost.

Finally, we traded the very expensive diamond encrusted clasp and rondelles for an 18K polished white gold clasp and ten 18K white gold, diamond faceted rondelles. The rondelles sparkle like diamonds.  Again, from a normal social distance and even at at close inspection this necklace looks like it has real diamonds.  The twinkle is very convincing.The price is not.

The Seabourn Pearls Freshwater Pearl Lariat: Jewels for the Millionaire on a Budget

The freshwater pearl lariat is every bit as striking and glamorous as the $7,000 original. It is classic, refined, pure and elegant but with movement and lines that are slinky and sexy. The lariat design gives the wearer many options.  The 18K clasp can be linked higher so the drop can sway at the end of a pearl and diamond tether.  Attach the clasp lower and the drop sits close to the necklace like an enhancer.  Position the drop in back and the necklace presents in the front like a classic strand of white pearls while allowing the wearer to position the clasp so as to adjust the necklace from 18″ to a shorter 16″ choker length with the drop dangling down the back for a unique and sexy look.

The Seabourn Pearls Freshwater Lariat is at once timeless and fashion forward.  It is a delight to give, a thrill to receive, and a pleasure to wear.   The original Akoya and diamond design was priced at almost $7,000.  I think this piece is every bit as beautiful at just $1,045.  Indeed, because of the price, it may be more beautiful.

Contact us right now to buy or request additional information about this necklace or anything at all about pearls.  We’re always delighted to be of service.

Akoya Pearls Anchor the Jewelry Collections of Well Dressed Women Around the World

Ben Johnson of Seabourn Pearls

“With their delicate rosy overtones and iridescent luster, Akoya cultured pearls from Japan are the epitome of elegance.  Sought the world over, their inherent beauty is owed as much to Japan’s unique natural environment as to the meticulous care with which they are made.  They are a joy to wear and a treasure to cherish for a lifetime.” – Japan Pearl Promotion Society

You cannot go wrong with a strand of Akoya pearls.  They represent purity, beauty and prosperity.  They have adorned the powerful and wealthy for millenia.  Stylish women know a beautiful strand of pearls is never out of place whether they are at the altar, in a business meeting, out at a restaurant, or hauling the kids to hockey or soccer.  And intelligent men know a gift of fine pearls can keep them in good standing for a good, long time.

This Valentine’s Day – or any time – if you are thinking about buying fine Akoya pearls for someone you love please consider Seabourn Pearls.  We sell the world’s finest pearls wholesale direct to the public.  When you buy from Seabourn Pearls you are guaranteed to get the finest quality pearls at a great price that will save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Japanese Akoya Pearls are always in fashion. So is getting a great deal from Seabourn Pearls!

Here’s a link to Mikimoto’s Web site.  Let’s compare prices on 18″ strands of A+ Japanese Akoya pearls in various sizes.  The only difference between the Mikimoto strands and the Seabourn strands is that our standard clasp is 14K gold and Mikimoto’s standard clasp is 18K gold.

• 7X6.5MM Mikimoto Price: $3,690 Seabourn Pearls Price: $700
• 7.5X7MM Mikimoto Price: $5,190 Seabourn Pearls Price: $975
• 8X7.5MM Mikimoto Price:  $6,910 Seabourn Pearls Price: N/A
• 8.5X8MM Mikimoto Price: N/A Seabourn Pearls Price: $2,500

A couple other things worth noting:

• Mikimoto charges $15-$25 for shipping.  You also pay sales tax in CA, NV, NY, CT and NJ
• Mikimoto’s return policy is 15 days from date of purchase and is good for store credit or exchange
• Seabourn Pearls offers free shipping and no sales tax except in Maine.
• Seabourn Pearls provides an unconditional 90-day money-back guarantee of quality, provenance and satisfaction.

Bottom Line: Buy your pearls from Seabourn Pearls for the finest quality pearls at wholesale direct prices. With the money you’ll save you can give her the pearls while relaxing on a beach — just before your couples massage and dinner on the veranda.

Contact Seabourn Pearls today.  We’d be delighted to be of service.

Seabourn Pearls. Sustainable luxury at sensational prices.

Black Pearl Stud Earrings At A Blizzard Blow Away Price

Regularly $1,100.00 On SALE at $695.00  SOLD

11.5X12MM Tahitian Pearl Studs. Special Price $695!

Buying a killer pair of black pearl earrings feels almost as good as putting them on for the first time.  But buying them while

These Huge Pearls Are A Steal at $695

snowed in is especially gratifying, and it feels twice as good when you get a deal sweeter than the twin lobster special for $9.95.

These are 11.5X12MM natural color cultured Tahitian Pearls.  Perfect round.  Near flawless complexion. Thick nacre and very good to excellent luster.  The color is rare.  It’s a medium tone dusky gray with exceptional rose-magenta overtone.  Like the skin of certain sharks that prefer shallow shoals, the color on these gorgeous pearls shift between soft gray and muted bronze. These are super cool grayish pearls that pull a lot of secondary bronzy magenta.  Very cool color.

These pearls are especially simpatico with brown-eyed women over 35 years old who have hair ranging in color from brunette and brown to auburn and various shades of blonde.

To give you a sense of size the picture on the left shows the pearls with a strand of 8X8.5MM Japanese Akoya pearls.

Tahitian pearl studs are a foundation piece in every woman’s jewelry collection.   This is a spectacular pair of black pearls at a sensational price.  Well priced at $1,100. They will sell fast at $695.00.  Quality, provenance and satisfaction guaranteed.  Only one pair at this special price.  Don’t wait.  Contact us now and have them in time for Valentine’s Day.

Specs: 11.5X12MM Round Pair Genuine Tahitian Cultured Pearls. Dusky Gray Body Color with Rose-Magenta Overtone.  Luster is Very Good to Excellent.  Matching is Excellent. Comlexion is Near Flawless.  14K White Gold Backings.  Regular Price $1,100 Sale Price $695.  SOLD

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Savvy Black Pearl Buyers Find Value in Unusual Shapes

When Buying Pearls, Going Baroque is Like Money in the Bank

Ben Johnson of Seabourn Pearls

At first glance pearls and chicken wings don’t have much in common.  But stay with me.  I love chicken wings.  You can get me anywhere with a platter of hot wings and a pint of cold beer.  But wings are more than just a fine finger lickin’ way for me to watch the Red Sox.  If the essence of cool is the ability to turn a dime into a dollar then wings — and soul food in general –  are just about the coolest food in America.  Black southern chefs have been performing culinary alchemy on cheap, neglected cuts of meat like chicken wings, ribs, and pigs feet for centuries.  When Buffalo style wings were invented in the 60′s the lowly wing graduated from stock pot fodder to king of the tap room and it’s place in culinary history was complete.  All the wing needed was a little love and attention.

Which brings us back to pearls.  There are six primary value factors that influence the price of a pearl: luster/orient, nacre thickness, complexion, color, size and shape.  Historically speaking, round pearls have always received the most love and attention.  And coveted pearls are expensive pearls.

When Tahitian pearls are cultured only about 3% of implanted oysters produce a gem quality pearl.  Of that yield only 1 in 6 will be round.  Hence, while the greatest demand is for full round Tahitian and South Sea pearls the greatest supply is in other shapes.  Indeed, the production of pearls in off round, drops, circles and other baroque shapes is five times greater than the output of full rounds.  Hence, all other value factors being equal, the buyer who wants fine quality Black pearls but is willing to compromise on shape will find that the world is truly their oyster.  If you are willing to consider Tahitian pearls in baroque shapes you can get a lot more pearl for your dollar.

10X12MM Baroque Drop Circle Natural Color Tahitian Pearls. 18" necklace $1,750

Unusual shaped pearls are now capturing the attention of  a greater number of pearl shoppers.  And with good reason.  For many – me included – the baroque and organic shapes have more personality and allure than their more perfect siblings.  Their beauty is revealed in their imperfections which bear witness to the watery wombs from whence they come.  The curves, colors and blemishes reveal the acts of natural creation that gives rise to each pearl.  Like snowflakes and fingerprints no two pearls are alike.  But while a strand of round Tahitian pearls well matched for color can mask this fact, a multicolor strand of baroque circlets celebrates it.  At a fraction of the cost.

9X14MM Baroque Tahitian Natural Color Silver Pearls - $2,675

Shape, then, is the one thing you need to know about to get a truly great deal on Tahitian Black pearls.  Look at some unusual shapes.  You might find these cheaper, often neglected pearls are as satisfying as the once lowly chicken wing.

At Seabourn Pearls we have a special interest in pearls in unusual shapes.  We think they’re divine.  Contact us today or visit our gallery and learn why we say “these are not your grandmother’s pearls.”  Seabourn Pearls.  Way cool jewels for original women.

Cleaning Pearls 101

Ben Johnson of Seabourn Pearls

The first rule for cleaning pearls is less is more.  Pearls are natural things.  They are relatively soft and delicate.   Proper pearl maintenance begins with wiping them with a clean, soft cloth after each wearing and storing them in suede, silk or another soft fabric.

If you feel your pearls must be washed follow these rules:

• Use nothing hotter than warm water
• Choose a very mild soap that does not contain chlorine or detergents.  A pure castille soap is a good bet.
• Don’t scrub or rub or use anything abrasive to clean pearls.
• Rinse, lather and rinse thoroughly.
• Lay the pearls flat on a clean soft cloth and cover to dry.

Wet silk has a tendency to  attract dirt.  Ironically, then, the more you wash your pearls the more likely it is that the string will

If you must wash your pearls do it with the utmost care and caution. (Pic: Baroque Freshwater 13.5X14.5MM $1,450 - the look of South Sea at a fraction of the cost)

become dirty and discolored.  Wet silk also tends to stretch.  Hence, excessive pearl washing may shorten the lifespan of your silk and require more frequent restringing.

More information on caring for pearls is available on the Seabourn Pearls Web site.  If you have any questions please contact us directly.

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Thanks for visiting.

Souffle Pearls Are Beautiful.  But Are Souffle Pearls Heading for Extinction?

A Lustrous Array of Souffle

Souffle Pearls are not yet an endangered species. But they soon could be if production and wholesale pricing don’t adjust to the market.

Souffle Pearls were first introduced to the market in 2009.  And Seabourn Pearls has loved them from the start.  Souffle Pearls are created through a new culturing technique that uses dried clumps of pond muck to seed freshwater mussels.  The process is described in greater detail here. The resulting pearls are large and lustrous.  The puffed, baroque shapes come in a range of colors from bronze, gold and silver to shades of green, blue, purple, lavender and peach.  What makes Souffle Pearls unique is that, when drilled, the muck used to seed the pearls, drains.  The resulting pearl has a hollow core.

Due to an exceptionally thick outer coating of nacre Souffle Pearls are strong and durable.  Indeed, it is their robust nacre layers

Silver White Souffle Strand 14X15.5MM $2,475

that give Souffle Pearls their bewitching luster.  By definition Souffle Pearls are not as rugged as bead nucleated or solid nacre pearls but they are certainly strong enough for use in jewelry. That said we have not created any Souffle Pearl bracelets as bracelets are inevitably subjected to harder wear and tear.

But clouds have gathered on the horizon for Souffle Pearls.  On a recent trip to China we were unable to negotiate a reasonable price on Souffle Pearls from wholesale processing factories that buy, drill, clean and resell them.  The two primary issues hurting the availability of Souffle Pearls are skills and accounting issues.  First, the technical know-how for the Souffle Pearl seeding method is a carefully guarded secret.  According to Jeremy Shepard at the Pearl Guide there are only two guys in all of China that know how to culture Souffle Pearls.  This severely limits the supply.  Various estimates peg total Souffle Pearl production in 2010at somewhere between 300 and 700 pounds.  This is a rounding error when compared to overall freshwater pearl production.

Multicolor Souffle Pearl Strand 13X14MM $1,450

The second problem involves pricing.  Wholesale pearls are bought and sold by weight.  This was never a problem — until now.  Because Souffle Pearls are drained when drilled their buying and selling requires a new accounting method.  “After the factories drill and drain them they effectively drain 50% of their investment,” says Shepard.  “It makes them quite expensive.”  If a real market for Souffle Pearls is going to develop it will require creative thinking on how to value them at the farm and wholesale levels, perhaps something as radical as buying and selling on volume rather than weight.

Given today’s challenges on the wholesale spot market for Souffle Pearls Seabourn Pearls feels truly blessed to have bought aggressively in 2009 and 2010.  We have a ready supply of Souffle Pearls in a lustrous array of colors.  We’d love to show them to you.  Please contact us today or visit our gallery. Or give us a call.  We’re always thrilled to share our passion for pearls.

Super Pearls for Super Fans: Pearls for the Stylish Packer Backer and Steelers Nation

Natural Color Gold South Sea Pearls L: 10X12MM, R: 9X11MM $3,375 each

There are a lot of reasons to love the the match up of the Packers vs. the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.  Wherever your NFL allegiances lie it’s impossible not to respect and admire Green Bay and Pittsburgh.  Yes, they are both terrific on the field.  But both franchises have awesome fans who stick with their team in good times and bad.  If you’re picking the most loyal and dedicated fans in the league I won’t quibble with anyone topping their list with the teams headed for Dallas.

As a pearl broker I also have aesthetic reasons for loving this contest.  The Steelers’ and Packers’ uniforms feature awesome colors that allow me to showcase some of my favorite pearls in gold, black and green.  One of our goals at Seabourn Pearls is to educate customers about the incredible diversity of pearl colors and shapes.  The classic white, round Akoya pearl will always be a wardrobe staple and it will never go out of style.  But more exotic colors and shapes are now the bulk of our business.  And the team colors in this Super Bowl lend themselves beautifully to an assortment of natural color South Sea and Tahitian pearls in gold, black, green and white.

Steelers Strand - Black, Gold, White South Sea Pearls - $7,777

I’ve put together two special strands to celebrate Super Bowl XLV, one for the Packers and one for the Steelers.  And I’ve got other

Packer Pearls - Gold, White, Green Multicolor South Sea Pearls - $3,850

great strands in gold and white and black and green that are the ultimate fashion accessory to the stylish football fan from either Pittsburgh or Green Bay.

Contact us today and let us create a special Super Bowl strand for your favorite football fan.

Huge Baroque South Sea Pearls in Gold and White - $10,500

Freshwater Souffle Pearls are Rotten to the Core

“Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud and one the stars.”  – Frederick Langbridge

Ben Johnson of Seabourn Pearls

Souffle pearls are among my very favorite pearls. These big, lustrous pearls come in a range of wonderful colors from gold, silver and bronze to peach, lavender purple and blue.  But their shimmering, vaguely puffy exteriors mask a dirty secret: souffle pearls are stinking rotten at the core.

Baroque freshwater hollow core, or souffle, pearls are created using a seeding technique developed in China in the last few years.  Small clumps of pond mud are collected , rolled into small spheres and dried in the sun.  The mud clumps are inserted into the vacated pearl sacs of mussels that have already produced a first generation of pearls. Once nucleated with the mud clumps the mussels are returned to the water for another two years or so.  During this period water inevitably leaks into the pearl sac.

At harvest the souffle pearls are collected and sorted.  And this is where it gets interesting….and stinky.  When drilled, these mud nucleated pearls ooze a stanky sludge that rivals the “foul smelling awfulness” through which Andy Dufresne crawled to freedom from Shawshank.  One pearl driller once told me the dark slimy muck that seeps from these pearls is so malodorous it “curls the eyelids and singes the nose hairs.”

White Souffle Strand - $2,475

The good news is once souffle pearls are drained and flushed none of bad smell lingers.  All that remains is a pearl of singular beauty that is much lighter than a bead nucleated pearl of similar size.  Due to a very thick nacre coating these pearls have excellent structural integrity and are very strong and stable.

Like so many of the pearls we carry, Souffle pearls are definitely not your grandmother’s pearls.  At Seabourn Pearls we love pearls in baroque and organic shapes that reveal the hand of creation.   Their amazing luster and color makes our souflle pearls highly desirable and hard to find.  You simply will not find these wondrous pearls for sale just anywhere.  They are as unique and wonderful as the women who wear them.

Souffle Pearl Multicolor Strands - $1,000 - $2,500

For a great selection of souffle pearl necklaces and earrings contact Seabourn Pearls and schedule an appointment.  Or visit our online gallery to see some of the gorgeous souffle pearls we have in stock. Feel free to call us directly, too.  We are always happy to share our knowledge about pearls.