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Category Archives: Pearls
Natural Pearls & Jewelry Designers
I was reviewing my gmail account today for various notifications and a number of pre-Christmas articles reminded me of one of my pet peeves. Jewelry designers are always hungry for publicity and rightly so. After all, we can’t evaluate, search … Continue reading
Posted in Jewelry Design, Jewelry History, Pearls
Tagged designers, jewelry designers, natural pearls
Technology and Organic Gemstones: An Uneasy Marriage?
I’m all for new technology. I may be dating myself, but when I went to graduate school, I was considered lucky because I owned an electric typewriter. Obviously, I don’t embrace all the new systems and platforms available to us…who … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Fashion, Jewelry Design, Pearls
Tagged carved pearls, Galatea Jewelry, NFC technology, pearls
A Happy Ending
More than once I’ve mentioned that one of the reasons for my continued fascination with jewelry is the history that can be associated with it. Here is a present-day story involving an important antique brooch with a happy ending. It’s … Continue reading
Posted in Gemstones, Jewelry History, Pearls
Tagged mine cut diamonds, natural pearl, Putilov brooch, saltwater natural pearl
Destructive Pearl Tests
I’ve been working on another project that involves destructive pearl tests. I thought you might be interested in the results of this test, but I don’t recommend doing it.
New Book: How to Tell Whether Pearls are Real or Fake
I released a new book on Kindle the other describing how to determine if your pearls are real or fake. Here is a little preview. If you have any interest, the book is here.
Posted in Pearls, Reference
Tagged fake pearls, faux pearls, genuine pearls, how to tell if pearls are real or fake, pearls
Pearls Needing Attention
I’ve been working on a little book that will help enable the reader to use non-destructive at home tests to determine whether their pearls are real or fake. To illustrate the book, I pulled out some of my round pearls … Continue reading
Posted in Pearls
Tagged dirty thread, pearls, stretching between beads, thread
Pearl of the Orient
I’ve been working on a project recently where I came across the image posted here.I’m always interested in the history of jewelry and I have a specific interest in pearls, so to me, the image was arresting. So, I … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Pearls
Tagged advertising, Pearl of the Orient, pearls and tobacco
Pearl Styles: Connecting the Dots
Style magazine recently ran an interesting story on pearls and the style connection between those worn by Carey Mulligan in recent The Great Gatsby movie and the “funky” look associated today’s celebrities and the way they wear pearls. The … Continue reading
Posted in Fashion, Jewelry History, Pearls, Reference
Tagged Cartier, pearl styles, pearls, The Great Gatsby, the roaring 20s, Tiffany
New Sustainable Practice for Tahitian Pearls?
The National Geographic has just produced a marvelous essay about a farm in French Polynesia that is incorporating “sustainable” practices into its pearl farming. Josh Humbert, owner of Kamoka Pearl farm, didn’t start with a goal of developing a … Continue reading
Posted in Pearls
Tagged environment, sustainable practices, Tahitian Pearls
Gemology Giant on Pearl Stringers
As many of you know, G. Frederick Kunz was one of the most influential gemologists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Among his many achievements, he and his friend Charles Hugh Stevenson wrote “The Book of the Pearl, the History, … Continue reading
Posted in Jewelry History, Manufacturing Tips, Pearls
Tagged G. Frederick Kunz, pearl stringers, stringing pearls, The Book of the Pearl