SOUTH SEA QUALITY  PEARLS FROM THE PHILLIPPINES:  

PEARL NATURAL

PEARL TREATMENT: NONE

TOTAL CARAT WEIGHT  PEARLS: 5.60 CARATS

South Sea Cultured pearls are not treated the notable exception are   “White” colored pearls Golden pearls are a natural South Sea color but   some are dyed ,  The artificial coloration of South Sea cultured pearls   is a more problematic issue, as it imitates yellow and golden hues which also occur naturally the coloration represents an improvement or even a deception and it cannot always be easily distinguished from natural colors. Since 1994, a wholesaler from New York has offered   artificially colored South Sea cultured pearls on the market. He uses un drilled pearls of an originally light green or light yellow body color and otherwise good quality factors and bleaches and subsequently treats them with a chemical dye. Another company from New Jersey applies a heat treatment.

Artificial   yellow and golden colours now come mainly from Japan, where different   methods are apparently used. Some companies are supposed to use organic   dyes, which have the disadvantage, however, that they fade under strong   light and tend to develop an irregular distribution of colour. Other   companies are reported to neither apply bleaching nor dyeing but to use a   method which has remained undisclosed so far, but produces a permanent   colour change.

The   sale of artificially dyed pearls is only a problem if the treatment is   not declared. The artificial golden colours are therefore not really a   danger to the market, but they are not good for the image of the South   Sea cultured pearl, as they create uncertainty. The majority of treated   pearls are sold without disclosure.

The   lower prices do, however, reflect the facts and buyers should be on the alert. It cannot be denied that artificially dyed pearls of strong   golden colours are occasionally offered on the market for the same high   prices as natural golden pearls. This means that the consumer can only   rely on the integrity of the jeweller and the jeweller is well advised to   buy only from reliable importers and dealers.