Sea Cortez Pearl Blog

Making a small stop in our discussion about methodologies to identify between fake/imitation pearls and genuine pearls, we’re going into a more “historic mood”. We recently had a lively discussion with some friends about the name of our beautiful sea: the world-famous “Gulf of California” or “Sea of Cortez”.” Thus, we believed that this information would also be of interest to others who enjoy a more historical theme and because this year -2010- we celebrate the Mexico’s Bicentennial, which makes it all the more appropriate. If you want to be part of this debate, do take some time to place your comments.

Where do we get the name of “Sea of Cortez”?

The answer is almost obvious, although there are those who want to “forget” that Mexico is a country that resulted from being conquered by Spain about 500 years ago. This conquest was military and cultural, and gave origin to the country we now know as “Mexico” (although it is officially called “Estados Unidos Mexicanos” or “United Mexican States”) and the reason to why the official language is “Spanish” (or “Castillian”), the dominant religion is Roman Catholic and our “race” (or “races” some would say) and culture, including our renowned cuisine, is of “mixed-ancestry”: a multi-regional fusion of races and cultures. The name of “Sea of Cortez” then, pays honor to the Conqueror of Mexico, Don Hernán Cortés, a man very much interested in expanding the borders of the Kingdom of new Spain and exploit its newfound wealth, including its “black pearls”.

“Official” versus “Popular” Names

Now, the debate arose because some feel that this name – “Sea of Cortez” – is not official and therefore must not be used or even be “remembered”, that it should be “wiped out” into oblivion. Our answer would be the following: we (Mexicans) have an Official Country Name: “Estados Unidos Mexicanos” which is used before international organizations (such as: the United Nations (UN), UNEP, FAO, OAS, etc.) and even in a few federal institutions (such as INEGI), but we also have a common use or “Popular Name“, the latter being the one in the heart-and-minds of the common folk. Popular names are the ones meant to be savoured when used.

For us, it really would be the same case as in the use of “Mexico” and “Sea of Cortez”. There is really no reason to exclude one name over the other… both name can be used and they are in no way mutually exclusive. Thus it is almost impossible to imagine celebrating one of our National Holidays (such as “16 de Septiembre” or “20 de Noviembre”) to the cry of “¡Vivan los Estados Unidos Mexicanos!” (“Long Live the United Mexican States!”) instead of the most widely used “Viva Mexico!” (“Long Live Mexico!”).

Verifying the name of “Sea of Cortez”

This was the most heated debate point because it should focus on historical references on the use of the name of this area, and there are many references to varied names used by a large number of historical figures who visited this region during its exploration. Amongst these different names, we find some that specifically point to certain areas within the Gulf of California and do not make reference to this geographical area in general (the Gulf). Just to mention a few: “California” (which refers to the peninsula with the same name), “Calafia” (in reference to a mythical Queen of the exploits of “The Sergas de Esplandián“) and even other less popular as “Sea of Anian” (in reference to a mythical “ Strait of Anian“) and “Island of Pearls” (a very popular name for many great pearl producing areas). Under this frame of mind, another very appropriate name should also be that of “Sea of Seas” (using as reference the name of “Port of Ports” given to the Bay of Guaymas by Francisco de Ulloa in 1539). Which of these –then- is the most appropriate reference?

The answer cannot come neither from myths or tales… these were all necessary to inspire the “Conquistadors” unto action, but our references should have greater solidity. Who in New Spain had the skills to write down and record important events and references? Would the Spanish “soldadesca” (grunt soldiers) have these abilities? Probably the most robust and strong references would be found within religious missionaries (mainly Jesuits) and the public notaries that accompanied the conquering armies of Spain.

We therefore present an indisputable historical reference: a document written by the Jesuit priest Miguel Venegas, originally written in 1739 (although published in Madrid until the year 1752). This manuscript consists of 5 volumes and is entitled “News of the California and their temporal and spiritual conquest to the present time” and in volume 1 it records the following reference to this geographical area in general:

“The old discoverers called it “Vermillion Sea” and “Red Sea” because of the similarity of its figure and some color or appearance of its waters… they named it also “Sea of Cortez” in gracing the commitment with which the Conqueror of the Mexican Empire sought to advance through the glories of his conquests”

Thus we have reliable evidence on the name of this beautiful Mexican sea: “Vermillion Sea” or “Sea of Cortez”, and we can avoid any review of cartographic maps made by Europeans who –very likely- never visited this region (as it would be the case of Frederick de Wit, a famous Dutch cartographer who made the famous map indicating the mythical “Strait of Anian”).

Conclusions

You can use both names to suit your taste or preference, if you are doing any sort of “official work”, then by all means employ the name of “Gulf of California”, but you may use the name “Sea of Cortez” to your heart’s content, especially  when you feel your heart’s beat increase when you contemplate a majestic sunset in Bacochibampo Bay, Guaymas, or when you enjoy a leisure stroll on the beautiful waterfront of La Paz, or when you gaze at the mystic beauty of Mexico’s largest Island: “Isla Tiburón” or when you simply enjoy a refreshing dip in “Rocky Point” (Puerto Peñasco)… no matter what part of the Gulf you’re in, you will always find a place for the “Sea of Cortez” within your heart.

Additional Note: We were also questioned about our pearls’ trade-name: why did we call them “Sea of Cortez Pearls”??? The answer: it was important for us that every single one of our pearls to have their historic legacy in their name; just as a child receives a name from its parents.

For us it was simply not dignified to brand them under a typical commercial name (they actually could have ended with a name like “Perliva“… a “Pearly Diva”) like any other mass manufactured product. We believe in our Pearl and we regard it as a true heir to the pearling heritage of Mexico, and we are proud to be able to produce limited quantities of these beautiful gems in Guaymas, Sonora, right in the heart of the Sea of Cortez…

I now invite you to make a small -5 minute- video- about the history of the “Sea of Cortez Pearl”… until next time…

Well, although we have not had many direct comments on our blog, we do have a tool that allows us to know how many daily visitors we have, it also tells us which posts have yielded a higher amount of visits and what people are searching for (keywords) before they “land” on our blog and, based on this, we can say that the favorite topic so far is the one about how to distinguish between real pearls (both cultured and natural) and imitation pearls or “faux perles” (such as ” Mallorca Pearls”). Therefore, we will continue discussing this issue and, once again, I invite you to submit your comments.

A New Option: The Pearl’s Drill-Hole

For those who have followed us through the pearl identification tests (e.g., the “Fire Test” or the “Water Test”) we will have a new option for you: the “Pearl’s Drill-hole Examination“. This method can be used mainly on pearls that have been drilled for their use in jewelry, so if the pearl has not been drilled yet we cannot use this method. On the other hand, imitation pearls always have their drill holes when sold (I have yet to find an imitation without a drill-hole, although I am certain they can manufacture them) so this in itself might be an indicator of the kind of pearl you have. A possible complication to this identification method might be the type of jewelry setting affixed to the pearl: some metal settings will not allow us to inspect the pearl’s drill hole.

How does this method work? Most of the false or imitation pearls contain some type of plastic (they are either wholly made of plastic or they have it on their outside), and fortunately for us this material has a very different behavior from nacre (the material pearls are made of), so this behavior is visually evident (in most cases) and allows us to distinguish between a true pearl and an imitation pearl. As an example, we have the photo of a mother-of-pearl button:

As you can see, the drill-hole on the button is very “clean”: it does not have any “swirls” or “flakes” or “burrs” (due to their similarity with metal shavings). We just have a “perfect drill-hole”: clean and straight. Let us now examine the drill-hole of a fake pearl…

Comparing drill-holes: true pearl vs. imitation pearl

Depending on the type of imitation, each type display different characteristics in their holes: with “swirls” being more prevalent in the more plastic-like fakes, or with a “big & bulgy” hole in the “Shell Pearl” brand, or with a very good drill-hole –similar to that of real pearls- in the “Majorica ” or “Mallorca” brand imitation pearls. In the latter case, the hole in the fake pearl is more like that of a pearl because the core of these imitations is made of glass or mother-of-pearl shell. Still, it is quite possible to see some “burr” around the drill-hole, the paint coming off in peels, especially when new.

Drill-Holes of various types of fake pearls. Top: 2 “Mallorca” pearls. Center: Philippine SSP imitation pearl and a “Shell pearl” black pearl imitation. Below: Australian SSP imitation “Pearl shell”.

Analyzing Pearl Jewelry:

The gold setting on this pearl does not allow us to examine its drill-hole.

In most cases pearls will be set on jewelry, either mounted on metal or wire- and we will want to apply this method to identify the pearl. Sometimes the metal setting will not allow us see the drill-hole, so the identification of the piece must be done using the “water test”, the “fire test” (we have covered both methods on this blog) or other methods that will be discussed in future posts.

In the case of bracelets, necklaces or strings of pearls, examination of the drill-hole is possible by applying pressure between the pearls on the string -in order to separate them- and being able to see their drill-holes (using a magnifying glass or lens, if necessary.) Finding knots between pearls can be a very good indicator of a pearl’s authenticity. Why? The knots are there in order to help you avoid losing your pearls in the event of the necklace/bracelet snaps or breaks… since the value of imitations is very low (when compared to high quality pearls), producers of fashion-jewelry save money by avoiding these knots in their items.

Colorful Mexican baroque pearl necklace: you can appreciate the knots between the pearls as well as some of the drill-holes.

Unfortunately, many freshwater pearl necklaces and bracelets do not have knots between their pearls, and this not because they are not “genuine pearls,” but because their value and quality does not make them worthy using knots. So, whenever possible, do examine the pearl’s drill-hole.

A string of "Mallorca Pearls” where you can see that there are no knots between the so-called-pearls and you can also notice some plastic shavings or “burrs” around the drill hole.

In our next installment we will discuss how to distinguish pearls using their external appearance, especially their color and texture.

Once more we have prepared a simple test that you can easily use to help you identify pearls. Some of these identification tests were used years ago to help identify a cultured pearl from a fake (faux) or imitation pearl. Even today this little test can help you to -indirectly- distinguish between different pearls, such as faux perles, freshwater pearls, Akoya pearls, black pearls and, of course, the Gulf of California pearls (also known as “Cortez Pearls“).

So for this test use another natural element but now opposite to the one used previously, now we use WATER. Unlike the “Fire Test” -which is very fun when used on fake pearls- the “Water Test” is not destructive, but it may have an aesthetic value when using it on the “appropriate” pearls. To understand what I’m talking about we first need to see some pictures and then talk about some arcane terms known by the names of “ORIENT” and “OVERTONES”.

Orient & Overtones on Pearls.

There  was much talk about a pearl’s “orient” some decades ago. If you read the discussions of many “connoisseurs”, they would usually talk about the unusual and beautiful appearance of a pearl’s “Orient” but for most of these “experts” it was difficult to explain -in an easily understood manner- this unique trait of pearls. So let us begin to demystify this beautiful visual attribute of pearls … first with the concept of Orient:

Orient:A remarkable phenomenon produced by light being reflected and refracted by the pearl layers, which produces an inner glow. The finer the pearl layer (aragonite crystal), the better the orient of the pearl. (Source)

Or this one as well, which actually confuses two different traits (luster and orient):

The Iridescence of pearls is called “luster” or “Orient”. Pearls show this glamorous play of colours in delicate nuances due to the bow in their surface, enabling us to perceive their brilliance from every angle. The interaction of light rays and surface creates the iridescence, the so called ‘surface colour’ visible as a small circle on the pearl’s outer layer of nacre. The luster depends on the thickness of nacre, numerous layers encasing the nucleus. The layers of nacre act like tiny prisms, refracting light, so it appears as all the colours of a rainbow. (Source)

Hard to understand? In both concepts we understand that “orient” is something really special and beautiful but it fails in giving us a clearer understanding. So, we will use the description -that in my opinion is the more colloquial and understandable- from the “Sea of Cortez Pearls” website:

“When this optical  effect manifests itself as a deep “halo effect” (mostly in the colors pink/violet and green/blue), the pearl may display as a series of concentric rings (with the color gradually changing to another one) that go from the pearl’s diameter and into the center. A pearl with such an effect will never be mistaken as a fake-pearl and it is highly coveted.”

A picture is worth a thousand words they say, so let us analyze one with different pearls: Freshwater pearls, faux perles (imitations), akoya pearls, black pearls and pearls from the Gulf of California:

In these pictures we can see that both Black and Mexican pearls have a special sheen that makes it appear as if that they display various colors and that they do not display just one color…as seen on the other pearls. These “color rings” that seem to float on the pearl are known as “overtones” -when seen on dark colored pearls- and as “orient” on light colored pearls. At this time we will not talk about what causes this unique optical effect to manifest, but we will discuss this another time, but we will talk about using this visual attribute to differentiate pearls.

Water Test on Light Colored Pearls.

We used a small white colored plastic container and placed enough tap water into it to cover the pearls. We then moved to an area with good natural light (not necessarily under the sun), then introduced different pearls in the container. What happens? Water acts as an “visual amplifier” of this beautiful effect (orient/overtones) and, additionally, the white container helps to bounce light in an optimal way on the pearl: if the pearl does display orient or overtones then we will see a big difference . On the other hand, if a pearl does not exhibit this desirable effect… it is an imitation pearl -such as a Majorica/Shell-Pearl- or it could also be a real pearl that simply does not have what it takes to display this visual effect.

So here we have an example. We have a group of “white pearls” or light-colored pearls, including the following: a freshwater pearl, a “Mallorca Pearl”, another imitation known as a “Shell Pearl” and we also have a “Cortez Pearl”. Most of these pearls have a “normal pearl” look (“milky white”), except for Mexican pearls which display a beautiful green and pink orient.

Now, we introduce these same pearls in water and the change is significant: both the imitation pearls and the freshwater pearl had no change and are even “whiter”, but the pearls in the Gulf of California display a pair of color rings. Here we see the pearl’s orient easily:

Water Test on Dark Colored Pearls:

On the dark-colored pearls the results are more evident. Among the pearls used (a black pearl, a dyed-black freshwater pearl, a couple of fake pearls and one Mexican pearl) for this demonstration, several were capable of displaying a good visual effect of overtones. But now, let us see the contestants before being “water baptized”:

Now, let us look at the same pearl but inside water …

In the case of both the dyed pearl and the Tahitian black pearl, the overtones make a stronger appearance  than what can be seen on those same pearls with a naked eye. All three imitation pearls are devoid of overtones, but some would be confused with the “Shell Pearl” because in the photo you may see something similar to a ring, but it really is not … overtones are truly a dynamic visual effect that is best seen personally or in a video. Mexican pearls are noted for their overtones: a true visual spectacle.

Comparing light and dark pearls in Water:

This comparison allows you to see the differences between types of pearls. For example, dark pearls have a marked effect and light-colored pearls displayed no “orient”, perhaps because they were bleached and polished … as it is routinely done with these products.

From left to right: Akoya pearl, freshwater pearl, black pearl and dyed freshwater pearl

Imitation or Fake Pearls:

Imitation pearls do not display this desirable visual effect.

Pearls from the Sea of Cortez:

A rich visual delight … the colors have varied overtones with dynamic appearance, something rarely seen in other pearl varieties or only in Gem quality pearls. These “little things”, these “tiny details” are part of what makes this pearl so unique.

The Video.

And as in other occasions, I have prepared another video about this test because this is a visual and dynamic phenomenon. As with most of our videos, I once more used the “Sea of Cortez Pearl Theme” song, but I really wanted to use David Byrne’s “Strange Overtones ” song … but we all know about YouTube’s policies and I am not the one to argue about this, so I propose you use this link to play the song while you play the video and you can enjoy it in a different way.

By the way, the video shows other varieties of pearls not depicted on the blog, so you might find it interesting even if you have read this entire post.

Until the next installment …

This post started in an odd way because I was thinking about a nice, fresh, red wine than anything else. Thing is I was working on my pearls, sorting them for a photo session and both things -pearls & wine- became entangled in my day-dreaming, and since one thing leads to another I ended fantasizing about Cleopatra’s wager against Marc Anthony, which became the Myth of the “Most Expensive Dinner the World has Seen”.

The story -in case you haven’t heard it- goes a bit like this: the Roman General Marc Anthony is seduced by Queen Cleopatra and she wagers that she can offer him the most expensive dinner in the world. Marc Anthony, a man accustomed to Roman Power & Wealth, accepts because he does not believe the Egyptians can equal the excesses of a Roman bacchanalia. So, dinnertime comes and he is greeted by Cleopatra at an almost empty table (perhaps a small platter with dates, grapes and “Ibis wings”). They start with some nice cups filled with splendid Greek wine and finally he has to ask -being a Man, of course- “Where’s the Beef???”. Cleopatra languidly reaches for her earlobe and retrieves her earring, then removes the large natural pearl from it -again, very languidly- and drops the pearl inside her wine cup. She then says “Cheers” and gulps it all down in a noisy slurp-gulp.

At this sight Marc Anthony was probably very impressed -possibly with eyes the size of a Japanese Animé character- and with a dropped jaw. Cleopatra removes her second pearl earring to offer the Roman General his share of the fancy dinner but -in a non languid way- he lays a hand on the cup and tells her: “You have won. You have offered me the most expensive dinner in the World.”. So basically this is the story that has been heard by millions all over the World and throughout history. Some believe it to be 100% accurate, others think it is a very romantic story and others feel it us utter junk. Regardless of your interest in the story what we offer you here are facts: Could this dinner have taken place in the way depicted??? Let us see…

First, the pearls are described as “large” so we would say that the pearls measured at least 12-14 mm in diameter and would have been difficult to swallow (although we certainly don’t have a clue about Cleopatra’s swallowing abilities) and the “Heimlich Maneuver” had not been invented so my guess is: why risk it? Some say the pearl was dissolved in the wine, so the next question would be: How long does it take for a pearl to dissolve in wine? Finally a question about the value of a pearl: we cannot compare the value of today’s pearls to that of pearls in Ancient times, when their worth was so high they could have been used to purchase a entire country or send a full military invasion (you may read the shortened account of General Vitellius and how he sold one of his mother’s pearl earring to start his military campaign here).

So, we devised a small experiment using 3 cultured pearls (all rejects, without commercial value) and 3 different substances: red wine (pH= 3.4), white vinegar (pH=2.4) and dilute Chlorhidric Acid (pH=0). So, let us describe what happened in a period of 24 and 48 hours of the pearls being exposed to these substances).

pH is a system to measure how acid (how corrosive) or how basic is a substance. Each number in the scale represents a ten-fold increase -or decrease- of the intensity or “power” of the substance, thus a pH=1.0 substance is 10 times more acidic than one measuring 2.0. Basically, that is it. So now, let us go into the experiment with pearl #1 into red wine.

Pearl in Wine:

Pearl #1 was a white pearl measuring 8.7 mm in diameter and with a weight of 1 gram. The pearl was placed inside a wine glass with a nice Chilean Merlot (pH=3.4) and…nothing happened. We could not see any activity on the pearl. After 48 hours the pearl measured and weighed the same, and once it was cleaned we could observe some small pock-marks on the pearl. This means that wine has little power to damage a pearl, thus I don’t believe wine could have been used to dissolve the pearl in time for dinner (after all: they had an Empire to build).

Pearl in Vinegar

Pearl #2 was a dark-purple pearl measuring 8.4 mm and with a weight of 0.6 grams and was introduced into white vinegar (pH=2.4) for 24 hours. The pearl was immediately attacked by Vinegar’s acetic acid and we could see many small bubbles forming on top of the pearl: CO2 (carbon dioxide) that is released when an acid substance attacks the pearl’s Aragonite crystals. The results were conclusive: the pearl lost some weight and became smaller: 7.8 mm and 0.5 grams. The pearl formed a very weird looking “cocoon” on its surface, that basically made it look like it had been “bubble-wrapped”. This cocoon or sac is basically made of conchiolin, a protein employed by the oyster to bind the tiny hexagonal shaped aragonite crystals and form the pearl. Once the mineral is removed from a layer, the protein will float in a ghost-like manner around its pearl.

After 24 hours the pearl’s appearance changed dramatically, exposing a large protein based area, the surface became deeply affected and even the color changed! (to a more green color). After 48 hours damage was more profound but the vinegar’s power had been spent. Adding fresh vinegar to the cup ensured the total destruction of the pearl after 72 hours, when we finally reached the pearl’s nucleus.

Pearl in Acid

This test only has a scientific purpose, since it is unbelievable that Cleopatra & Marc Anthony would have used acid to dissolve the pearl and then drink it…at the risk of first loosing their teeth and then their lives. Also, Hydrochloric acid (pH=0) had not been invented in Ancient times, so it was not an option. What we wanted to find out with this experiment is: How long does it take for a pearl to dissolve in a strong acid???

Results: the pearl for this experiment (#3) was a beautiful oval shaped pearl measuring 7.7 mm and with a weight of 0.6 grams. After 24 hours, the pearl was severely damaged -its surface appearing like the walls of certain areas of the “Grand Canyon”- and it lost much of its size ( 7.0 mm) and weight (0.5 grams). After 48 hours the pearl’s destruction was complete.

Some things to notice about this experiment are: as soon as the pearl touches the acid, the attack is noticeable by the intense bubbling effect (just as with vinegar). After 24 hours we were able of noticing the same “protein sac/cocoon” that was seen in vinegar, but the bubbles were larger. After 48 hours, the pearl had been dissolved but we could still see the little “cocoon”, but now floating on the surface…having lost its weight. Once extracted from the acid we extracted the remains of the pearl: basically a dark colored protein…

So, now I invite you all to watch a 5 minute video of these little experiments. I wish to take this opportunity to thank Jazmin Rangel for playing the part of Cleopatra for our video. I wanted to play the part of Marc Anthony but found not a single “Roman” costume available in my size, but then again…there are many more myths that must be addressed so I will eventually have the chance to play a “Yaqui diver” or “Spanish Conquistador”.

Well, hope you liked the video.  I had fun making it. Did you notice “Cleopatra’s solution” to the “pearl dinner” dilemma???

The Final Solution

What would have been Cleopatra’s solution? She could not wait for the pearl to dissolve in wine nor vinegar, so the obvious solution was to pound and pulverize the pearl and pour the “pearl dust” into the wine, ready to be gulped down and become the “World’s Most Expensive Dinner”.

Thus another “pearl myth” is demystified, but we still have quite a few left… so keep visiting us.

This little “test”… this is yet another one of those “universal” relics that serve to identify pearls, and people around the world are still using it to prove that a pearl is pearl (and not an imitation) and that -unfortunately- is simply inaccurate. But the beauty of a myth is how we can demystify it. Let us first unravel the inner workings of this sophisticated dental identification system.

The Dental Identification System or “Tooth Test”

The reason why it is called the “Tooth Test” is because it uses your teeth as the main source for confirmation. How can we apply it? Many people will say that the pearl should be “bitten” gently between the pre-molars, yet others say it should be gently bitten with the canines or the incisors (or front teeth) and yet others state that the pearl should be rubbed on the incisors. Which is the correct method?

The best way to do this test -in our experience- is by holding the pearl between your fingers and then rubbing it against one of your upper teeth (incisors), near the area in contact with the soft tissue (gums) of the mouth, but not above nor on top of this tissue (I forgot to mention that it is essential that the user’s teeth must be clean). We will use a slow sideways movement (see diagram) of the pearl upon the tooth, do this slowly and applying some pressure or force upon the tooth, since we want the pearl in intimate contact with the tooth. What are we going to feel? One effect we will notice will be a “gritty/sandy” sensation, as if we were scratching a blackboard (remember how your teachers would do that?). As sound travels through our teeth and bones, it is even possible to hear a faint “scratching/rasping” sound.

What if the pearl is false? Depends on the imitation. For example, if the fake or imitation pearl is of the economical (or “cheap”) variety, it will feel very light (not heavy) and, when the tooth test is applied it would feel smooth. But in other types of imitations -such as with “Shell-Pearls”- the weight of the “pearl” would be heavier against your tooth (the interior of this imitation is a kind of ceramic), but the “pearl” will feel smooth and no scratching/grating will be felt on your dental piece.

Now, how about a “Majorica pearl”? Ah! Excellent question, because this is the most common imitation available. Well, this so-called “pearl” would have a “good weight” -similar to that of a pearl due to its glass-bead core- and may also yield a “scratching/grating” sound. In this way it will feel “rough”, similar to a real pearl. But is the “Mallorca Pearl” a real pearl then? No, this is not evidence enough, there are many other tests available (see the entry of “The Myths of Pearl and Oyster # 4“), but these imitations are indeed trying to imitate a pearl in the best way possible.

But in order to understand the scratching/grating upon the tooth when we use this test, we have to go to a place we have not really examined in detail: the pearl’s surface. With the help of a microscope … we will find apparent so far.

Pearls -the vast majority- have a sort of “fingerprint” on its surface. This is known as the “spiral pattern, and formed several different spiral types, depending on the species of oyster that forms the pearl: each type of pearl could be distinguishable from another just by comparing their spirals, almost in the way we compare Human fingerprints today. Unfortunately it is difficult to obtain these images without the aid of a microscope (100 magnification at least), but the attached image can help us understand better.

Now, we’ve talked about the spirals because this is very important in order to understand what happens when we have the pearl-tooth interaction.

Let us understand some of the features in our teeth: they have an uneven surface and they are coated with a bio-enamel known as “dentin” and this material is much stronger than the pearl’s nacre (dentin has a hardness of 5.0 on the Mohs scale, while the pearl has a hardness between 2.5 and 4.0 Mohs). So, in essence, what we do when we rub a pearl against our tooth is that we ARE scratching the pearl’s surface: the tooth’s uneven surface violently scratches the pearl’s spirals. Yes, this bad method  of pearl identification will damage our pearls and will actually lower their value.

But now, why does the “Majorica Pearl” have a response similar to that of a real pearl? Again, you have to go where we can not easily see: the surface of these imitations. Unfortunately I don’t own a digital microscope to take pictures of these imitations, but let me use the following picture to explain the phenomenon: the image of the left (photo credit) is dry mud/clay. Rapid drying of the humidity in the mud allowed the surface crack or flake , giving rise to these marks or stitches. And what does this have to do with an imitation pearl like the “Majorica Pearl”? Well, these imitations are made by applying several thin coats of varnish/lacquer/paint some or all which are UV treated in order to dry them up quickly, and the paint ends up having a similar texture as that of the paint, allowing for the effect of roughness or grittiness…similar to that of the spirals on a pearl.

Now what does all this mean to you? Basically, you that you CAN NOT trust the famous “tooth test” because:

• If you use it on a valuable pearl,you will cause some damage on it and you will lower its value.
• If you use it on some imitations, you may identify an imitation pearl as a pearl.
• If you own polished pearls, you may confuse them with imitation pearls.

So how can you identify a pearl correctly ? For there are many different ways … and we will write about these practical methods in the near future.

Learning tricks of the trade is something that we have done since we began researching, back in 1993, and this of course not only involves pearl oysters, but their magnificent product: the pearl. But a thing that has always bothered us are “fake pearls” or imitations. For this reason we have come up with this series. Some time ago, back in 2004, Manuel, Enrique and I took several pearls and imitations and filmed a video of their reaction to the famous “flame test”.  Bibliographic sources mentioned that the artificial or false pearls burn on contact with fire, while  real pearls can survive this process without damage or with minor damage. So, are we to just blindly believe in this? Let’s try it and see what happens!!!  And this video was the result of this experimentation. The results surprised us too, but if we obtained important information. So please watch this video first:

Results

We learned several things when “playing with fire.” The first one is that pearls, both authentic and imitation, obey “Murphy’s Law” in the sense that even if they look “OK” to touch they are not: they become extremely hot!  and thus are difficult to manipulate with your fingers right after the 7 seconds under an open flame. So, if you plan to perform this little experiment on your own, use some tweezers and caution to manipulate the pearl. But for now, let’s describe the results, pearl by pearl:

Freshwater Pearl:

The first pearl to undergo the flame test was a freshwater-pearl of Chinese origin. This pearl was submitted to artificial staining to acquire a dark color and it even had a good appearance, since it even had good iridescence. But after only seven seconds under fire we noticed the following changes:

1. The pearl’s drill-hole was severely affected, its nacre becoming almost pulverized, this in effect extended the drilling area (made the drill hole larger). The pearl’s surface was seriously damaged, like the damage caused by the sun and the environment in an oyster shell after about 10 years of exposure.
2. The pearl displayed small cracks in various parts of its surface, which radiate or spread from small “bubbles” that formed in the pearl’s surface. Before the flame was applied, these were non-existent.
3. The pearl lost much of its luster and color, becoming duller and less appealing.

Chinese (Dyed) Freshwater Pearl on the "Flame Test" - Before and after comparison

So we can conclude that artificially colored pearls (or those that have been subject to some types of processing such as bleaching) are more sensitive to fire and can be destroyed with the flame test… but not burned. The ash or soot on the pearl is easily removed with a rag.

Test Results: Not Passed (or 50% passed).

Naturally Colored Cortez Pearl:

Our Pearls are never subjected to any “embellishment” processes; this actually means that they are never polished, nor bleached, nor dyed … so it was not strange that the “flame test” -in the same 7 seconds time-span as that of the Freshwater pearl- had no visible negative effects: we could find no cracks, no little “bubbles”, no change in the pearl’s appearance. What was most striking was to see that it was more difficult to remove the soot from of this pearl. Finally, there was no perceptible change in the of nacre around the pearl’s drill hole, nor in the pearl’s luster or its color.

Test Result: Passed!

Flame Test on Gulf of California Pearl

Imitation pearl: “Shell Pearl”:

Before discussing the results I want to explain something about these imitations. They are the best imitations we have had a chance to see and analyze. Many suggest that “Mallorca pearls” are the best, but we believe these imitations are superior for several reasons:

1. Have a center of ceramic, which gives them a good weight … like a pearl.
2. They have several layers of paint or varnish. Each layer is of characteristics and two of these layers are semi-translucent so give an effect that is added on the base color layer. The final layer is apparently a protective layer and gives the “sheen” or luster to the pearl. Layers of “color”, in green and purple-are printed in a translucent coating using a “newspaper” or dot-matrix style, thus these two colors seem to “float” on top of the jet-black color that coats the ceramic bead. What do I mean by this? Consider using the image below for better understanding.

Comparison of Tahitian Pearl (right) and Black Shell-Pearl (left)

These imitations (for information on their manufacture process, see here) caused a “craze” in the year 2000. In that year, they were successfully introduced into the market through the famous Gem, Watch & Jewelery Fair, and many were misled by these very good imitations. Pearls that were “affected” by these imitations were the Tahitian black pearl and white South Sea Pearls of Australia. As you can see in the photos, it is very easy to confuse these pearls with a naked eye.

"Baby" SSP (left) vs Shell-Pearl (right)

And although they are very good imitations … they do feel fake when you touch them: this is where they just “lost their magic.” Certainly, a high quality pearl is difficult or impossible to imitate, but for most pearls … specially those that are subject to rutinary processing and end up with a uniform look, imitations will be somewhat easy to produce.

Burned Shell-Pearl

Well, let’s get to the results: the “Shell Pearl” required twice the length of time (14 seconds) under the influence of the flame in order to burn in a manner proper for imitations, this due to its protective outer-cover, which protects it from chemical and mechanical damage, and it seems to have a fire retardant effect . However, this outer-coating can become damaged easily (with scratches) and this facilitates the burning of the “pearl”. In the video you can see how this imitation suffers from severe damage on its surface layers and a yellow-colored area affected will be seen on the area affected by heat.

Test Result: Failed!

Cheap Imitation Pearl (Plastic)

This kind of imitation is the one usually found in most economic products, such as in rosaries, small girls “jewelry” and economic bijoux jewelry. In this case the product is made out of plain plastic beads (polyethylene) with a simple paint covering. They are recognized immediately as false by their appearance, for its light weight and the presence of tell-tale “chips” (since these are usually made with molded plastic, they will have these), worthy of any product of very poor quality.

There is really is not worth talking about these imitations … in just 7 seconds under a flame they will burn and light up, we’ll have thick black smoke and the piece will end up as a small mass of molten plastic. The they are are the most fun to burn!!!

Test Result: Failed!

Mallorca or Majorica Pearl:

This is the famous “pearl”, which everyone wants to try with this test. First of all an external analysis: I can tell you that the external texture of these imitations is usually rougher than that of a real pearl. This imitation is quite successful with “Akoya” pearls (produced in Japan and China), since these pearls have little variety of colors (mostly in the white, yellow and cream-beige range) and their shape is almost always round and in sizes from 6 to 9 mm indiameter. Again: the more “clone-like” the pearls become after processing, the easier it is to imitate them.

The “Majorica Pearls” are made with a glass bead that -supposedly- has been made using “real pearl powder”. Even if this were true, it hardly matters because this can never be observed under the coat of paint. The “paint coatings” of these imitations are made using a “special recipe” which includes sardine (fish) scales (using a “special treatment”) which is referred to as “Pearlescence”, and several coats of this varnish are applied to this glass bead, which also must be “baked” or dried using special procedures (including UV light). This matters little after 8 seconds under fire: the layer of varnish is burned and left with a terrible appearance… leaving exposed areas of a white glass bead behind if you try to remove the sooth and carbonized paint.

Majorica Pearl before (top) and after (bottom) the Flame Test

Test Result: Failed!

This video (in Spanish) depicts the manner in which these “faux pearls” are made (and it seems that they are no longer producing these imitations in Mallorca, Spain):

Conclusions:

1. The “Flame Test” can be very destructive on pearls, both with lower quality (processed) pearls and very especially on “faux perles” or pearl imitations.
2. Pearls and Imitations can become Hot after the use of the flame test: handle with caution.
3. Pearls can become damaged with heat and fire: they are organic gems and they have some water in their composition, so do avoid these to ensure for proper care of your pearls.

Coming soon: Demystifying other pearl myths …

That’s right, we have already published on the web -thanks to YouTube- our Original video on “Sea of Cortez Pearls.” This was a project we had in mind for several years, but we never had the time to invest in an “original production”. The video reached a good compromise between what we wanted to play on the video, yet we could not achieve such as: we wanted a video clip of a hurricane in action on the pearl farm … but when this happens one usually take refuge in your home, or special clothing (we could not shoot a troop of  “Spanish Conquistadores” trudging through the desert) and,we were not able of getting a professional narrator (primarily due to time constraints) for the Spanish version of the video… but the English version has superb narration.

Despite being produced in 2008 (it achieved “Gold” status on December of that year) we had the video available only on DVD throughout 2009, and it was until this year that we decided to share it publicly.

The video is presented in two parts due to time constraints imposed by YouTube. The first part is a presentation of the Gulf of California Pearl:its lore and History; the second part deals with the commercial cultivation of pearls in Guaymas, Sonora. So, with no more hesitation: we hope you enjoy the video…

We thank all those who participated directly in this beautiful project, specially the staff of “Cheque’s Films” from our good friends Ezekiel “el Cheque” Núñez and Esteban Ibarra (who were in charge of cameras and video editing), the original “Perlas del Mar de Cortez Soundtrack” was the work of  Jaime Delgado Avelar,the  excellent voice narration by the professional narrator Charlie Bloomer, and photos taken by another good friend, Alberto “el Gordo”  Tirado. Another couple of good video details provided by our friend Benito Sarmiento (thank you for allowing us to use your videocam and “casing” as well as for lending us your aerial video of Bacochibampo Bay), and finally, the great 3-D work of the “Spanish Galleon” done by Abraham Castro of “Onix” fame. In all, this video was made 100% in Guaymas, Sonora.

The script for the video was produced by us (“pearl trio”), in addition to video footage and photos that we did and incorporated into this video.

Additional thanks? Sure! There are many people who we would like to give special thanks, and amongst them we have:
“The Yaqui Diver”/Adrian Amarillas Casillas, our friends Rocio Mendoza and Diana Alvarez, as well as to  Karla Valdez, Sergio Farell -our friend and former mentor- the ” Tec de Monterrey” for showing faith in our school project and, of course, our group of  “Yaqui Workers” led by Jesus “el Pipi” Valenzuela.

I invite you to please leave your comments … I know that in order to leave a comment you are required to use an e-mail account, but for those who do not want to leave a comment because you will “need” to use your e-mail, you can do the following: there is no need to enter a real email … instead use this fake e-mail chachalaca@chachalaca.com.mx (“copy & paste” and place in the appropriate field) and you will see that it is not necessary to use your personal mail.

See you next week!

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to review CIBJO‘s new Pearl book (also known as the “Blue Book”). For those not familiar with this “famous” book or who CIBJO is, let me present this information in a simple way: CIBJO is an international confederation of national jewelery trade organizations, and amongst the many services they provide the offer guidance (guidelines) on how to refer to when you sell or market a product that falls into their umbrella: mainly gems and jewelery. Stated in another way, a jeweler might use these CIBJO guidelines to sell his products in the most honest/honorable way possible. It can also be used by the client to demand more information on the product of interest. Unfortunately, the most common issue is that both client and vendor are unaware of this valuable source of information, or what is worse: that the jeweler/seller exploits the ignorance of the customer to achieve a fraudulent sale.

The fraudulent sale of gems of all kinds, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls, is more common in developing countries, and this is partly due to low awareness among the general population about the characteristics and attributes of gemstones which they seek to acquire. To this we add the greed factor of many and/or their total ignorance and/or the fact that they too were “ripped off” and so we end up inside a great well of unease and distrust. Not one, nor two … but dozens of times we have witnessed some deception and fraud in jewelry sales, and for us -pearl producers and jewelry makers- this issue becomes more sensitive in cases involving pearls.

For this reason, and to celebrate the publication of the new CIBJO-Blue Book: Pearls (this link allows you to download the PDF file directly from CIBJO) we will discuss about the various “myths” that allow for the deception and fraud in the purchase or acquisition of pearl jewelry. We hope that this series will indulge to your liking… even to your dislike (some will end up with a terrible feeling after reading these series of articles), but my hope is that this will help you to avoid a terrible mistake or being cheated and deceived. So, let’s start with this series of “myths” …

Myth # 1: “Majorca Pearls”

This is probably the most common myth or fraud of which we are known. How many times have we had a visit from a proud owner of a double-string necklace of “Majorca Pearls”? Countless times. How many times have we been told how  when they visited the island of Mallorca, Spain, they even had a chance of visiting the “pearl farm” and could see how the oysters were stripped of their beautiful “pearls”? Again: countless … and how many times have we had to repeat that “Mallorca pearls” are just false, simulated or imitation pearls or -isn’t French just great at making things sound so romantic?- “Faux Perles“?  Untold times. In fact, my favorite phrase is: “The only part of a ‘Majorca Pearl’ that is truly Pearl can be found in its trade name” (McLaurin dixit).

But hey! Don’t take my word for it, but instead… use the CIBJO Pearl Book and just go to page # 6 in paragraph 4.4.4 entitled “Imitation or Simulated”, and it unmistakeably identifies them as fake pearls. There, clearly mentioned, are the brand names of the most common imitation pearls, and it states how you may not use these to deceive a customer and -in this particular case- they HAVE TO BE described as follows: “Imitation  Majorica Pearls”. So we have have an international authority that confirms that these famous “pearls” are simply … imitations. And this in itself is no problem unless you are told that if they are either natural or cultured pearls: then it is FRAUD.

How could the problem have started? In most cases -such as in department stores- the person in charge of selling the items does not have the foggiest idea of what they are actually selling: they have been equally trained to sell diapers and jewelry -in the best parrot-like way- but they have been told what to say from others that don’t know a thing about pearls. But this does not exempt them from fraud … and it does not matter if the jewelry item (be it a necklace or bracelet or earrings) came with a certificate of authenticity: a review of its text will inform you that they are not real pearls, but most of the time it will employ such verbiage “semi-cultivated pearls” or “Made using Marine materials”.  This will be discussed in more detail in the coming weeks.

Akoya Pearl vs. Faux Perle