ebay- Orien Jewel aboutme
| Welcome to visit Orien Jewel |
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Welcome to the Orien Jewel eBay Outlet. We specialize in Fine Quality saltwater and freshwater pearls. We are the exclusive on-line reseller in US for one of the finest and biggest Pearl farms & manufacturers located along South Sea shore in China, and our jewelry is at a fraction of the price of other stores you might pay in a high-end jewelry store, and you will now be able to save a tremendous amount of time and money by using our eBay Auctions Outlet as your central shopping center.
All our fine jewelries are brand new, genuine and have passed the factory's strict quality control standards. At Orien Jewel we are so confident that you'll absolutely love your jewelry, we offer a 30-Day Satisfaction Money Back Guarantee. If you are dissatisfied with your purchase for any reason, we will gladly refund 100% of the purchase price (less our original shipping/insurance charges), with no questions asked.
Thank you and we wish you a wonderful shopping experience.
Orien Jewel
GIA Pearls Graduate
P.O. Box 1312
Union City, CA 94587-9998
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| We are here to help you to make your buying decision |
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| Grading Pearls - There Is No Industry-Wide Standard Pearl Grading System - Yet |
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In terms of grading, the GIA has not set any pearl grade standards. The most acceptable is AAA-A. But as I am sure you have found, this is not only subjective, but many retailers add additional grades to their mix. GIA does not assign a letter grade to any of the appraisals they prepare, and they do not assign an approximate retail value as well. The only factors that the GIA consider when evaluating pearls is whether or not they are CULTURED PEARLS and whether or not they are NATURAL COLOR. Their concern in grading pearls is in determining the authenticity of the color and the nature of the process of the formation of the pearl. GIA graduate appraisers do this service. However, it is again subjective unlike diamonds and other gemstones.
This system grades pearls on a scale from AAA to A, with AAA being the highest grade. This grading scale is common to freshwater and Akoya pearls only, but is accepted by many with South Sea and Tahitian pearls as well.
- AAA: The highest-quality pearl, virtually flawless. The surface will have a very high luster, and at least 95% of the surface will be free from any type of defect.
- AA: The surface will have a very high luster, and at least 75% of the surface will be free from any type of defect.
- A: This is the lowest jewelry-grade pearl, with a lower luster and/or more than 25% of the surface showing defects. In many cases, if the pearl is being mounted into a piece of jewelry, it can be mounted so that the defects are hidden -- thus providing a lovely jewelry piece at a lower price.
Some sellers could use a term not in the grading system (such as "AAAA") to make it appear that the pearl is beyond even the highest standard quality -- when in reality, that seller's "AAAA" pearls are actually equivalent to the more-common "AAA" grade, and his "AAA" pearls might only be equivalent to the commonly used "AA." Use of "AAAA" or "AAA+" is considered bad taste, or even dishonest, by most reputable pearl dealers. It is seen as a way to simply charge the customer more without providing a superior product.
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Natural vs. Cultured Pearls |
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A natural pearl was formed without human assistance. Today, natural pearl jewelry is most often seen at estate sales, estate jewelry counters, or collectors' auctions. Natural pearl size is measured in Grain (weight).
A cultured pearl formed as the result of human intervention in the formation process. Almost 100% of today’s pearl market consists of cultured pearls. Cultured pearl size is measured in millimeters.
Cultured pearls can only be distinguished from natural pearls through the use of x-rays, which reveal the inner part of the pearl.
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Saltwater vs. Freshwater Pearls |
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Saltwater pearl cultured in Oyster (in ocean and lagoon) and using Bead, or Bead/Tissue nucleation. Tahitian (majority black color and between 8mm-14mm), South Sea (majority gold and silver color and between 10mm-15mm) and Akoya (majority white, cream color and between 2mm-9mm) pearls are Saltwater pearls.
Freshwater pearl cultured in Mussels (in lakes, ponds, and rivers) and using Tissue nucleation. Only 2% of them are round/near round and majority of them from China, various colors and size (3mm-13mm). Today top quality cultured freshwater pearls are close to Akoya pearls. The lower cost and increasingly higher quality of freshwater pearls makes them a popular choice.
Saltwater cultured pearls tend to be more round than freshwater cultured pearls. This is due to the fact that saltwater mollusks are bead nucleated unless freshwater tissue nucleated.
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Japanese vs. Chinese Akoya Pearls |
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The Japanese have been the undisputed champions of cultured Akoya pearl production for the last 100 years, and Chinese have had limited culturing Akoya pearls in the 1980's. Since 1990's, the Chinese have overtaken the Japanese in Akoya pearl production, especially the smaller sizes (5-7mm) and Japanese are still dominate larger then 8mm. Currently, over 90% Japanese Akoya pearls are imported from China, then treated and strung in Japan so that they may still carry the mark "Product of Japan".
Can a consumer determine whether a pearl necklace of smaller Akoya pearls, in the 5-7 mm range, are Japanese or Chinese Akoya pearls? No, it is nearly impossibly to determine the actual origin of the pearls in this size.
Chinese pearls today are just as valuable as Japanese pearls. Buy smaller pearls (5-7mm) from Chinese, and larger pearls (8mm up) from Japanese. Otherwise, you overpay your pearls.
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GIA Seven Pearl Value Factors |
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Size, each cultured pearl type has a different size range. If a fine pearl is large for its type, that factor will add to its value.
Shape, a well-shaped or symmetrical pearl has more valuable than one that's irregular. Generally, rarity and tradition make round the most valuable pearl shape.
Color, pearl color can have three main characteristics. Body color-the dominant, overall color of a pearl. Overtone-one or more translucent colors that appear over a pearl's body color. Orient-iridescent, rainbow colors shimmering on or just below a pearl's surface.
Luster, the true magic of a pearl lies in its luster, the most important of all the value factor to the beauty of a pearl. The luster is more just a surface sheen. It's caused by light traveling down through translucent layers of nacre, and reflecting back to the eye from deep within the pearl.
Surface Quality, pearl can display surface characteristics to greater or lesser degrees. Four classifications from GIA, clean, lightly, moderately and heavily blemished. A spotless pearl is extremely rare and valuable.
Nacre Quality, a pearl's appearance helps determine its quality, and it has a lot to do with whether the nacre is thick or thin. Thicker nacre doesn't guarantee an attractive, lustrous appearance, but most of the time; pearls with thicker nacre tend to be more lustrous as well.
Matching, only applies with jewelry mounted/stranded with more than one pearl. Matched jewelry items can be rated from GIA as Excellent, Good, and Fair.
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GIA (Gemological Institute of America) - We are proud to be a GIA Pearls Graduate |
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GIA is the unmistakable sole authority that is recognized and respected by finer jewelry establishments for grading pearls, diamonds and colored stones. No other organization is more reputable and trustworthy. In fact, the GIA is the only gemological institute recognized by Tiffany & Co. with good reason. The GIA has pioneered and established the nomenclature for grading and assessing cultured pearls in America. It is their grading system and classes which have educated jewelers across America. We are proud to be a GIA Pearls Graduate.
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