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BEAD with PURPLE-BRONZE MABE PEARLS & VERMEIL 18K GOLD-PLATED over solid STERLING SILVER
SKU / Item #	:	111 0036
Type of bead	:	Two cultured Mabe pearls are joined with a Vermeil 18K Gold-plated over solid Sterling Silver setting to form a stunning bead.
Amount	:	1 (one) bead * All photos are taken from the actual item *
Weight of bead	:	approx. 8.12 gram
Size of bead	:	Diameter: 19.93 mm Width: approx. 19.02 mm Length from hole to hole: approx. 21.09 mm
Origin of Silver work	:	The silverwork is handmade by our in-house master silversmiths.
Hand-crafted	:	This bead is made using traditional techniques. Each piece is handmade and is not a machine mass produced item. Each piece is made one by one which make each piece a one-of-a-kind.
Hallmark stamp	:	This bead is hallmark stamped 925.
Perforation	:	This bead has a hole size of approx. 1.80 mm diameter. You will receive this bead loose (not strung) and it is not a ready to wear piece of jewelry.
Shape of pearls	:	Round / spherical
Color of Mabe pearls	:	Purple-bronze body Mabe pearls come in a wide range of beautiful colors, which span from light pinks, to more bluish shades. The color of Mabe pearls is influenced during the cultivation. The implanted nucleus is painted with a special ink which will slowly release the color during the cultivation process inside the live oyster. This Indonesian developed process will enhance the undertones of the color seen on the surface. The color penetrates into the nacre and gives a rather natural appearance in comparison to any other treatment (chemical dyes which are sometimes used to color mabe look always very artificial).
Overtone	:	A stunning highly lustrous metallic iridescent silken glow
Luster	:	Excellent
Quality of pearls	:	A-grade / AA+ to AAA The nacre of these colorful Mabe pearls is thick and durable for rings and any other jewelry.
Origin of pearls	:	Island of Sumbawa / Indonesia
Remarks	:	These gorgeous Mabe Pearls were cultured in the pristine tropical waters off the Island of Sumbawa / Indonesia. Mabe Pearls are quite different from what you might consider “normal” pearls. The reason for this stem from the way that Mabe pearls are formed. Mabe pearls are considered to be “semi-spherical cultured pearls”. Instead of growing inside the body of the mollusk creature, as is the case with other pearls, Mabe pearls grow against the inside shell. This process causes Mabe pearls to have a flat side, as opposed to being relatively spherical, or at least rounded like standard pearls. This also explains why Mabe pearls are frequently called “half pearls”. Mabe pearls come in a wide range of beautiful colors, which span from light pinks, to more bluish shades. The unique nacre of the Mabe oyster allows for hues that are quite brilliant and rainbow-like. Their brilliance is quite breathtaking at times, especially in the rarest color, which consists of pink with gold swirls. It is this type of color which brings the value to the Mabe pearls, as well as their rare superiority in texture and luster. To culture a Mabe pearl, the process is different than culturing round pearls. It is accomplished by inserting the nucleus flush against the side of the mollusk causing the oyster to make its nacre deposits over the nucleus, and against the inside of its shell, forming a semi-spherical pearl. The Mabe pearl oyster, also referred to as the penguin wing oyster – is what is used as the mother shell for Mabe pearls. These are highly distributed across the world’s tropical and semi-tropical seas, making them readily available to many pearl farmers at different ends of the globe. Due to this one flattened side, Mabe pearls become the ideal choice for jewelry such as earrings and rings which allow for a secure setting, and a concealed flat back. The Mabe pearl first reached its popularity in the end of the 19th century, and from that time until the mid 20th century, many different efforts were made to attempt to cultivate the Mabe pearl – most of which were in vein. Many hearts were broken, and most tries were fruitless. However, some pearl farmers continued to persevere with their research, and finally established breeding techniques for the mabe pearl oyster in 1970, followed five years later by the mass production of cultured pearl harvests. Today, the production of cultured Mabe pearls has become quite stable, and the results are absolutely gorgeous. Depending on the desired size, 2 to 6 years are needed for each pearl. However, for those who enjoy the Mabe pearl, it’s well worth the wait. The producers wait patiently for many years while the Mabe pearl oyster work their magic resulting in a thick, lustrous nacre (pearl coating) which gives the Mabe pearl its color and luster. When ready, the Mabe pearls are harvested and carefully graded according to size, color, luster and other quality characteristics. Hemispheric Shape - A Distinct Characteristic The Mabe pearl develops in a hemispheric form, with a flat back. While in the oyster a Mabe pearl is actually considered a blister pearl not a mabe pearl. After the blister pearl has been 'worked' it then becomes a Mabe pearl. Blister pearls are worked by cutting the pearl out of the shell with a circle-bit drill. The nucleus is then removed and replaced with filler. The back of the pearl is capped with a piece of Mother-of-Pearl to complete the Mabe pearl. The Mabe pearl oyster produces exquisitely colored and highly iridescent nacre. The colors of the penguin oyster pearl are rich and exotic; an inspiration from nature’s spectrum of rainbow colors. This stunning Mabe pearl is an exotic treasure and an inspiration from nature’s spectrum of rainbow colors.
What is Gold Vermeil?	:	VERMEIL, which is pronounced "vehr-MAY," is 925 Sterling Silver with is plated with Gold. Vermeil is a combination of Sterling Silver and Gold commonly used as a component in jewelry. A typical example is Sterling Silver coated with 18K or 24K Gold. To be considered VERMEIL, the gold must be at least 10 karats (42%) and be at least 2.5 micrometers thick. In the US and various other countries, Sterling Silver covered first with a base metal (such as nickel) and then plated with Gold cannot be sold as vermeil without disclosing that it contains base metal. The word "VERMEIL" is a French word which came into use in the English language, mostly in America, in the 19th century as an alternative for the usual term silver-gilt. Vermeil can be produced by either fire-gilding or electrolysis. The original fire-gilding process was developed in France in the mid-18th century; however, France later banned the production of vermeil because over time artisans developed blindness due to mercury involved in the process. Today, VERMEIL is produced by electrolysis which is much safer than fire gilding yet produces a very similar result The White House has a collection of vermeil tableware kept on display (when not in use) in the Vermeil Room. The Code of Federal Regulations 16, Part 23.5 defines Vermeil: "An industry product may be described or marked as 'vermeil' if it consists of a base of Sterling Silver coated or plated on all significant surfaces with Gold or Gold alloy of not less than 10 karat fineness, that is of substantial thickness and a minimum thickness throughout equivalent to two and one half (2 ½) microns (or approximately 1/10000ths of an inch) of fine Gold." Less than 2.5 microns is NOT Vermeil and is considered as simple Gold plating only. Vermeil Jewelry Vermeil is a more expensive version of Gold plated jewelry. It consists of a 925 Sterling Silver base that is coated or plated with Gold. And again, if the longest lifespan is in the first place for you, your option is VERMEIL Vermeil is much more durable than simple very thin gold plating. No wonder that the price is also high. Gold plated jewelry Gold plating is the term used to describe the process of plating jewelry made of either precious (silver) or non-precious base metal (zinc, nickel, copper) with a thin layer of gold, which is depositing by electrochemical methods. As it was said the layer is very thin and thus easy to scratch. It also naturally wears thin with time, exposing the metal below.
		Don’t miss this opportunity to own this exotic treasure for your private collection or to create your own spectacular jewelry.

Our photographs have been enlarged to show details. Most details shown in the large image are actually not visible to the naked eye. We have made the image as close as possible to the original item when viewed on our screen. Depending on the viewers monitor settings, these items may appear a few shades lighter or darker in comparison to the original object.

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