PEARLS BY THE POUND.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 3006, 11 January 1923, Page 7

PEARLS BY THE POUND.

Many people have an idea that black pearls possess greater value than others.

This is not the case. The most valuable pearls are a pure white, and perfectly round in shape, suitable for stringing as a necklace. The next a pure white pear-shaped pearl, largo enough to be used as a pendant or ear-drop. Then comes the buttonshaped pearl, which is perfectly'.round with the exception of a slight flattening on one side. Black pearls in all these shapes are worth less than the corresponding shapes in white. . "Pearls of a freak or fanciful and irregular shape, or fastened together in clusters, possess no commercial value,” writes Captain C. A. W. Monckton in the story of his New Guinea experiences, "though in odd cases I have known enormous prices paid for them for sentimental reasons. For instance, a pearl-fisher in Torres Straits found a perfect cross. This cluster, after passing through the hands of several dealers, was eventually sold to some wealthy Roman Catholics for presentation to the. Pope, the sum paid being £IO,OOO. The actual value of the pearls composing it, if separated and perfect, would not have been £lO.

"Large quantities of what are called seed pearls are found. They are about the size of a small shot, of irregular shape, but of good colour and lustre ; these are sold by the ounce or pound, at the rate of from £2 10/ to £3 per ounce. Some of this seed goes to Paris, where it is used by milliners for ornamenting women’s dresses. "The largest and most perfect pearls go to Russia, and America, those people being prepared to pay more for really perfect specimens. "Pink pearls are so rare as to have no fixed commercial value, though pearl fishers say that, when any are found, Indian rajahs are always willing to pay enormous prioes for them.”