Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-01
VITAsHrNGTON, D. c., Nov. 25.-The
wv true pearl, formed by the wild oys-
ter. is haYink a hard time connecting

Ter, is naVlnS q nara Time competing
with less ariStocratic pearls. =
First, the Japanese produced a cultured
pearl that differs from a true pearl only in
one respect. In the wild mussel, the pearl
is the result of an irritation, generally a bit
Of sand or a parasitic worm, hich accident
ally gets inside the shell. In the cultured
pearl, the irritating substance is implanted.
After years of experiment Japanese sue
ceeded in SO introducing this irritant that
the patient oyster would build as perfect a
pearl round it as if the irritant had accident
ally slipped in.
This has raised the question:: is cultured
pearl of this sort entitled to the same dis
tincton as the wild pearl? Are pearls grown
on farm like so many berries and harvest
ed when ripe to be compared with the pearl
for which the diver risks his fe in shark in
tested waters? Gem dealers, gathered re-
Gently in London, shouted no.
Because the ingenuity of a Japanese
scientist led him to produced pearls by
putting oysters to work on a farm, he was
| none-the-less manufacturer, they claimed.
1t was agreed that the true pearl is the work
Of nature unasssted and that pearling
should remain business of hazard and not
a truck-farm process.
The meeting decided that while cultured
pearls might look just life true pearls
Which not all the experts would admlt-stlll,
| they were not to be officially regarded as
| true pearls. French dealers went home and
| issued a warning in a French paper that
merchants selling cultured pearls under the
title of cline pearls" would be liable to prose-
cuton for fraud. That was supposed to
| make the world safe for t wild pearl.
Glass Pearls
But now word comes from Germany that
| a jewel expert of Thuringia has attained a
| new standard in manufacture of synthetic
| pearls from blown glass. 1t is claimed that
experts are put to it to distinguish these imi-
| tations from true pearls.
| There is no fine distinction to be settled
regarding the status of this German pearl
| 1t is an imitation and claims to be nothing
| else. But if it is so good that all but eX-
perts are deceived, and if it can be solo for
one-fifth the price of other imitation pearls
! as the maker announces, may there not be i
| demand for this cheap article to the detr1-
ment of trade in other pearls, both real and
| imitation? Dealers fear that there may. So
| the pearl business is still disturbed.
The German pearl maker, Herr Heinz, is
| known as an expert in imitation gems. He
used to claim that he could produce beau
tiful imitation of any gem except the pearl
| That he admit ed, was the most difficult tC
initiate but still he experimental with form
ulas, until a. last he has hit upon a satisfac-
| tory one. His formula is reported as mix
| ture of fish lime, wax, and silver nitrate in
| molten glass.
Blown glass pearls are far from new. A
| preparation made from the scales of the
bleak fish has long been used to coat the in
| side surface of glass to make pearl beads
| This fish skin substance contains brill1Ant
colors and gives to the glass the creamy
| Opalescent tint Of the pearl.
! Wax is generally used to fill the hollow in
side the glass bead to make it resemble the
solid structure of a pearl. But the surface
has CLASSY shine, and the bead is slightly
lighter in weight than real pearl. Glass
beads have, therefore, always been readily
! distingushable from real pearls to any prac
ticed eye.
Apparently, Herr Heinz has improved or
this product 1t is amour ced that the blow
ing of his new glass pear is difficult art
Heinz says that he can corv the pearls il
any collar or ornament so closely that the
owner can wear the imitation and still at
tract admiration for her beautiful pearls
while the real gems lie safe in vault. The
result of this challenge to the pearl business
and the dog collar dowagers has not ye
been announced.
| Whether the much discussed Japanese
pearl will stay where the dealers want it
plainly classified as a culture pearl, also re-
mains to be seen. Mr.. Kokichi Mikimoto
the owner of the pearl farm, says he has al
ways sold r. goods as cultured pearls. Ir
one of his catalogues, he described the pro-
cess by which he induces the oysters on h
farm to make pearls.
But he says that he cannot be responsible