CARE, VALUE AND SALE OF PEARLS 181 



The Baroques are : The Rose-Bud or Strawberry 

 Pearl, the Turtle-Back Pearl, the Biscuit Pearl and other 

 valuable nuggets. 



The Slugs include : The Spike, or Hinge Pearl, and the 

 other ordinary formations, and the smaller pieces called 

 Chicken Feed. 



The various kinds of fine pearls are usually graded as 

 large, medium and small pearls ; a large pearl, weigh- 

 ing fifteen grains or more ; medium, five to fifteen grains ; 

 and the small, under five grains. 



The sizes of the grades given here are not always used, 

 some dealers using other gradations. 



One buyer offered $30.00 per grain for perfect large 

 ball pearls, and $20.00 per grain for perfect medium 

 pearls. These prices are too low, although the price of- 

 fered for the medium size of perfect ball pearl is about 

 as good as buyers usually pay. 



The most valuable one is the large perfect ball pearl, 

 which is white and very translucent. The value of these 

 is nearly always underestimated and pearl hunters do not 

 demand enough for them. The large perfect ball pearls 

 are in great demand for centers of necklaces and the 

 value of pearls weighing more than ten grains increases 

 very rapidly with the increase in size. 



The other forms of large perfect pearls are often 

 nearly as valuable, and as they are often used singly in 

 jewelry it is not so important for them to be white. If 

 they are perfect they may have any bright live color and 

 be of great value, although light pink, sky blue, and pea- 

 cock green are especially desirable. 



