Hi Nan,
I am a direct Tahitian pearl importer, although I have not yet dealt
with any faceted pearls. I have seen faceted Tahitian pearls at the
Tucson show and discussed the creation process with one the dealers.
As I understand it, the facets are the result of using a faceted
nucleus rather than a perfectly round one. This gives it what I call a
"quilted" look, since the “facets” tend to be rounded a by the nacre.
To me it looks like a cross between a blackberry and a Tahitian pearl.
I was recently talking with a local jeweler here who is interested in
working them. I personally don’t like the look, but that is my own
personal taste. I love ringed pearls and I know that others don’t. I
am very interested in what others think. If they are popular, maybe I
will talk to my pearl farmer about supplying me with some.
Sincerely,
JoAnna Kelleher, owner
www.pearlexotics.com