Washington D.C. Chapter: Pearls: Questions & Answers with Teresa Tkacik
Thursday, March 16, 2017
7-9 p.m.
Arlington, VA, United States
Teresa Tkacik will discuss pearls, including a brief history, characteristics, cultured pearls, pearl simulants and a hands-on demonstration of how to evaluate pearls.
Size, shape, color, luster, surface quality and nacre quality are important pearl value factors. Pearls are often larger in size and luster compared to those of the past, and colors can be brilliant, metallic and out-of-this-galaxy beautiful. This is often credited to the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers production of freshwater mollusks that produce high quality beads used in grafts.
Please bring a 10X loupe and a flashlight, as well as a personal sample of pearls for evaluation. This will be a fun learning experience to help you buy or sell pearls.
Tkacik, who is certified by the Cultured Pearl Association of America, has educated retail sales representatives in Cartier’s and Nordstrom’s fine jewelry departments. She also designs pearl necklaces for infant girls, with the hope they grow up to love and collect pearls as adults.
Prior to her experience working with pearls, Tkacik was a medical professional who practiced pulmonary critical care and family medicine in Alexandria, Virginia. She then worked as a medical attaché in West Africa for the U.S. State Department and attended to and trained medical and non-medical personnel in Pristina, Kosovo with the United Nations Peacekeeping operations.
