SC - semi-precious stones and pearls

[margali]

Well, cream of tartar is tartaric acid, which can be found as crystals on wine
barrels. Maybe oyl of tartar is a liquid form either before it crysalizez or made
by admixing the tartaric acid into oil or alcohol or water?

My Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 8th edition says:
tartaric acid [dihydroxysuccinic acid]
properties: Colorless, transparent crystals, or white, fine to granular,
crystalline powder: has 2 asymetric carbon atoms and three known optical isomers:
odorless: acid taste, stable in air. Soluable in water, alcohol and ether.
[snip on boring details]
uses: chemicals [cream of tartar, tartar emetic, acetaldehyde]; sequestrant;
tanning; effervescent beverages; baking powder; fruit esters; ceramics;
galvano-plastics; photography; textile industry; silvering mirrors; coloring metals

Sequestrant means that it will remove certain classes of chemical from suspension
in a liquid [iirc] so perhaps the tartaric acid crystals added to the pearl/vinegar
solution will help precipitate out the pearl and then you use either water or
alcohol to dissolve the tartaric acid and rinse it out of the pearl solids left
from dissolution in vinegar?

My suggestion-perhaps crunch up some of the pearls and dissolve the in vinegar,
then shoot in some cream of tartar, shake well and filter through several layers of
filter paper. Take the resulting glop and mix into plain water, let stand for a few
hours or days to see if there is a fine white slime deposited on the bottom of the
glass and carefully pour of the water, add water again, repeat and then try drying
the slime and sniff to see if it has a smell different from the original seed
pearls, and that can easily be powdered to a cornstarch consistancy that has a
slight luster.
margali
[and for those noting the time and date, yes i am playing hooky from work. I have a
vacation day that needed using before the end of the month...]

Stefan li Rous wrote:

> If you do, I'd love to hear how it worked out. And when you think
> you've figured out what the "Oyl of Tartar" is please let me know. I
> think that was one of the questions that didn't get answered in the
> messages I kept. A simple message I can add to the file would be
> fine. But an article would be nice, too. :-)
> --
> Lord Stefan li Rous