Unrecognized gauge marked "PERLES"

Does anyone recognize this?

It was given me by a (now deceased) friend with an interest in clocks. As an indication of size beyond the rule, the no 3 hole is about 0.040".

I don't think it is a gauge for measuring pearls!

Hmm, goes against the usual convention of larger numbers representing smaller diameters. No ides

Looks a bit like a Wire Drawing Plate to me, used for pulling annealed wire through to gradually reduce its diameter.

Unfotunately I cannot remember how the hole numbering system works on those (age thing).

P.S. I think there is a power tool manufacturer called Perles.

Edited By V8Eng on 01/05/2017 18:37:10

Looks like a gauge for measuring wire size using something like BWG (Birmingham Wire Gauge)

Bead, pearl,  stone gauge.

**LINK**

Martin C

Edited By Martin Connelly on 01/05/2017 18:35:06

.

But of course, it is

[ well done, Martin C ]

MichaelG.

Wire drawing numbers always get bigger as the holes get smaller, because they are a count of how many times the wire has been through the die.

Neil

Perles being French for pearls may confirm info above 🤔🤔

Except of course, Whitworths Wire Gauge which goes from 1 (meaning 1 thou) up to 500 (meaning 500 thou or half an inch)

Brian

Why couldn't they just specify the diameter in objective units?

Makes life so much easier.

Regards

Richard

Because the last thing the jewellery trade want is objective buyers?

Brian

Pearls,etc it is!

Thanks to those who identified my gauge; interesting that beads, pearls and stones (diamonds) are apparently measured in the same way and difficult to see what use or ornament a no 1 pearl would be.

John Flack: I was aware of the French word which, on checking, I see also means bead and howler.

The absence of a maker's name suggests that it may be shop-made.

Thanks Neil.

I have a couple of small size plates for circular wire and one for square, for various reasons accesss is not posssible at present and I could not remember the numbering system.

Edited By V8Eng on 02/05/2017 09:59:25

Edited By V8Eng on 02/05/2017 10:00:19

EGA, seed pearls in jewelry are going to be about size 1. If you want even sizes then a gauge is needed.

**LINK**

Martin C

Martin Connelly:

Thanks. I see that according to winterson.co.uk:

"The famous Baroda Pearl Carpet, sold at auction by Sotheby's in 2009 for $5.5m, was covered with around 1.4 million seed pearls, all drilled by hand and sewn decoratively onto the fabric."

Those holes are almost big enough to measure the pearls of wisdom in this forum

Neil