How to tell the ripeness of oranges

[panacea]

I've been consuming hundreds of oranges every week lately, and specifically for the ambersweet orange variety (smaller than navel/valencia) I've been eating so many that I've kind of developed a sense for which ones are sweet (ripe) or not...

My system is like this: If the skin is smooth, with some freckles, but not a lot of pores all over, it is a sign the skin is "thin", not thick, and therefore there is more "flesh" inside. Also, in the late stages, the orange stops being so round, and becomes a tiny bit more "soft" to press and also "mishapen", because the skin of the orange is so thin and weak. This is ultimate ripeness I've found. If I pick only these oranges out of my boxes of hundreds, then I get really perfect delicious orange juice (in fact, I can never drink enough of it).

My question is, and I know time will tell, but I'm impatient - does anyone (RRM?) know if the thick-skinned oranges, with pores, will eventually become ripe like the ones with thin-skins, or does this only happen on the tree? I am aware some ripening occurs off the tree - but if it's not in this fashion, then there is no way for me to tell when they are truly ready.

It's a big deal to me because, if oranges do ripen like this off the tree, then I can use it as a food source by buying in bulk. If not, then all the oranges I buy will ripen all at the relatively same time, and I won't know when, which isn't a stable food source.

It's interesting that, ambersweet oranges are mixed with grapefruits, and when these oranges are ripe, their skin becomes more like a grapefruit (shiny, slick, thin) than an oranges. Although I've never eaten a grapefruit, just seen them.

[RRM]

does anyone know if the thick-skinned oranges, with pores, will eventually become ripe like the ones with thin-skins, or does this only happen on the tree?

Officially, fruits either ripe after picking, or do not.
One or the other.
In practise, its a sliding scale; one type of fruits experiences more ripening than the other.
Ripening of oranges off the tree is rather slow.

Yes, the thick skinned oranges with pores may eventually become equally ripe as the ones with thin skin.
There are numerous orange varieties. Some have thicker skins, and others a very thin skin.
All of them may ripen perfectly.
All of them ripen after picking.
So, its just a matter of waiting long enough (and the right temp and humidity), and avoiding bacterial and fungal degradation.

if oranges do ripen like this off the tree, then I can use it as a food source by buying in bulk. If not, then all the oranges I buy will ripen all at the relatively same time, and I won't know when, which isn't a stable food source.

Buying in bulk, they will always be ripe at almost the same time, as they are from the same batch.

[Aytundra]

Can the skin indicate if the orange is thick membraned and dry inside?
I once came across an orange that was not very juicy, the pulp had thicker membrane, comparing this orange to the other 4 oranges (Midknight), the skin of that orange was smooth at the top, while the other oranges had bumps like the bottom or a red delicious apple.

[RRM]

Can the skin indicate if the orange is thick membraned and dry inside?

Yes, there is a noticable difference,
but that difference is only noticable when comparing oranges from the same batch.