Quote:
Originally Posted by ghostman  Hi,
1. Are 7-8mm pearls too small? Looking at her 7mm earrings, I wonder if a string of these would look like children's play necklaces. I've only seen a handful of photos showing someone actually wearing their necklaces... not all of them specifying their pearl size.
2. What color pearls would be ideal? I'd have to stick with something traditional, since she's not the type to wear strongly colored pearls.
3. Is it appropriate for a wedding guest to wear pearls? Chalk it up to the fact that I'm a guy, but I don't know if there's anything taboo about it (like wearing white).
4. Are prices lower or higher during Mother's Day?
5. Are the Freshadama/Presidential/Elite/Gem pearls more or less equivalent in quality? Since there is no widely recognized "Hanadama" label, do they appraise as AAA?
6. Perhaps silly, but do Freshadama/Presidential/Elite/Gem pearls look too good to be real? What I mean is, do they look out of place being worn on a daily basis - the way a half-inch diamond sitting on someone's finger at the local grocery would be assumed to be fake.
7. Would prices of pearls in retail Hong Kong stores be much cheaper than those I can purchase online? Not that it's much of an option, but I'm curious since my folks will head there some time this year.
Thanks for your help in advance! Hope I'm not asking for too much for my first post. |
Welcome to the forum and kudos for being a great son! I'm no expert but will try to answer some of your queries as a more or less informed consumer.
I would say the pearls you have are white in body color with rose overtones. I don't know what they are but they do not appear high grade.
For an elderly lady (my mom's also 60, 5'3" but not overweight at 110 lbs) larger pearls do look more fitting. But it also depends on the size of her earlobes. I'm quite small so I don't think by the time I hit 60 my earlobes would grow any bigger, and 8.5 mm pearl studs look huge on my ears, so I don't think I'll graduate to the 9-10 mm preferred by larger ladies.
7-8 mm is a nice starter size especially for younger ladies. I'd go with at least 8-9 mm or 9-10 mm freshwaters (esp the gem grade pearls) with a white body color. Some prefer silver overtones for a mild tan, I personally think rose is universally flattering and the studs above look like they've got rose overtones as well. If she's got yellow undertones in her skin I don't think ivory would be the best choice.
Pearls are actually highly recommended especially for distinguished guests for all occasions. I'm Chinese myself - there is no taboo wearing pearls and in fact is a status symbol. I tend to overdo it as my pearls usually outshine the ones worn by the older guests, but I don't go to that many functions and I try to make sure the bride's not wearing pearls so it doesn't get awkward. But in terms of custom, no it's not taboo.
There are usually specials on for Mothers' Day and other monthly specials - you just missed the gem necklace on for January which was a truly great deal.
Freshadama, Presidential, Elite, Gem Fresh are all loose pearl grades meant for earrings. They are sourced similarly but with different specifications, e.g. roundness, luster, blemishing or orient. You need to state what you're looking for and the vendors/PGers who have bought from them will advise you on which one suits you best. There is no set grading criteria for freshwaters. You need to find a reputable vendor and look at their specific criteria.
For a bigger lady, a 8-9 mmm necklace of say freshadama would not look too good to be true. I'm small so I like to wear my 7-8 mm on a daily basis when it matches my clothes. You can tell just by looking at it it's gem quality, but it doesn't overwhelm the person.
Prices in HK will not be cheaper unless you find a clearance store. I'd buy diamonds but not pearls in HK unless you're bidding on Tahitian or something. Retail is definitely not cheap. You need to know what you're looking for and start negotiating. China is much better, but I would't bother for a set. Getting it online with the possibility of returning it is the safest way to go.
Hope this helps.