| Unfortunately, misidentification of all sorts is common among smaller designers. At trade shows, believe me, the gem&pearl police would have a heyday! Shell pearls described as Tahitian, resin beads as real coral & turquoise, quartz as topaz, goldfill as 14k, and on and on... I once had a rep who insisted on identifying nearly every stone as topaz. She honestly wasn't trying to mislead anyone - she simply wasn't educated and accuracy isn't as valuable as you'd think when the buyer isn't necessarily a jewelry store, but rather a gift or apparel store. That's why I love this site - since I'm a designer that works with pearls, I feel a personal responsibility to educate myself to represent my work honestly. Plus, I just love seeing all the fabulous pictures! |