[laurenb]

Originally Posted by dkan 168

I have yet to see a Hanadama strand in person. All the time I lived in London and walked pass the Miki store in Old Bond Street, I never went in there once

Perhaps I need to when I am up there next, whenever that may be. I shall wear one of my gem-quality strands so that I can compare it against a Hanadama strand

DK

That's a brilliant idea and I wouldn't be surprised if you wind up having a great conversation. I think few people, particularly those in high end retail, are familiar with gem quality CFWPs and I expect they'll be very impressed.

[dkan 168]

Originally Posted by pattye

Yes, Dk, your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to go in there, dressed to the nines in your diamond earring jackets and stunning pearl necklace and check them out and report back!! Oh, Please!!

I have not been back to London since I relocated to Wiltshire over 2y ago, and am less likely to go now that my partner has gone, as he too liked London when he was alive

I am sure I shall return one day, and take a stroll down my favourite streets window shopping on jewellery, and I promise I shall pop into the Miki store

DK

[CLICLASP]

If usefull, I am used to enter anywhere (Cartier VC& A...) asking for seeing stuff, lucky enough for having a 3 MEuros ring at finger (natural 4 carats blue and pink diamond ring...).

About Miki pearls, one big shop is place Vendome in Paris :
Tahiti pearls are very big, but as being big, not so shiny, not the most beautiful I ever seen.
About SS white pearls, very big too, baroques and beautiful, truly
About Akoya, sorry I don't like them at all, small, round, perfect, no soul in my opinion.
About Hanadama , I have seen beautiful pinkish pearls with a golden halo but I have seen these ones somewher else too.
All this does not match the M. legend ... ah!! marketing !!!

[dkan 168]

Originally Posted by CLICLASP

If usefull, I am used to enter anywhere (Cartier VC& A...) asking for seeing stuff, lucky enough for having a 3 MEuros ring at finger (natural 4 carats blue and pink diamond ring...).

It's true about some snooty stores would eye up anyone walking through the store within seconds

I find walking around the jewellery hall in Selfridges in London very relaxing, as the staff there are never snooty IMHO

That ring sounds wonderful, pic please!



DK

[CLICLASP]

I mean I tryied it for few minutes....and it was a great experience...
What's interesting in pearls, it 's having a true beauty of a significant volume for little money compared to diamonds.
In another thread, it was focused that the financial crisis is a chance for pearls versus diamonds

GIA cuts jobs

[dkan 168]

It doesn't bother me going into jewellery stores as I am usually well-dressed in jewellery sense, however, clothes and shoes shops, yes, as I am not a trendy stick insect

DK

[Ragnorak]

Originally Posted by jshepherd

The farm is in Ehime Prefecture.

The place seems some how familiar. Then again much of the Ehime Ken coastline looks very similar. Can you say where the phots were taken?

[jshepherd]

Nope, not for dinner. This is the company Web site. The produce very fine akoya pearls.

http://www.akoya.bz/intro.html

[Owen Henderson]

I would just like to share with everybody a picture of the Akoya Pearl farms near Toba on the South Coast of Japan. The inventor of culturing pearls was from this area, Mikimoto, and there is a small island named after him which is home to a great pearl museum, which honours his contribution to the Japanese pearl industry.

There is also lot of great pearl shops along with rows of roadside traditional seafood resteraunts where you can pick the live oysters and sea snails from a tank and they will cook them for you as you talk with the locals.

[Johanna]

Thanks, Owen. It's beautiful and peaceful and looks like heaven on earth.