Pearl-Guide.com - Cultured Pearl information and Pearl Forums

Google Custom Search
Pearl-Guide.com
The Forum
About Us
News and Events
Cultured Pearls
Cultured Pearls
Saltwater Pearls
Freshwater Pearls
Akoya Pearls
Tahitian Pearls
South Sea Pearls
Cortez Pearls
Keshi Pearls
Mabe Pearls
Natural Pearls
Natural Pearls
Conch Pearls
Melo Melo Pearls
Abalone Pearls
Scallop Pearls
Pearls in History
History of Pearls
Pearl History Timeline
Famous Pearls
Kokichi Mikimoto
Pearls and Medicine
Pearls in Myth
Pearl Cultivation
Pearl Producing Mollusks
Pearl Farming
Pearl Nucleus
Pearl Harvest
Pearl Treatments
Pearl Care & Grading
The Pearl Necklace
Caring for Pearls
Grading Pearls
Pearl-Guide FAQ
Glossary of Terms
Forum Rules and Policies
Contact Us

Mikimoto Blue Lagoon Question

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 12-21-2006, 11:17 AM
ejc ejc is offline
New to the forum
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4
I purchased a Mikimoto Blue Lagoon necklace 10-15 years ago and paid $1,500.00 for them at Service Merchandise. The below URLs are pictures of the necklace. The pearls are light pink in color and are 6.5-7mm in size.

Looking around on the internet, all the blue lagoon pearls I see now are white and the most expensive I have found is $800.00.

Did they use a better grade of pearl back when I bought mine, did I pay too much for mine, or am I missing something?

Thanks.



http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...i/100_0849.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...i/100_0848.jpg
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 12-21-2006, 01:08 PM
Zeide Erskine Zeide Erskine is offline
Second-graft Pearl
Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 969
Hi EjC,

Did you replace the clasp? Without the proper Blue Lagoon clasp, a Blue Lagoon necklace is just a mystique-free akoya necklace. The color should have nothing to do with quality, though, because the pink in akoyas is just dyed after all.

Zeide

Last edited by Zeide Erskine; 12-21-2006 at 02:15 PM.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 12-21-2006, 02:30 PM
Valeria101's Avatar
Valeria101 Valeria101 is offline
Third-graft Pearl
Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,704
No reason to believe pearls changed, the brand's policy might have: after all, the seller doesn't promise that their merchandise will be worth more later or that they will maintain their price structure, or whatever.

Besides, there are so many more akoya pearls out there every day. No wonder even a top brand needs to acknowledge that their label in not irreplaceable after all.

The treatment of the day (overtone, say) comes and goes with fashion and customer surveys...

IMO.

However, the price you paid will stay on record, if you ever wanted to sell them (there are some papers with it on, no?). And potential buyers of your vintage Mikimoto pearls may wonder the same and find their own answer that may equate purchase price with value as often as not. Sure, signed estate jewelry comes with enough discount to make the point moot... mostly.

Other than that, they are worth what they are worth to you. Few jewelry is excepted from disappointing re-evaluation after purchase. Aside some rarefied items with very patient owners, everything is way more expensive to buy than to sell.

If memory serves...


PS:
It really is funny to see brands trashed and pumped on the Net. Is there a forum with Miki fans, Zeide? There seem to be enough out there, or mustn't' they speak with each other?
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 12-21-2006, 03:19 PM
Zeide Erskine Zeide Erskine is offline
Second-graft Pearl
Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 969
Hi Ana,

I assume that there is a forum for brand collectors but the problem with Mikis is the disparity between purchase price and durability. Most Miki owners encounter wear too soon to really grow into Miki fans.

Zeide
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 12-21-2006, 04:25 PM
ejc ejc is offline
New to the forum
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4
Zeide, the clasp has not been changed unless it was changed in the store before I purchased them.

Actually, I am not interested in their value, I was just curious as to why Blue Lagoon pearls are now about half of what I paid for mine. My wife is happy with them and that is all I care about.

Thanks for the input.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 12-21-2006, 04:36 PM
Zeide Erskine Zeide Erskine is offline
Second-graft Pearl
Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 969
Hi Ejc,

I was only asking because the clasp did not look like any Blue Lagoon clasp I am familiar with. As such, you may have gotten a higher-quality but non-branded strand in a Mikimoto box.

Anyway, prices have come down due to changes in the distribution structure, i.e. more retailers buying stock for cash payment discounts rather than on memo credit. That created price competition and brand erosion.

Zeide
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 12-21-2006, 08:32 PM
ladykemma ladykemma is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 46
that clasp does not look right....

anyway blue lagoons nowadays are really cheapo crud. your pearls probably were higher quality then than blue lagoon now.
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 12-21-2006, 08:38 PM
jshepherd's Avatar
jshepherd jshepherd is offline
Super Moderator
Senior Pearl-Guide.com Pearl Expert
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 2,524
The Blue Lagoon line is akin to Tiffany and Iridesse (for the most part). It is their low-end product line. 15 years ago (especially if the pearls are still nice) they likely carried a superior product.
__________________
Jeremy Shepherd
President and Founder
PearlParadise.com, Inc.
The PearlParadise.com Channel
Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiGoogle Bookmark this Post!Share on FacebookStumble this Post!
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

All times are GMT. The time now is 09:06 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.1.0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18