[Raisondetre]

Just wondering if vendors were generally willing to do customizations and how much the cost would be - e.g. different configurations like the double/triple strands with higher grade pearls (I know it has been done, just don't know how much), invisible clasps to combine necklace/bracelet lengths, special clasps, clip-ons rather than pierced earrings, basically anything you can think of.

My dilemma, apart from my non-pierced ears, would be the fact I'm partial to more unusual things like non-conventional clasps (I particularly like the Pearl Outlet's flower clasp with the pearl on it but they do not have the freshadamas). Again, with the invisible clasp PP doesn't actually do it themselves and I suspect would have to get it sent off to the special store in LA that does it. I don't mind paying for the modifications just to get what I want as long as it's not like half the price of the actual pearls themselves.

I don't know if it's an affliction, but I keep thinking about upgrading to bigger pearls now. I'd still wear my 7.0-8.0 mm freshadamas on a regular basis, and I can see now why they'd need restringing with regular wear. I just never thought I'd love my pearls so much. I literally go check out all the jewellery stores wearing them and still find them superior to any and all, including Akoyas of the same size (haven't seen any hanadamas IRL though).

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Raisondetre

I don't know if it's an affliction…I just never thought I'd love my pearls so much…I literally go check out all the jewellery stores .

Sounds very familiar! Insofar as customization of pieces (including the search and acquisition of loose pearls for eventual application), my take on the industry is that quality purveyors view this as a bright moment in their day—a creative break from the routine and welcome opportunity to deepen the seller/buyer relationship. And such a relationship is quickly compromised by opportunistic pricing.

Steve
Seattle

[Raisondetre]

You have no idea how far it goes. It was my day off today and I trudged through the city streets yet again. Went to about 3 different stores and also the Paspaley boutique (I know I can't afford anything there but still).

Such is the power of lighting on displays.

B & M 1.
I saw this dyed freshwater set that was 7.5-8.0 mm that went for about US$400. Looked fantastic, very lustrous and round in the glass case so I asked to see it in person. Once it was out of the display, it looked off round, and had moderate blemishes. The luster was very good and hid most of the flaws, but I also noticed slightly duller pearls which were also the smaller ones nearer to the clasp. There was some orient, but not as pronounced as the pics I see on PP. No water that I can tell though the contrast of the darker hue really helps with the orient and brings out maximum luster while covering up the blemishes. For the same price or less I could get AAA quality from PP that also includes the earrings and bracelet - I just have to find out if I can get the earrings customized to clip-ons without breaking the bank. I do have another friend who would love the studs, and I don't actually wear earrings, but it'd be nice to have something I could use. Hey, now I know the color is extremely rich, and PP's would probably be better matched.

B & M 2.
This was an upmarket pearl/pink diamond/opal store (I'm in Australia - these are nearly all native products). This blue-green, almost peacock 12.0 mm Tahitian pendant really spoke to me. I always thought that was too big but I'm just into bigger and bigger stuff as I get more acquainted with these beauties. It's set very simply, with a 14K yellow gold chain and a small diamond just on top of the pearl. This went for about US$1800 - I'm guessing more of it goes to the diamond than the pearl. The pearl was perfectly round, with excellent luster except where it was set - there was a dull patch just under it on the posterior surface where you don't see it normally - and light blemishing as far as I can tell. Extremely good orient, but no water. I did see some white SS that looked as though it could have water in the store.

B & M 3.
It looked perfect in the display. This was a white 10-11 mm freshwater strand with 14K gold clasp. Didn't pay much attention to the knotting. I was almost devastated when I saw how perfect it looked, almost putting down my freshadamas. I walked away, but simply had to go back and look at it in person. Guess what? When it was out of the display, it was off-round, had at least moderate blemishing; luster was at most very good, not excellent, and PP's freshadamas still won when worn side by side. I'm not convinced I saw any water even though this is better than most freshwaters that I've seen at local jewellers. This went for about US$800, and totally convinced me to go for a 9-10 mm freshadama set (this strand was just a tad too large although I could pull it off on really formal occasions) - will probably do it next year - gotta work on a 12.0 mm golden SS and then a Tahitian SS pendant by the end of this year.

B & M 4.
There was a Tuscow mixed Tahitian/South Sea necklace that really caught my eye at the DFS Galleria. I nearly thought they were shell pearls, and only upon closer inspection did I see that it was truly that lustrous. I didn't get to take it out of the display since I'm not really interested in buying. I'm guessing it was about a 10-11 mm strand, with colors matched from the champagne South Seas, to light green, silver, purple and then the darker Tahitians, then graduated back - at least 5 differing shades. It was an amazing array of colors - I have never seen pearls in so many hues arranged in an almost pastel coordination. The pearls probably would have blemishes on closer inspection, but it was so lustrous and round (as far as I could tell in the case) I wouldn't care. That went for about US$7000. If I had the money that'd be something I'd want, PPB or not. I don't know how commonly those colors occur, but if someone had these they'd fly out of the stores as soon as you could get them in. It might take years to have something this fancy matched up though. The purples/peacocks really spiced up the strand - they didn't go to true black which is probably what adds to the charm - lighter (but not all light) colors do make a very fetching picture especially for those whose skintones do not suit. I'm not normally a fan of multi-colored strands, but this is one I feel I must own. If only I had the money.

B & M 5.
Saw two rather curious strands that looked slightly off-round, but weren't too much bigger than say 9.0 mm (I'm guessing as it was placed close to a freshwater strand like the freshadamas I had on). Very lustrous, almost metallic, but I wasn't sure if there were Akoyas or small South Seas. One was practically white, and the other very slightly yellow (true light yellow, not cream or ivory) but not quite colored enough to call it champagne. The shape is not suggestive of Akoyas, but I have seen Akoyas that were off-round. The luster seems disproportionate for freshwaters though it's still in the right size range, perhaps even the best of SS's, and it may have been processed for it to have such uniformity across the whole strand - they were definitely real pearls as far as I can tell, but it just didn't look "natural". Any comments? I didn't get the prices of these - it was near closing time and the store owner didn't look too friendly.

Paspaley
What I was really impressed by were the pieces in Paspaley. I thought I'd died and gone to pearl haven. I swear if someone proposes to me with one of the 13.0 mm white SS necklaces with a paved diamond clasp I'd say yes immediately. Never mind it's too big and I can't pull it off. It was that beautiful. Then there was a 14.0 mm golden SS strand that went for about US$70,000, but it's Paspaley. They also had big South Sea pendants with a slightly dull surface - I don't know about the price difference, but I'd expected Paspaley to have only the best, and that kinda threw me. They didn't have much in terms of Tahitians, but what they had was premium. I'm gonna take my mom there next time we go.

Seriously, I already have my next 4 orders from PP worked out. I'm just waiting to see if I can get clip-ons, and perhaps time it with the Mother's Day special. Somehow I don't think the dyed freshwaters are the only ones I'm gonna get with this upcoming order. Sigh. At least I only buy it when I have the money in hand even with the credit card. Pearls aren't going to put me into debt, dammit!

I probably need more exposure to Akoyas - not convinced I've seen enough yet to definitely say something is or isn't Akoya. Most of the strands out here are either freshwaters or South Seas. Akoyas just don't seem too popular.

Anyone bored with my escapades of window shopping yet? I swear I can go on forever.

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by Raisondetre

Anyone bored with my escapades of window shopping yet? I swear I can go on forever.

Noo... Please try. A local Aussie who can go to the same shops may sometime get bored, but shopping reports from jewelry stores all the way across the world? That's always fun!

Wonder what the mysterious off-round, bright pearls from the last B&M were... There are a couple or more or less active akoya (or at least another species than the SS maker, there was a thread about them a while back) farms in your country. Maybe those pearls were such a think? As I am not terribly keen on roundness, their shape would have just been a bonus on top of the exceptional lustre you describe. Hope you can get back and find out!

[Kevin Canning]

my take on the industry is that quality purveyors view this as a bright moment in their day—a creative break from the routine and welcome opportunity to deepen the seller/buyer relationship

You said it, I always like doing custom work and I never charge anything extra. The customization is free, you just pay for the pearls and the gold.

[purepearls]

We are actually known for doing custom work. We do Invisible clasps, multiple strands, special clasps, casting and custom designs. Many of my customers want something that is slightly different so it reflects their personality and I really think that it is important to accomodate our customers in whatever way we can. We also have Freshwater Elite pearls that we can use for you if you want a larger size than what you have right now.

Best,

[Raisondetre]

Great to know. Gotta save up first though. Plagiarising, so many pearls, so little time! I get mesmerized by the surrealness of the luster and water. Looks like a perfect drop of molten sunshine.

[jerin]

Originally Posted by purepearls

We are actually known for doing custom work. We do Invisible clasps Best,

Hi Amanda,

where can I get some invisible clasps when I want to do a little stringing with loose pearls myself?

So far I have not been able to find any invisible clasps that I could order. Have been looking at Bella Findings, Artbeads, Fire Mountain Gems, Halsteads and even tried Rio and a New York company, the last two do not offer to casual, international customers at all....

Would it be possible to order from You just the clasps?

P.S. I like your collection of pearls with coloured diamonds, unfortunately I find studs not very practical in my job, as I am listening through earphones and they are very hard on my ears when I have studs..... DS

Perhaps You could offer a line of nice pendants in different colours....

[knotty panda]

What are invisible clasps?

[jerin]

Hi Knotty Panda,

what exactley they do look like, I don´t know either but they connect different parts of a pearlrope very discreetly so that You can divide the long necklace in several smaller parts, i.e. necklaces, bracelets and so on. The invisibility is just to ensure that the overall look of a very long necklace is not disturbed, which it would be if You use clasps that are normally used and they are for the most part larger. My problem is that so far I haven´t seen them at the companies I order from.
If You have a library where You can borro "Pearl Buying Guide" by Renée Newman, You can see lots of arrangements of pearl necklaces but I don´t think there is an invisible clasp in them. Instead they use a clasp in Fig. 16.3 (looks lika boll), that we have posted on (clasps), have a look, if You don´t find it, let me know and I will search my papers for it.

Another way of shortening or giving the necklace a different look is to use a shortener or an enhancer.

Last but not least I can recommend the book, the ISBN is 0-929975-27-28, the fourth edition is the latest, I believe. Very beautiful photos, good pearl education too.

[pattye]

Hi All,

The invisible clasp I'm aware of is made with a special piece inserted in each of 2 adjacent pearls, that locked together instead of a knot between those 2 pearls. It would require special drilling and gluing. So basically it looks like a continuous strand of pearls. If you have a source for 14k and 18k jewelry supplies they might be willing to order 2 sets for you.

It also sounds like it is available from our online pearl dealers although no photos of it are shown. To see what they look like check out www.stuller.com, and check out the barrel catch under the clasps section. Stuller is a huge company that does findings and settings among other things. I don't think we can order direct. Personally I wouldnt want to try drilling out any of my good pearls myself !!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[knotty panda]

I sort of thought that was the idea, but I wasn't sure. I have a contact in Hong Kong who, depending on her vendors supplies, does carry white freshwater pearls which are drilled to accommodate a box clasp, similar to the high karat gold bead clasps we normally see. The finding to make her clasps function are sterling. Her pearls are in the 6-7MM range. I think NYFindings.com carries something called a "mystery" pearl clasp. When Michelle's supplies are replenished, which won't be until September, I'll see if I can get a pic from her to see if that might accommodate your needs.

[Caitlin]

Check out Amanda at PurePearls. She can get the clasps and she can do the work and she is willing to do so.