[fisu]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and have been checking out all the info on pearls. I decided I NEEDED and DESERVED some for my 50th coming up soon. I started looking at the Freshadama in white and multi coloured and then tended to gravitate towards the baroque Tahitian. I am not a very formal type of person and think the baroque may suit my style a little better. I would hate to buy pearls and leave them sitting alone, not being worn. I think the 18" sounds like a good length for all occasions. What should I look for in the baroque Tahitian pearls?? Stores here do dnot varry much int he way of pearls to check out. I have seen some pale pink/white/lavender coloured baroques in one store but not very expensive so I am presuming freshwater - would this be correct??

Would love any input on my first pearl purchase. You all seem so knowedgeable on the subject. I told my husband I would find what I wanted for my birthday and he could give them to me!!!

P.S. I am in Townsville, QLD, Australia so looking on the internet to purchase.

[Raisondetre]

If you're looking for baroques I highly recommend Pearl Paradise (the only legit PP around here). Jeremy's got some fantastic baroque freshwaters that are humongous (I find anything less than 10 mm small after those) which have excellent luster and form, and he's also got a new line of Tahitian baroques. With pearls, the grading criteria are similar regardless of type, size, shape, surface, luster, color - freshwaters are slightly different in terms of shape but if you're going baroque all bets are off. It's personal preference, really. PP's monthly special is a very good deal. I got a similar bracelet off Care Ehret (lovely pearls) with gold spacers and rolled gold clasp for almost double (not complaining, just saying how big the price difference is). There's a new line of Tahitian bracelets made from pearls from Josh of Kamoka pearl farm. I highly recommend it - it's unique and the pearls are farmed ecologically.

If you like smaller baroques, Cathy Cardellini has also got some and she lives in Australia too. www.catherinecardellinipearls.com - correct me if the website is wrong. Some of her new biwa and baroques are to die for. I got my favorite pink rice pearls off her.

For the really exotic go for Sea of Cortez (really can't afford these quite yet). Care Ehret does have a lot of these beauties and she tends to use high carat gold in her pieces as well. I love some of her more unique clasps. She sells on ebay under Druzy Design, and she does mostly baroques. I still prefer the more classic round strands for GSS and WSS, but she's got some interesting keshis as well.

[Jazz]

I'd like to second Raisondetre. I recently purchased two FW baroque necklaces (white and multicolored) from PearlParadise.com. The pearls are big, fat, smooth and lustrous and simply out of this world! Makes me wonder what those much-covetted, untreated exotics look like in person... I think these pearls came from China but my friends in China say they've never seen anything like it.

PurePearls also have some 8.5-9.5 mm FW baroques that look quite nice, and they are on sale, too.

[Sueki]

Hi Raisondetre,
Is that right ?
A bracelet from Care Ehret with a rolled gold clasp ?
I ask because I understood she always uses solid gold.

[Raisondetre]

I just meant the wire thingie that hooks on. Not sure if it's rolled or solid.

[Sueki]

Ah, thanks Raison.
It's certain to be solid gold - I'm sure Care never uses rolled gold.

[Raisondetre]

Ah, I see. I'm not very coherent this time of morning LOL

[Sueki]

Now I don't know where you are, but it's 7.20p.m. at night here....

[Raisondetre]

Well, it was 6 am when I posted (Sydney, Australia).

[Sueki]

And warm, too, I suppose.........