[pandaexpress]

So I had some spare time today and decided to drop by Nordstorm (really for shoe shopping) but hey might as well check out their pearls as well. First thing that caught my eye were the Majoricas. I think someone else has talked about them in this forum but I've never seen them before and was pretty curious about them. The sales lady said they were made up of ground up MOP and pearls and that they took a MOP bead and dipped it into this ground up solution 48 times. It was very shiny and seemed to have orient? (not sure if this is even possible - but I'm a newbie). And because it is sorta fake it didn't seem to have any 'natural' imperfections. Still with only 48 dips I gotta believe the nacre isn't very thick - won't these wear out after a while? Well anyway, it looks nice.

Then I decided to look at the Mikis they had in stock - YIKES - I would feel sorry for anyone who ended up buying them thinking they were good. Yes they had very good luster and were shiny but they had so many imperfections - the sales lady confirmed they were only A or A+ - they had numerous pits and wrinkles and bumps - almost on every single pearl. You can't really see it from a distance but as you bring the strands closer to your face you can really see it very clearly.

Compared to the Freshadamas from Jeremy - those win hand down compared to the Mikis I saw at Nordstorm. Jeremy's Freshadama's are much cleaner, very close luster and shine and have orient. Oh did I mention Nordstorm wanted over $4k for the strand?! For only A to A+???!!!

As for the Majoricas, well they were running about $300-$400 but I'd rather pay less for solid nacre freshwater pearls from Jeremy AAA or gem quality and have something that lasts a life time. I think the majoricas almost look too perfect, too shiny round because they are fake.

Anyway, I'm glad I had a chance to see other pearls so I know I got the best from Pearl Paradise and that I remain a committed freshwater pearl fan after seeing the alternatives.

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by pandaexpress

First thing that caught my eye were the Majoricas…seemed to have orient? (not sure if this is even possible…)

Of course it is possible—and an 'orient' more impressive and predictable than the best mikimotos, tahitians, freshwater, keshi and Sea of Cortez pearls combined. Fortunately, the pearl industry maintains a level of credibility by omitting 'orient' from grading terminology. But the term retains a stubbornly romantic appeal.

[knotty panda]

I'm not sure I'd call it orient. Iridescence, but not orient. Majoricas are coated with fish scales which gives them their iridescence. At least they used to be. Maybe they are using some sort of vapor disposition now. They are very pretty and get a good price for faux pearls. I'm not sure about their weight, though. They may be a bit lighter than PPBs.

[Pearl_dreams]

I have 5 strands of Majorica. They are glass beads dipped repeatedly (30-40 times) into essence d'orient (a mixture of fish scales + lacquer) and then highly polished. They have a green and red pseudo-orient that is consistent from bead to bead, but no overtones and no true orient.

They are very durable, but can be damaged by perfumes etc. and need to be kept clean as do nacreous pearls. Because they are glass, they are heavier than pearls.

My grandmother bought my mother a strand during one of her trips to Europe. I don't think they realized they were imitation. But that was my introduction to this brand, which I believe are considered among the best imitations made.

I bought my first strand at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport-- a 6mm strand that cost about $68 in 1986, and I wore them at my wedding. My husband's wealthy cousin's wife came over and made a comment that she could tell they were family heirlooms! LOLOL!!! NOT!! But they did look very nice.

For our first Christmas together, 1992, my husband bought me a 30" , 7mm strand -- they were $230. I still love wearing them with my turtlenecks. They look as good as when I bought them and it doesn't bother me at all that they are imitations.

About 5 years ago I took this strand with me to a nearby mall --this mall has the typical mall jewelers but no one who sells high end Akoyas. I was considering getting Akoyas and I wanted to compare them with my nice Majorica imitation strand. I visited every store that had pearls, including the anchor department stores. With the sole exception of Michaels, not one store had a strand that looked as good as my Majoricas. So I put the idea of getting Akoyas on the back burner.

Then I discovered the high quality freshwaters! Now I would absolutely tell people to get the Freshadamas, especially in the smaller sizes. Why spend hundreds on imitation when you can have the real thing? If you can't get Freshadamas, get the AAA.

However, there is a place in the world for imitations. That may not be the most popular opinion on a board devoted to the Real Thing! But for the record, I do prefer the freshwaters. Their overtones are delightful.

[lisamla]

I recently tried on a strand of Mikimoto pearls at a Miki shop. I did not find them to be nearly as blemished as you. I would guess they were A or A+ based on the price ($3,000 USD, 7-7.5, 16"), but I did not ask. They were quite striking and I would certainly not feel sorry for anyone owning them. Sure, you pay extra for the name, but its all about what you like and what makes you happy in the end.

I own a diamond and pearl pendent from Mikimoto. I know I could have found something similar for less, but I was drawn to this particular piece and was willing to pay extra to have what I want. I never look at it and think "Boy did I pay too much." I look at it and think how pretty it is.

Advantages and disadvantages can be found in all types of pearls. It just comes down what an individuals likes. I think it is important to have what you like - and sometimes this results in larger price tag.

[airdancer]

Oh, in the picture 'girl with a pearl earring' by vermeer, it has been said that the pearl is a majorica - not a real pearl. The pearl in the picture is an extremely lustrous oval/teardrop shaped pearl. Very pretty!

[Pearl_dreams]

I don't think it could have been Majorica as the brand doesn't date back to the 1600s. But it may well have been imitation. Even Leonardo da Vinci experimented with making imitation pearls.

[olmander]

Here we are here in Amsterdam - yes, it is true, one can buy Majorca at a good price here. I got a set (16 inches necklace and earings) a couple of years ago for only EUR 50 (which was just 50% down from the original price during the winter sale). It looks very pretty indeed but somehoe the knowledge of them being fake after I have now different types of real ones leaves me cold to them.

Mikimoto is available too but this is rather for tourists, I guess. Much more popular here is Shoeffel and Gellner (both German companies). Both have pretty high standards, although it is possible to have a good bargain too. For instance, my Akoya strand (8-9 mm) is from Gellner, it definitely has some imperfections (although you have to look really from a close distance) but the luster is SO-O great that I crashed on it from the first glance. And the price was only EUR 480 (without a lock), which is unbelievable for Akoya's. It's just a good luck. And for this I like those imperfections particularly dearly

Shoeffel has all sorts of different interesting designs and forms, they catch the new trends very quickly, and quality is always good. I was just yesterday staring at their very large SS baroques in the shopwindow - so-o beautiful... very expensive though... But still more available than Miki...

[Nerida]

I think I said in another strand that I stock and sell plenty of what are usually called (in Oz) "shell" pearls - glass beads coated with multiple layers of crushed MOP. They are often coloured to look like golden SS's, or white SS's - there are even some made to imitate gorgeous baroque shapes. They are also frequently set in multicolours - a trio of colours alternating. The beads I buy are weighted to simulate real pearls - thus they sit and move well on the body. HOWEVER, I try very hard not to sell them as Majorca pearls, or shell pearls - I think it should be made VERY clear that they are not true pearls. They are simply fun costume jewellery pieces that are often available for under $100 AUD here - although sometimes up to 2 and 3 hundred depending on the retailer. They do look fabulous, and yes, some wearers will definitely be assumed to be wearing SS's when wearing these... I can post pictures if anyone is really interested.

[airdancer]

Originally Posted by Pearl_dreams

I don't think it could have been Majorica as the brand doesn't date back to the 1600s. But it may well have been imitation. Even Leonardo da Vinci experimented with making imitation pearls.

oops..haha.... i didn't know Majorica is a brand name - I've never seen it before

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by knotty panda

Iridescence, but not orient.

That's the entire point—that iridescence/pearlescence is the lay understanding and trade-promoted concept of orient, and the disparate attempts by the trade to come up with a PPB-era consensus on a definition are grossly inadequate. Simply put, 'orient' is a myth—or at the very least is wide open to individual interpretation.

[jerin]

Originally Posted by Nerida

I think I said in another strand that I stock and sell plenty of what are usually called (in Oz) "shell" pearls - glass beads coated with multiple layers of crushed MOP. They are often coloured to look like golden SS's, or white SS's - there are even some made to imitate gorgeous baroque shapes. They are also frequently set in multicolours - a trio of colours alternating. The beads I buy are weighted to simulate real pearls - thus they sit and move well on the body. HOWEVER, I try very hard not to sell them as Majorca pearls, or shell pearls - I think it should be made VERY clear that they are not true pearls. They are simply fun costume jewellery pieces that are often available for under $100 AUD here - although sometimes up to 2 and 3 hundred depending on the retailer. They do look fabulous, and yes, some wearers will definitely be assumed to be wearing SS's when wearing these... I can post pictures if anyone is really interested.

Yes, please do!

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by pandaexpress

Then I decided to look at the Mikis they had in stock - ...they had very good luster and were shiny but they had so many imperfections - the sales lady confirmed they were only A or A+ - they had numerous pits and wrinkles and bumps - almost on every single pearl.

Ha! Knockoffs maybe? A bit surprising from a recognizable retailer, but you never know...

[Mikeyy]

My sister in law has a strand of Majorca's that I was looking at yesterday. They are beautiful. I have seen the top quality Japanese artificial pearls. In fact I have a crate of them. And they don't compare. I am not a promote of artificials but the process they use makes a nice looking product. Anyone want a box full of Japanese fakes.

[Pearl_dreams]

A crate of them, eh? That is a lot of fake pearls! Still, people do like them. You could sell them on eBay....

Or use them to decorate your Christmas tree!