[Spherical Flower]

My strand of pearls are arriving today...

Can't wait to see them!

So how do you post pictures in a thread?

Thanks.

[Casey.R]

I can't wait to see what you wound up with I use photobucket to post photos because I always need to size them but I think you can probably upload them from your computer.

[Spherical Flower]

Hey everyone, I know it's really late, but i've had a long day and I haven't had a chance to post untill now. (I don't expect a response untill late tommarow sometime lol.) So, I don't really know where to begin with this post. I recieved my strand of pearls today. I finally decided to go with a strand of Freshadamas from PP because I want to pass down my pearls and I expect them to last 100 years+. Overall impression of the Necklace: Very classy and elegant style, off and on the neckline. Pearls appear very round in shape, good luster, not as much rose overtone as I was expecting, and not as much orient as I was expecting. Also more blemishes then I was expecting, don't know why but I was expecting less blemishes then what im seeing. Maybe my expectations were set too high? I ordered a strand at 16 inches in length knowing that the 18 inches would be too long for my neckline. Problem is, it seems very very short for 16 inches and barely fits around my neck. Almost choker style on me. So what does everyone think about a choker length of white pearls? And I can't seem to get the custom clasp I ordered to sit right when the pearls are around my neck. I have a million questions for you experts: The strand seems a bit too tightly strung, and kinked, and like the silk thread was glued near the clasp, will the knots and the strand loosen up with wear and a short amount of time to make the necklace slightly longer? I need to know if 3 weeks or so is long enough for the knots to loosen up and make the strand longer, or I have to send it back before the return policy ends? I actually like the higher up on the neck choker style, altho im not sure if it's something I will regret later down the road. The clasp turned out very beautiful however, and it gives the strand a very elegant appeal, I love it. I will have to take some pictures tommarow and post them asap. More questions: What do you think I should do? Keep the necklace to see if it fits better with wear and time? Or send it back asap to get a replacement made? Thanks sooooo much for your help. Looking forward to sharing some pictures.

[jerin]

Originally Posted by Spherical Flower

Hey everyone, I know it's really late, but i've had a long day and I haven't had a chance to post untill now. (I don't expect a response untill late tommarow sometime lol.) So, I don't really know where to begin with this post. I recieved my strand of pearls today. I finally decided to go with a strand of Freshadamas from PP because I want to pass down my pearls and I expect them to last 100 years+. Overall impression of the Necklace: Very classy and elegant style, off and on the neckline. Pearls appear very round in shape, good luster, not as much rose overtone as I was expecting, and not as much orient as I was expecting. Also more blemishes then I was expecting, don't know why but I was expecting less blemishes then what im seeing. Maybe my expectations were set too high? I ordered a strand at 16 inches in length knowing that the 18 inches would be too long for my neckline. Problem is, it seems very very short for 16 inches and barely fits around my neck. Almost choker style on me. So what does everyone think about a choker length of white pearls? And I can't seem to get the custom clasp I ordered to sit right when the pearls are around my neck. I have a million questions for you experts: The strand seems a bit too tightly strung, and kinked, and like the silk thread was glued near the clasp, will the knots and the strand loosen up with wear and a short amount of time to make the necklace slightly longer? I need to know if 3 weeks or so is long enough for the knots to loosen up and make the strand longer, or I have to send it back before the return policy ends? I actually like the higher up on the neck choker style, altho im not sure if it's something I will regret later down the road. The clasp turned out very beautiful however, and it gives the strand a very elegant appeal, I love it. I will have to take some pictures tommarow and post them asap. More questions: What do you think I should do? Keep the necklace to see if it fits better with wear and time? Or send it back asap to get a replacement made? Thanks sooooo much for your help. Looking forward to sharing some pictures.

Hi Spherical Flower,

I had started to answer some of your questions when my cat decided it was time to take a walk over my keyboard and puff… everything I had written just disappeared as she apparently pushed the right buttons…, lol.

So I start all over:
1) The overtone can sometimes be very weak, I have only one strand of Freshadamas with very pronounced rose overtones.

2) As for orient: this quality is supposed to have orient and you can probably see it with the help of a halogen lamp but then again: I have Freshadamas that do not show orient in my opinion but have lovely luster and overtone, so that is OK with me. You can never ever compare the orient you see on Baroques with the one on spherical pearls. I think a factor may be treatments of different kinds, even though Freshadama quality is supposed to go almost without any!

They just cannot compete with the rich orient of the Baroque shapes in my opinion!

3) Blemishes: there should – if any at all – be only very slight blemishes.
My four strands look perfect to the eye – at very close inspection there are some very, very slight imperfections – however that is the real joy – there is no such thing as all pearls being perfect in a strand – that will also show you that you have real pearls and not Majoricas, which would be perfect uniform in size, shape, luster etc.

I am sure there is a perfect strand of pearls to be had – but at a cost!

4) Length: 16” is barely long enough for my neck as well and think about the possibility of putting on weight…. It is better to order a couple of extra pearls so you can put them in the strand once it is to be restrung! Or even take 18” from the beginning.
I don´t like the feeling of the pearls getting sweatty if getting hot. Anyway, don´t forget to wipe the strand after wearing it with a soft, moist cloth, not WET though, as it will stretch the silk and make restringing necessary much earlier than normally.

5) All newly knotted strands can be a bit kinky, just put it on a table and roll it gently and the knots will loosen up a bit. Or hang it, that also will do the trick. ( As I would not want to wear my wedding strand before the actual wedding, this is the best solution, I think).The third possibility is to simply wear them.

6) I don´t know what PP is thinking if you are returning the strand. Perhaps it would be allright as it is only the clasp that is custom ordered but you should expect to pay a fee to get the strand restrung with some more pearls and the clasp attached to it. I have a double row of Freshadamas, custom ordered and it says clearly that in case of custom orders you cannot return them as simply as otherwise. Check with PP before sending it!

However, send us some close up photos to be able to see the blemishes, please. I just cannot believe they would send you a strand with a custom clasp, where the pearls are not close to perfect!!! What does the certificate state?

[Hanaleimom]

[Also more blemishes then I was expecting, don't know why but I was expecting less blemishes then what im seeing. Maybe my expectations were set too high? [/quote]


Spherical Flower,
I am very picky also. I ordered the January special gem fresh necklace from PP. My observation of the gem fresh: no orientation and it is expected since it is not Freshadama; and even Freshadam does not have orient as the other posts stated. However, the pearls on the gem fresh necklace were almost flawless. They were not visible unless I twisted the pearls back and forth to look; and even so, there were very, very few tiny pits. A person standing next to me cannot see them unless he/she twisted my pearls with the intention of looking for imperfections. I am not sure about your strand having more flaws than you expected.

About the length, I get hot easily too and will not be comfortable if the pearls are too short. Can you measure the strand again? Maybe the stringer made a mistake? Your experience will guide me to measure my neck whenever I desire to order 16" just to be sure it drapes nicely and there is enough room. I think 18" is too long for me also, maybe 17" is a good length for some of us?

[airdancer]

To add on, am I right to understand that I should expect some imperfections if I order freshadama/presidential/elite/gem fresh range? I ordered a pair of earrings and they were flawless (ie no blemishes) so I've always expected the same of the necklace.

[lisamla]

I have gone back and forth on the length issue too. Sometimes I think 16" is too short and 18" is too long. The happy compromise is purchasing 18" and having it strung to 17". This way I can go anywhere between 16" and 18" as needed.

As for the blemishes, why don't you call PP and let them know. Maybe you received the wrong strand.

[Sueki]

The kinking is easily remedied by doing as Jerin suggests; also, runnning your hands over the necklace from end to end, gently untwisting the silk as you go, will do the trick.
Regarding the length, the silk will stretch a little with wear which may make it more cofortable for you.
But re. the blemishes - my own personal feeling is that if you are unhappy with the quality of the pearls, no amount of looking and feeling and wearing the necklace will make you feel better about them.
The necklace will end up in a drawer, never to be worn, with you trying not to think about the money spent.
Far better to return the necklace and receive one that you love and will treasure.
This is just my opinion, based on past experiences.

[Casey.R]

I'm happy to hear that for the most part your happy with the way the necklace looks but that sucks about the length not being right. Is there anyway you could pay to have it re strung with an extra inch put on? Is there actually no room between the necklace and your neck? It is possible that if you wear it will loosen up a bit ( it will at least soften up anyway). Maybe you could wear it around the house for the next few weeks.
Please post some pics when you can.

[jerin]

Originally Posted by airdancer

To add on, am I right to understand that I should expect some imperfections if I order freshadama/presidential/elite/gem fresh range? I ordered a pair of earrings and they were flawless (ie no blemishes) so I've always expected the same of the necklace.

Airdancer,

eaarings consist of just 2 perfect pearls,
a strand holds between 45 och 56 pearls, depending on size and of course makes it harder to get all pearls absolutely perfect. Of all my strands in Freshadama quality I can honestly say that there are maximum 2 pearls/strand that can show very, very slight imperfections and they can´t be seen when wearing them, only if one takes a very close look with a magnifier!

However, the certificate should mention this and so it does in mine.

[Spherical Flower]

Hey everyone, sorry it took so long for me to get back to the forums. I'm back to post the pictures I never got around to doing!

To address the blemishes, when I examined the pearls around the time I took the pictures, I noticed aprx. 25 pearls with noticable blemishes, and this is a 16 inch strand. Some of the blemishes are NOT tiny and they are easily seen, I can see some pits and lines, and some of the pearls in the front of the necklace have very noticeable blemishes. One pearl near the clasp has a blemish on the top side of the clasp, very noticeable, and it doesn't make sense to me why the stringer would not try to hide the blemishes when stringing the strand. Maybe they had so many strands to get through (with valentines day and the exotic specials) that they did a less then perfect job?

I am not happy with the amount of blemishes I see on the strand, and where they decided to place the blemished pearls throughout the strand. I was expecting nearly flawless pearls with a 5% blemish margine. I see more then this.

Anyway, for now I will just share the pictures, and finish answering all of your questions shortly, feel free to ask more in the meantime, i've been waiting to discuss this with all of you. The strand is being sent back Sunday/Monday this weekend, so It will be available for more pictures/comments/questions untill then. Take care.

[Spherical Flower]

Pictures...

[Spherical Flower]

more pictures..

[Spherical Flower]

and more..

[Spherical Flower]

Trying to find some close ups, but most of them turned out too blurry..