[Luckykelleyk]

I am extremely torn, and I really need opinions. I am either going to get

these...
http://www.thepearloutlet.com/servle...modityID=29209

or of course, these
http://www.pearlparadise.com/detail.aspx?ID=746

They are about the same price, so I just can't decide. Has anyone ever bought or seen the gemfresh pearls from pearl outlet? Im sure they are wonderful, I just wonder how they compare to the freshadamas?

Which ones should I get?

[Bodecia]

This is a really hard decision as both lots are very beautiful and of the highest quality. I suppose the decision comes down to if you already have top quality Akoyas or are a purest as far as beaded pearls etc. I think it is a very hard decision and not one that many will want to answer here. (( Sticking our collective necks out between two top sellers is probably not very bright.

I intend one day when I stop spending too much to save up for a top strand of Freshadamas and that would be my choice between the two but this is mainly because I already have some very good Akoyas and I am becoming a purist the longer I collect so those with all nacre appeal more and more to me.

Saying that I still love Cultured Pearls such as Cortez , Tahitian and the very best Akoya. Hell the list goes on even with the FW cultured pearls such as Kasumi and I wish I could get my hands on some of the Chinese Kasumi look-a-likes.

Anyway it is really down to you and what you really want. If haven't been collecting long, you will :0 and you could become addicted like the rest of us. Not enough years or money for all the pearls we want. Whatever you will buy the others before long - hah, hah. You just can't stop. None of us can.

Bodecia

[jerin]

Originally Posted by Luckykelleyk

I am extremely torn, and I really need opinions. I am either going to get

these...
http://www.thepearloutlet.com/servle...modityID=29209

or of course, these
http://www.pearlparadise.com/detail.aspx?ID=746

They are about the same price, so I just can't decide. Has anyone ever bought or seen the gemfresh pearls from pearl outlet? Im sure they are wonderful, I just wonder how they compare to the freshadamas?

Which ones should I get?

Why don´t you order both and return one of them? I have only bought Tahitians from The Pearl Outlet but am very satisfied and I think it is just a question which one of the strands maybe shows some orient.

[Caitlin]

The graduated strand is more old fashioned looking- like it came from your family before or during the 1950's.
In the 1960's same size pearls took over the market and graduated pearls became very scarce. That is what I have noticed; it is not the official history, but it is the belief I am operating under.

So I see the choice as being: Old fashioned? Or Modern?

[Perle]

I agree with Caitlin and Jerin. I would try them both!

I think you will get a lovely necklace from either of the brothers Shepherd, it's really just a question of which style you prefer. I believe they're meant to be the same grade (the GemFresh description is similar to the Freshadama description). If you have questions re grading, I would just send them a PM (they don't always see every thread).

Perle

[Luckykelleyk]

So thanks to some helpful inside info (wink wink) I chose the graduated pearls from pearl outlet. I still plan on getting freshadamas, but I would really love those in lavender. I love the look of the graduated pearls, especially because they are mainly for my wedding.

[Bodecia]

Hi, and sorry but I do not agree with trying both strands and sending one back, unless ofcourse you decide to keep both. It seems unfair to both sellers. Just not cricket. I do realise it is an honest attempt at finding the strand or type of strand that suits you but I think research is the answer rather than, to my mind at least, in using both seller's good will. I do not believe this is why there is a return and a 100 percent guarantee on products and fail to see why a seller should wear the brunt of the staff's time, resouces, expertise etc and then that the company should have to do all the trusting.

If is is a matter of quality it is quite a different manner and one should be able to return less than advertising goods. But this is not the case as I see it. For the most part I am a consumer but I have also been on the other end and fair is fair.

Caitlin so old fashioned look (vintage) or modern, not try both and just bugger the seller. I don't see that as fair at all. I am sure Caitln would agree or think she would. Same generation, same or similiar values. Sorry about the language but the ideas that have been put forward smack of using up a seller's good will. I realise most people under 30 or so may not agree but ..... I still think I am right. I haven't even looked at the names with the other view points, no need too. We all look at these things differently.

If I was under 30 or around 30ish I would go for the Akoyas. Now I would go for the Freshadamas. If you are buying knew that is. I am a bargain hunter and sometimes really win out. Overtimes I lose badly. Way it goes. Only thing I gamble on is Pearls

Bodecia - say it like I feel it at the moment.

[Perle]

Originally Posted by Bodecia

Hi, and sorry but I do not agree with trying both strands and sending one back, unless ofcourse you decide to keep both. It seems unfair to both sellers. Just not cricket. I do realise it is an honest attempt at finding the strand or type of strand that suits you but I think research is the answer rather than, to my mind at least, in using both seller's good will. I do not believe this is why there is a return and a 100 percent guarantee on products and fail to see why a seller should wear the brunt of the staff's time, resouces, expertise etc and then that the company should have to do all the trusting.

If is is a matter of quality it is quite a different manner and one should be able to return less than advertising goods. But this is not the case as I see it. For the most part I am a consumer but I have also been on the other end and fair is fair.

Caitlin so old fashioned look (vintage) or modern, not try both and just bugger the seller. I don't see that as fair at all. I am sure Caitln would agree or think she would. Same generation, same or similiar values. Sorry about the language but the ideas that have been put forward smack of using up a seller's good will. I realise most people under 30 or so may not agree but ..... I still think I am right. I haven't even looked at the names with the other view points, no need too. We all look at these things differently.

If I was under 30 or around 30ish I would go for the Akoyas. Now I would go for the Freshadamas. If you are buying knew that is. I am a bargain hunter and sometimes really win out. Overtimes I lose badly. Way it goes. Only thing I gamble on is Pearls

Bodecia - say it like I feel it at the moment.

Well, I can only speak for my own experience with Pearl Paradise (I never exchanged anything with The Pearl Outlet), but they always seem to be very understanding about the special circumstances of buying over the Internet. Because you cannot see the pearls in real life, as you can in a bricks-and-mortar store, sometimes exchanges and even returns are necessary. I have ordered multiple strands from PP, often Mia sends several for approval, obviously this involves some back-and-forth.

Of course I agree that some research can help narrow one's choices. It also can save money, since the customer usually pays for shipping. But, as far as time is concerned, naturally, even in a bricks-and-mortar store, not every inquiry results in a sale. But, hopefully, it might in the future. Pearl Paradise, for example, has wonderful customer service - I think they know they have a fantastic product, and so if it doesn't result in a sale this time, it likely will next time.

Yes, I should have separated the two comments, I agree with Caitlin's assessment re vintage/modern and Jerin's comment re trying both. I do not know what Caitlin's opinion is re the latter.

I think it's really sad that an attempt to provide suggestions to someone results in people's values being judged.

Incidentally, both necklaces are Freshwater.

Perle

[Caitlin]

I have never bought two things and returned one, so I have never thought about it. After thinking for a while……..

If I were a seller, I would certainly hope the return rate is low. But I would take sellers at their word which is “for any reason”, if I am correct. It is a very gracious offer and not all sellers make it. That kind of attitude is very old fashioned and classy and rare to find nowadays. I don’t think it is abused much either.

I do think when you are buying long distance for an important event like a wedding, it may not be much different than engaging a clerk for some time to try on every pearl necklace in the place, and then decline to buy, if nothing has all the elements you want. It may be disappointing to the sales person, but it isn’t the end of the world.

The good sales people know the gracious attitude will be remembered and the desire to see the customer get the exact piece they want will be remembered as well and both are good credit, so to speak, for the future.

[jerin]

Originally Posted by Bodecia

Hi, and sorry but I do not agree with trying both strands and sending one back, unless ofcourse you decide to keep both. It seems unfair to both sellers. Just not cricket. I do realise it is an honest attempt at finding the strand or type of strand that suits you but I think research is the answer rather than, to my mind at least, in using both seller's good will. I do not believe this is why there is a return and a 100 percent guarantee on products and fail to see why a seller should wear the brunt of the staff's time, resouces, expertise etc and then that the company should have to do all the trusting.

If is is a matter of quality it is quite a different manner and one should be able to return less than advertising goods. But this is not the case as I see it. For the most part I am a consumer but I have also been on the other end and fair is fair.

Caitlin so old fashioned look (vintage) or modern, not try both and just bugger the seller. I don't see that as fair at all. I am sure Caitln would agree or think she would. Same generation, same or similiar values. Sorry about the language but the ideas that have been put forward smack of using up a seller's good will. I realise most people under 30 or so may not agree but ..... I still think I am right. I haven't even looked at the names with the other view points, no need too. We all look at these things differently.

If I was under 30 or around 30ish I would go for the Akoyas. Now I would go for the Freshadamas. If you are buying knew that is. I am a bargain hunter and sometimes really win out. Overtimes I lose badly. Way it goes. Only thing I gamble on is Pearls

Bodecia - say it like I feel it at the moment.

Hi again,
I am not a person who lightly returns items ordered and I can tell you that I have bought quite a lot from Jeremy´s Pearl Paradise, fully knowing that both Jeremy and Terry are honest online sellers of pearls and are in contact with each other. I don´t think for one second that they would feel they are used,on the contrary they actually do encourage us to become educated pearl consumers. And what better way than being able to compare two different pearl qualities, in this case a gem quality and a Freshadama quality. The main difference would probably lie in the visible orient on one or the other and it was for that reason alone that I came up with this suggestion. I have read time and time again on other threads and posts that all our vendors are highly motivated to give us customers the very best (both products and knowledge) and a 90 days return is probably because they are so certain about their qualities or if necessary, that a buyer can change her/his mind. BTW if I as a customer am allowed to do so it certainly will make me tell other future customers how acommodating my seller/s is/are. Jeremy himself has written about how important mouth to mouth propaganda is, so to say.

Please don´t take this as a critizism, I just want to make it clear, why I suggested to order both strands. Besides that it could very easily be that seeing what fine qualities both brothers offer, your next orders go to both of them...

[Luckykelleyk]

Well, although it makes sense to want to compare them together, I think it is a bother not just to the seller, but to myself as well. I don't want to have to send one back. Plus, I have never bought anything with the thought "I am just going to return it anyways" because when I worked in sales I didn't really appriciate that kind of attitude. I figured that I will order one, most likely be happy with it, and get a lavender freshadama strand when I can afford one

[Valeria101]

Funny how 'old fashioned', 'vintage' and 'antique' say about about the same thing and have such different meanings!

[lisamla]

I think when trying to compare two different, yet similar items it is acceptable to order both knowing you are going to return one. It is in an effort to ensure you truly get what you are looking for - quality and look. Ordering the same red shirt made by the same manufacturer from two different sources seems different to me than ordering two different red shirts from two different sources, or even the same source for that matter. I think sellers know and expect buyers to compare and sometimes return items.

[jerin]

Originally Posted by lisamla

I think when trying to compare two different, yet similar items it is acceptable to order both knowing you are going to return one. It is in an effort to ensure you truly get what you are looking for - quality and look. Ordering the same red shirt made by the same manufacturer from two different sources seems different to me than ordering two different red shirts from two different sources, or even the same source for that matter. I think sellers know and expect buyers to compare and sometimes return items.

Not to forget that this type of returning applies very much because online shopping is the same risk for the buyer as for the seller IMO. Otherwise I do never shop with backthoughts of returning, much to much trouble with the packaging, security and so on..

[Perle]

Let's say someone is looking into engagement rings. She's done some research on styles on the Internet, and decides on the basic parameters of the stone (size, quality, etc.) and has narrowed it down to two rings at Cartier and two rings at Tiffany, neither of which carries the other's styles. Is it okay for her to go to both stores and try the rings on, even though she knows at the outset that she's only going to buy one? Or is this an unethical misuse of a salesperson's time?

I agree that people should be considerate of a salesperson's/company's time. Frankly, I think most people try to avoid having to send things back, if only because of the time/expense involved. But sometimes having the option is helpful, and it can be exercised responsibly - in other words, I don't think it's categorically wrong.

Perle