[silverseajewelry]

I'm doing a lot of experimenting in the artisan realm with Tahitians of less than perfect quality. Since keshis are all the rage right now, I finally bought some and worked them in with sleeping beauty turquoise and seven baroque tahitians. The larger center Tahitian is very cool...light silver in the middle and black on both ends..like a panda bear.

All in all, its not something I would normally wear, but it fits the style of some of my customers.

Photos below.

[Josh]

I dig it Silversea. Good use of commercial grade Tahitians.

[silverseajewelry]

Thanks, Josh. Obviously, I have no problem doing unusual things with "commercial grade" tahitians. I am not even opposed to using silver in such cases.

But, I notice there weren't a lot of responses to this. So, I would like to throw a couple of questions out there, being pretty new to the board.

First off, do you cringe when you see tahitians mixed with other stones and not set in traditional gold -- regardless of their stature?

(FYI: I am also a great lover of Tahitians...which is why I want to find interesting things to do with the lowlier B-C pearls that might not otherwise find their place...I sound like I am adopting orphans .

Secondly, I have been doing two kinds of jewelry design/work until now. 1) gemstone designs with silver, gold and occasional fwp and 2) pearl restringing and creation of basic traditional fine jewelry pieces with pearls. I am a little unsure of myself trying to marry the two aspects of my work, so I would appreciate any feedback you might have be it positive or negative...before I go too far down the wrong road.

Thanks for your time.

[knotty panda]

Originally Posted by silverseajewelry

All in all, its not something I would normally wear, but it fits the style of some of my customers.

Nor is it something I would ever wear, however, if that's what sells for you, then go for it! No, I do not cringe at tahitians and sterling just like I would not cringe at turquoise and gold.

[boo]

Originally Posted by silverseajewelry

do you cringe when you see tahitians mixed with other stones and not set in traditional gold -- regardless of their stature?

I absolutely do not cringe - I like it very much. To be honest, it makes them more affordable and available to those of us with more limited funds. Personally I think I would like it better with a more transparent stone rather than the thickly opaque turquoise. I may have a bit of an odd perspective, but I think Tahitians - especially the greys and blacks - look great with silver, even once it picks up a bit of tarnish.

[pattye]

Hi Silversea,

I was traveling the day you posted this, so I missed it! I think is is a very pleasant design, original and I like sterling a lot--it is considered a precious metal, noble metal, just like gold. I like hearing what you are experimenting with and your ideas, as I am a new "beader."

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[Sueki]

Hi Silversea,
Sorry I didn't comment earlier - that necklace isn't something I'd wear but I do like it very much. And the style is quite the fashion here at the moment.
And I have no problem mixing Tahitians with silver - indeed, a couple of my necklaces have silver spacers between the pearls; one is posted somewhere in the lowly beaders club.

[Valeria101]

Silver with patina and black pearls seem to have a allot in common... I like silver allot anyway. I couldn't imagine my silver pieces would rather be done in gold or the other way around - the designs just woudn't work.

[Josh]

Hi Silversea,
Great question you asked. 11 years ago I was on the island of Raiatea on the farm that I owned there. We were sorting a harvest when my partner came out from the back room with a black leather cord and pearl in the middle of it, drilled through with a massive 2mm hole. I was instantly repulsed as I had been conditioned to see pearls with gold and nothing else. He gave me my own necklace like his and said, "just try it." I put it on and have had one on ever since. That was THE first one I have seen but now in Tahiti you see them absolutely everywhere as well as on the international scene. Jeremy Shepherd, Pierce Brosnan and many others are like me in that they feel naked without their Tahitian on a cord around their neck.
Also, here in Tahiti I have even seen bird feathers with pearls! So no, don't hold back. Express yourself.

[silverseajewelry]

Here come some more things, some odd, some classic, that came out recently.

Here is a tigereye and drop akoya set w/14k:

[silverseajewelry]

Here's a cool Tahitian pendant, also 14k. The pearl has some flaws, but the color is extreme blue-green.

[silverseajewelry]

And an odd mix of Tahitian baroque pearl with a faceted Lapis Lazuli oval. More later.

[Ashley]

Silversea:
I really like the cap on that Tah BQ- where did you find it? Or did you make that yourself?

[jerin]

Silversea,

LOVELY DESIGNS AND THOSE COLOURS OF THE TAHITIAN PEARL AND THE LAPIS LAZULI - BEUTIFUL!