[GemGeek]

Originally Posted by barbie biggs

Olmander:
Have you considered taking your new pearls out and petting them and telling them that you are very sorry, that you never really thought of abandoning them? Such sweet little guys and you probably really hurt their feelings.
barbie

Awww! Such tender little pearls!

[Nerida]

Olmander, I think that strand is just luscious! What were you ever thinking? The colours are just so intense - hope you have started wearing them - then you will never part with them!

[olmander]

Originally Posted by barbie biggs

Olmander:
Have you considered taking your new pearls out and petting them and telling them that you are very sorry, that you never really thought of abandoning them? Such sweet little guys and you probably really hurt their feelings.

How did you guess? It is exactly what I was doing yesterday . They got a double portion of tenderness and care from me yesterday for being so undeservedly neglected

It was supposed to be a present to my future daughter-in-law, I thought for me one strand (my big ovals) is enough. But no way now, they stay too, I got attached to them too much

About the pictures: this is of course to a large extent because of a good camera which is able to catch all the color and the luster. I am sure you all have same lovely pearls! But they are really chameleons, and they indeed need some time to recover from the long journey in a box, and... like teenager girls, they definitely want to be looked at and admired!!! - then they turn to you with their best qualities.

Olga

[boo]

Originally Posted by barbie biggs

Olmander:
Have you considered taking your new pearls out and petting them and telling them that you are very sorry, that you never really thought of abandoning them? Such sweet little guys and you probably really hurt their feelings.
barbie

Now, now - there is a huge difference between abandoning them and giving them to a (different) loving home. Although I can see how Olga would have a hard time letting go!

[Caitlin]

Raison
Thanks for your huge "speciman" contributions to our pages. (like so many glass slides for scientists to examine) We wouldn't be the same without you.

Steve.
Beautiful pearls. I hope they will be worn a lot.

Olga,
You will never see CFWP more intensely colored than those- and we will all be lucky if Jeremy ever gets them in again.....

[Pearl_dreams]

I wore my 8.5-9.5mm oval exotics today-- it was an overcast day and they glowed with a liquid satin sheen. I had not seen them look like this before-- in bright sunlight, they have more of a metallic surface shine. But this glossy satin look was different.

It's a good thing my husband was driving, because I kept pulling down the visor to look at them in the mirror.

[gravityalwayswins]

Olga - just do what my mother-in-law did before our wedding: "I do have some nice jewelry, and I'll give you some of it SOME day, but not for a while. I almost gave some of it to Jen [my husband's ex-wife], and look how that turned out."

:-) Not overly welcoming, but effective nonetheless if you're not ready to part with them! Or... just purchase another strand of peach or multi freshwaters for her and innocently pretend that's what you were talking about when you mentioned the "exotics"...

[youngster]

Nice pics everyone! I love seeing all the different exotic strands. We finally have had some decent sunshiny weather up here in Seattle and I've been wearing and admiring mine. Boy, in decent light, they look like a rainbow.

[Raisondetre]

I made a rookie mistake I will never live down. Well, the story is I spend money when I'm upset. Actually, I just spend money, period. When I'm upset I make irrational purchases. Let's not go into why I was upset. It'll take hours to explain. Following the exotics I was still on the hunt for bubblegum pink, which I already know don't occur naturally. At least not in large numbers. So, I saw a rope of pinkish freshwater baroques ~9-10 mm in the store window, had them take it out. Luster was good, but there were pits on almost every pearl and it was obviously dyed as there were collections of unevenly dyed color in the pits/around the drill hole. I got them to put it back, but went back in about 30 min and bought it at 50% discount for about US$200. It was >36 inches, I counted about 120 pearls. I mean, I feel bad for the mussels cos' they have to be in the water for years to produce pearls this size, but I definitely overpaid for commercial beads. I was kinda in a daze when I handed over my credit card, and it just didn't click until after I signed. It's discounted so I can't return it. I should just stick to the vendors online. I get to see the product in person and I still make a bloody mistake.

I'm too ashamed to start a new thread for the photos of my failed purchase, so I'll post them here. Never mind. I got upset enough to just post them now.

[Raisondetre]

OK, maybe it's not that bad, but seriously, it's not dark enough to warrant getting a dyed/color-enhanced strand. I feel like an idiot.

[Sueki]

Raisondetre,
Oh heavens, I feel for you.
You are not alone. I have made several stupid purchases when upset. Try rationalising; for me, that'd be under a pound a pearl and I'd probably soak the pearls in water to try to remove some of the uneven dye, and re-string into a few pretty bracelets as stocking fillers at Christmas.

[Sueki]

Hey, They're really pretty ! Beautiful colour, and 36 inches ??
I bet it looks lovely on you. I definitely wouldn't break that necklace up.

[Pearl_dreams]

On the other hand, not being overly dark, maybe it won't be so obvious that they are dyed. And baroques can get away with blemishes more easily than rounds can.

Let's face it, we have all made impulse purchases that we've regretted. And what you spent? The cost of a few meals out at a nice restaurant.

Maybe in a few days, the $200 will sting less and the pink color will cheer you a bit more. It's kind of a pretty shade, to me.

[olmander]

Raison, I really-really don't get it - they look very pretty!
As for wrong decisions, we all can show a master class in it

Nose up

Olga

[pearllove]

Dear Raisondetre,
I know how you feel. After I missed the exotics, I was so upset I just wanted to buy something, anything. The only thing that stopped me was my sick baby (also the reason for me missing the exotics).

I have a drawer full of rash purchases, mostly gemstones. Some examples are loose opals, ruby beads, tourmaline beads, a loose blue zircon, etc. Thousands of dollars wasted... Fortunately, I have an understanding husband.

By the way, your pearls don't look so bad. I actually like the pale color.