A mixed bag of abalone pearls.

[Amanda]

It's not quite -10 in London, but it's very nippy. I was playing netball this evening, and it was -1 deg C, and there was a wicked wind, too. What my Granny would call a lazy wind - it goes through you rather than round you. That kind of cold, damp, windy evening makes me wonder if outdoor netball's really a good idea in winter!

[Adeline Leigh]

Tks, A. Jones. Aussie winters in metropolitan Melbourne never gets older than 4 degrees and it's a constant bath of sunlight and sweat here in the tropics. I'm hoping the cold snap breaks soon; don't think my aching bones can take it. Take care those on that front.

[Alex]

25f here now, and still brrrrrrrrr - not quite Melbourne.......... - snow coming, but also will be a bit warmer (could never quite figure that one out ! )

[KarinK]

We had -15 C this morning (5 F) her in Copenhagen - colder than it's been in years, but still not as cold as back in '86 when it was down to -22 C (- 7 F) at night for weeks and my Skoda was the only car that could start in the morning

- Karin

[Amanda]

It was minus 7 overnight here, and we're in central London. Bleedin' nippy!

Amanda

[Chameleon]

We had -28 in Tallinn in the morning and the night prognosis is up to -37C for Estonia. At least it is sunny and so beautiful outside

[Amanda]

Wrap up warmly!

[Adeline Leigh]

Wrap up warmly!

Thanks for the updates those all around Europe. Am due in Germany and Austria in days and thermostat there still reads below - 10 degrees. And now Heathrow's cancelled all flights... travel chaos. Fingers crossed, all will be well.

[Amanda]

Thanks for the updates those all around Europe. Am due in Germany and Austria in days and thermostat there still reads below - 10 degrees. And now Heathrow's cancelled all flights... travel chaos. Fingers crossed, all will be well.

On the news this morning they are saying a third of flights cancelled, not the whole lot.

[Adeline Leigh]

And to bring this thread away from weather back to abalone pearls, I just saw this on an Illinois jeweller's website - Eve Alfille - and had to post. This abalone horn is going for $12,000:
http://www.evejewelry.com/store/prod...hp?pid867.html

Romantic platinum "Calla Lily" pendant with lustrous rare natural abalone pearl is an Alfillé masterpiece! Art nouveau inspired platinum caresses the curves of this iridescent "Opal of the Sea". The 14.40 carat abalone pearl is studded with emeralds, diamonds and natural alexandrite to echo the colorplay. (12 emeralds total 0.18 carats, 31 diamonds total 0.31 carats (F-G/VS), a 0.06 carat pink irradiated diamond and a 0.20 carat natural alexandrite).

[Amanda]

I like all the pearls in that necklace - for my own taste, though, put together it's a bit too fussy, with pearls and lots of metal and all the stones, too. A bit of lily-gilding.

[Adeline Leigh]

calla lily; lily gilding - and at that price. i have seen nicer on PP and at kojima pearls. just my opinion as well.

[Amanda]

The bids where very low on that parcel of 16 I didn't expected to win I did I was able to bid on three the other ones where blocked for Europe anyway I think some people that buy pearls didn't trust that it was a new profile so that took them of biding I'm pretty sure the next auction will see higher prices because there will be a feedback score etc

Can I ask, what did you do with the natural pearls?

[dmj]

I'm waiting until I have enough to make a masterpiece with them I have been buying natural pearls for two years now will take another 2 before I can make a necklace I think I have something in mind with tanzanite diopsite and some other gems that mix well with abalone

[Adeline Leigh]

D., I can barely wait. I am still aching for the tahitians you scored in HK.

A., my clutch of blue-greens is still languishing. I just can't commit them to a design. I keep thinking botanical stacking rings... maybe, just maybe.