My Hong Kong shopping

[Silvia_Bonvini]

It's my first time attaching pics so let's see if it works...

These are some of the pearls I bought at the Hong Kong Jewellery Show last week, and wanted to share!
I fell in love with all the little baroques, I got a little carried away... until the vendor got mad at me for picking all the good ones, so I didn't have much time for matching. Not sure what I'll do with them, I'm open to suggestions if anyone has any! The size varies between 10mm-10mm to 15mm-18mm.

The large round ones are not top quality but I am very happy with them, for what I paid. The small purple ones made my housemate a happy girl, I'm gonna make a nice set for her out of it. I'm gonna be making other pieces mixing the baroques with stones and so... let's see what comes out!

[Ash]

Silviia,

Very nice! Pictures are lovely. Some fun shapes and luscious colors! Looking forward to seeing what you do with them. Thank you for sharing!

Cheers

Ash

[pearlsbynature]

Nice! Please tell more about the large white strands on the far right of the first pic, are they 15+ mm, and if so the must be bead nucleated? Are the loose pearls bead nucleated or keshis? It sounds like a great show, nice weather... lucky you!

[Silvia_Bonvini]

Ash, thank you! I will post pics of what I end up doing with them :-)

Bryan, you are right, the large whites are nucleated freshwaters. I learnt about the nucleated freshwater from PG and spoke about them with the other PG members when we met up for dinner, it was amazing seeing them the next day in AAA grade at the show.
The largest strands I saw were 13-15mm (I think there were barely any 15mm in there thought), I did not see any 15mm all the way... let's wait next year and they'll be there I bet!

These 2 strands are 13mm graded AA+, which I guess is a little too optimistic ;-)... the surface is nowhere close to perfect, nevertheless they have a nice shine and altogether they look pretty fabulous, particularly because of the size. I bought them for my colleague who loves big pearls but wanted to stay on a low budget, and will make an opera necklace for her (and will for sure borrow it from her at times!). I am very happy with them, the price drop from AAA to AA+ is massive, AA+ is in fact around 1/5 of the AAA as far as I can remember.

There were baskets of loose AAA grade ones which were absolutely stunning: I spent some time following Mikeyy around while he was looking for some really top quality ones, the 13mm went for up to 350 USD each, crazy!

It was my first time at the show and it was a great experience indeed, and yes, I was very lucky to be able to go! Any chance you will make it to one of the next shows?

[PearlSailor]

Lovely pics. You're a quick study for a first-timer providing attachments!

You certainly showed great talent picking those beauties and I particularly enjoyed the photo angles that give such good perception of size and shape. Interesting to see the eye-level shots, not just the overheads. I can't wait to see what you do with the loose ones.

Thanks for sharing. Travel back safe!

[Silvia_Bonvini]

Thanks PearlSailor!

I see from your profile you are interested in photography, so you have any tips for taking pictures of rings? Last night I made my first attempt ever to make a ring, i used the already drilled pearls to practice before I get the lovely baroques drilled, but I had trouble taking pictures, rings are a difficult subject i find :-)

See below

[pearlsbynature]

That ring is quite good for your first try! The baroques seem to fit together quite well, I wonder if you added some white pearls it might accentuate and bring out the vivid colors your beautiful baroques.
I'd definitely like to make it to that show, the weather is also a big draw away for the cold northern climes at this time of year!
I've gotten some 15+mm bead nucleated recently, in fact these pics are sized 17-19mm, but there's definitely not many of them this big on the market that I have found. The shapes are quite unusual. The pic quality is not very good but I took them quickly just for show and tell.

[Silvia_Bonvini]

Oh yes those are big :-) and very interesting as well, I don't think I saw any like those at the show.
The weather was quite nice but I was hoping for warmer... it was still around 15-18 degrees. I think for the june and september shows should be really nice and warm, beach weather!

I thought before that you were referring to round or near-round pearls, in fact the odd shaped ones come in larger sizes and there were quite a few of them at the show too. Also the soufflè pearls are pretty massive, and beautiful too.
I never answered about the loose pearls, I am pretty positive on the fact that they are tissue nucleated and not bead nucleated, I do not see any sign of a bead in them. Some are quite flat and large as well.

I agree about the ring, I will try with some whites next time :-)

Silvia

[pattye]

Silvia and pearlsbynature,

Thank you for showing your beautiful choices in pearls, and your creations--so nicely done!

[Nerida]

Hi Silvia,

Thank you for the pics of your purchases! You did do a bit more serious shopping after I saw you last...!
Your ring is really pretty - haven't ever attempted to make a ring, so I am pretty impressed.

Bryan - thank you too for your pictures - the really odd shaped ones I christened 'lamb cutlets' when I was at the show with Wendy last September. There were a few at this recent show as well.

Looking forward to seeing you next time Sylvia - stay in touch!

[junebug]

Unbelievably beautiful and unusual looking pearls. I think my mouth dropped at the 'lamb cutlets' strand. They're certainly not the kind of pearls one finds in your neighbourhood jewellery shop.

What wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing your bounties, Silvia and pearlsbynature.
Silvia, I love artisan jewellery and your ring is so cute. It reminds me of a tiny crab.

My personal favourites are your nugget-like pearls. Would they make nice stud earrings?

[Ramona]

Silvia and pearlsbynature,

Nice pearls! Lamb cutlets for entree and souffle for dessert. Now we need something as an appetizer.

[junebug]

Nice pearls! Lamb cutlets for entree and souffle for dessert. Now we need something as an appetizer.[/QUOTE]

I can only think of 'potato'!

[pearlsbynature]

How about for entertainment some dancers and exotic creatures?

[junebug]

How about for entertainment some dancers and exotic creatures?

I can only say 'wow'! Like looking at cloud pictures.

Where does one even go to buy such pearls? I cannot think of a single jewellery place I know that would carry such gorgeous shapes. I think I am shopping in the wrong part of the world.

Thanks for that, Bryan (pearlsbynature). Really love the dancing couples. They would make some standout pieces of jewellery.