Pearls for a girl living in European Union

[KarinK]

Karin, I guess you have some experience with importing from the States? First I thought the customs wouldn’t add more than 20 %, but it seems rather to be around 35 %. What is your experience?

Hi,

I've sent you a private message as we are getting into some very local Scandinavian stuff As you are new to the forum you may not have noticed the '1' on the Notification tag (top right corner of your screen).

- Karin

[InLoveWithPearls]

Hi,

I've sent you a private message as we are getting into some very local Scandinavian stuff As you are new to the forum you may not have noticed the '1' on the Notification tag (top right corner of your screen).

- Karin

I haven’t been in for a few days. But now I have seen it! Thanks, Karin!

When I started out I thought I knew what I wanted. But now I’m getting more and more irresolute: do I get a set of nice freshwater dangles, which I can wear more or less every day (or at least as an alternative to my pearl studs, which I already have ), or should I really indulge myself and buy a pair of SS dangles? I know my self, I’m too cautious to enjoy them that often... and the budget would be a bit stretched.

So I decided not to do anything for a few days and think it throw a little more. At the moment I’m back to thinking that I should start with a pair of FW and wait a few years before I upgrade

Or...! Akoya? Well, probably not. I already have a string of FW pearls, so maybe it would be too much of a clash too have Akoya in dangles when I wear them together? Or maybe nobody would notice beside me...? Even though there is of course no guarantee that my FW-string and future FW-dangle will match perfectly...

You can almost see smoke coming out of me ears from all the hard thinking going on inside there!

[pearlescence]

Why not get some reasonable freshwater dangles, to see how much you do wear this style, before going for expensive south sea pearls? They don't have to match the necklace perfectly or at all. In fact I think a matched necklace and earrings can be too matchy-matchy..why not earrings and bracelet as a lighter summer look...or earrings and a station necklace - again a lighter look for summer

[Caitlin]

I am smiling at all that smoke! Have fun choosing! We all be delighted to help!

[dkan 168]

I live in the UK, and quality jewellery is very expensive. I buy pearls from the likes of PP, POJ and TPO, and they still cost less even after paying import duties when compared with what I can get from the shops in the UK.

This applies to diamond jewellery too, not just pearls.

DK

[InLoveWithPearls]

Wendy, you have a point there. I already have a pair of pearl dangles, which I inherited. But they are in silver, and I'm a bit allergic. Not so that my ears turn into tomatoes, but the skin gets itchy and irritated. And the pearls look rather tired. But I've used them sometimes anyhow and love the style. I also have a bunch of other dangles, all non-pearly, unfortunatelly.... (I actually do have a stationary with five small pearls... you see, I'm hooked up already!)

At the moment I'm thinking of having these: http://edelkontor.de/online-shop-fue...hmuck-1-1.html
(Things change quickly over here...)

A bit worried about the lock; it doesn't look all that safe to me.

Should I be worried about the size (is there a risk that the quality would be less good)? I mean, isn't 8-9 mm a bit large for freshwater pearls?

[KarinK]

They look very safe to me - but then I have my most expensive earrings on french wire without any kind of security Haven't lost one yet, though.

- Karin

[InLoveWithPearls]

Brave! I actually lost of one my inherited one's in snow one Swedish winter! I found it though. Not without difficulties.....

[pearlescence]

No, 8-9mm is about standard these days. It is what I supply most of - or larger

[Amanda]

Wendy, you have a point there. I already have a pair of pearl dangles, which I inherited. But they are in silver, and I'm a bit allergic. Not so that my ears turn into tomatoes, but the skin gets itchy and irritated.

Are you sure it's actually silver you are allergic to? Very few people are, it's not much of an allergen.

It's more likely you're allergic to whatever else was mixed in with the silver - sterling silver is 92.5% silver, and the rest is other metals (pure silver is very, very soft).

There are more rules, now, in the UK and the EU as a whole about what can be mixed with silver. Nickel is not allowed for example - it's irritating for lots of people.

[pearlescence]

Very good point Amanda...With nickel banned from the EU I forgot that...were the other earrings from America where they still use nickel?

[Amanda]

Wendy - she said, "inherited", so they could be quite old silver from the EU, as well as foreign.

[pearlescence]

ah-ha..missed that. then it could well have nickel in it from before the ban.

[InLoveWithPearls]

The old silver earrings are at least 50 years old, I think. I would guess they are either European or maybe from Turkey/Middle East.

It feels very good to have the competence of the Forum to rely on and consult. Thank you!

[pearlescence]

at least 50 years old..then certainly well before the nickel ban*. It's likely that the silver was mixed with nickel and it is the nickel which causes you problems..have you tried any new silver from inside the EU (as I said, american silver stlll has nickel - also added to vermeil as a layer between the silver and gold)

*also banned from bra wires and anything which might come into contact with skin