New Birthday Pearl Necklace Commissioned!!

[Sea Urchin]

I don't think it is an accurate comparison. Tiny pearls are much, much cheaper than huge pearls. They also seem to have sharper luster. I think it is because there's just more "curve" to them when they're so small. To compare fairly, you would have to put pearls of the two different qualities but same size side by side. In other words, if you put, say 6mm pearls of the cheaper, lower quality ebay ones and the higher quality, more expensive ones, there would likely not be all that much difference in quality or price. However, if you put 10 mm cheap ebay pearls next to 10 mm high quality pearls, I bet there is no way in the world the cheap ebay pearls would look anywhere near as good as the high quality (and much more expensive) ones. Quality and price would differ much more between the two. Just my opinion, though. Experts, right or no?

[zengirl]

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at. I am comparing two neklaces that I bought for two different prices from two different places of two different qualities. They arrived on the same day and I love them both. I wore the eBay ones yesterday and I'm wearing my lovely ones today. I'm looking at my two neckalces, not trying to make an objective study of pearls in general. The eBay one was advertised as akoyas. I bought them knowing they were most likely to be FWs. The photos show what I got. I don't know what they are, but someone here may, or maybe, as was written before, the photos are not close-up enough for anyone to be able to tell.

[Sea Urchin]

"I am comparing two necklaces..."

"I don't think it is an accurate comparison...."

?

[dkan 168]

I think both are lovely.. but the smaller one seems to have better luster? However you said the ebay pearls are moderately blemished, but we can't tell it from the pictures.

The pearls also appear very round, but I can't tell if that's Akoya or not. For £20, it kinda exceeded my expectation, I think you got a good deal

Glad I am not the only one who thought the supposingly lesser quality and smaller pearls to have better luster in the pics.

DK

[Caitlin]

I love wearing my $10 pearl strands to this day, I have one with many obvious flaws, even chunks missing, but it is large at 12mm, dyed and dark iridescent blue. So I wear it a lot and always get good comments- even when I point out how bad the quality of each pearl is! And that is because they are really pretty pearls with great luster.

I used to buy the cheapest pearls, as long as they had a lot of luster! So congratulation on both.

The cheapo you can sweat in, so wear it in the summer sun, it will still look great after a lot of sweating on it, as long as you wipe it clean after each wearing.

[dkan 168]

I still wear my lesser pearls in harsh environment, like spending a significant period of time in a jacuzzi full of chemicals!

DK

[lisa c]

They are lovely, but I dont think the smaller pearls are Akoya. The luster doesn't seem sharp enough, although the pearls seem round enough. Are they as round as the photos indicate?

Well, I looked again and think I see a couple of eggy and rondelle-ish shapes in the mix. I vote freshwater.

Have you looked inside the drill hole? If they're nucleated you'll see a layer of nacre visible, around a bead. If there's no bead, they're not Akoya. It's a real easy way to 'rule out' Akoya.

I've enjoyed your posts. Very engaging!

[zengirl]

Lisa - very good idea. I'll get them in a good light and peer at them to see if they've been nucleated. (But I'm so sure you're right about them being FWs. I'd be amazed if they were anything but; even though they were advertised as Akoyas).

Sea Urchin - what do you think isn't accurate about the comparison? They're in the same light, in the same position, with the photograph taken at the same time, together.

[Irina]

Dear Zengirl,
Thank you for your message. I need exactly the same Necklace for my 63rd birthsday. You seem very knowledgablle.

Could you kindly help me:
1. Where did you buy them?
2. Where are these pearls from ( China, Japan etc.?)
3. Does the company provide you with some certificate?
4. What is the price of pearl necklace like yours?
5. Why have you chosen this company?

Thank you so much!

Irina

[zengirl]

Irina - how lovely of you to think I sound knowledgeable. I am a real beginner and hardly know anything, BUT I did quite a lot of research before I commissioned my new pearl necklace for my birthday. I know about my own pearls!

To answer your questions:

1) I bought them from a website called Harmony Pearls. It's run by a lady who posts here on this forum called Amrita.
2) The pearls are cultured fresh water pearls from China
3) I didn't need a certificate because I trusted what Amrita said considering she's from this forum (of course a certificate would have been nice to have, but I didn't require one).
4) It cost me £200
5) I chose this company because someone had written a glowing review of the service they'd had, and posted pictures of the pearls they'd bought from her. Also she was a member of this forum which was very important to me.

Memebers of this forum have credibility and are trust-worthy in the sense that they won't mis-sell you pearls or sell you duds or fakes. You will get what you think you're getting, which is quite rare in the world of pearl-selling websites!

A beautiful pearl necklace for your birthday is a fabulous present! I love mine so much!!

[Amrita]

Thanks so much Zengirl! I have been following with interest this thread especially your post with the comparative photos. Thanks for posting those. Would it be too much to ask if I were to request you to do just one picture of the 2 necklaces in good light and closer-up, so that the pearl surface of both necklaces shows more clearly? That would be great! Thanks so much in advance.

Irina, welcome to the forum. Please feel free to contact me through info@harmonypearls.com or through my website below.
I am travelling shortly, but would be checking my email and the forum from time to time....so will try and answer any questions that you might have.

[pearlescence]

Hi Irina
Where are you?

[zengirl]

Tum-ti-tum...la--la-la... let's just look at my jewellery. There's all my gold, and some lovely silver. Pretty bracelets and neckalces. Oooh, my Pandora neckalce and bracelet set heavy with charms.. Lets have a look at the pearls... ?F!$&U%K$*!??!! ...why only one strand in the case????? Where's the OTHER ONE????!!!!!

[zengirl]

Turned the house upside down. Ransacked my memory (a large echoing enclosure in my brain) looked in my knicker drawer, looked three seperate times in the case where there is only one strand of pearls. Checked down behind all cupboards and chests with a torch, under the bed, in the wardrobe, on the floor, in the case with the Only One strand of pearls - still not there... no, not anywhere. Lost. LOST. WWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :-(((( How? When? Why? :-*******((((((((

Just to prevent heart attacks - this is the cheap ebay purchase I'm talking about. As of now, the only reason I can think of why I lost it is the rubbish, cheap clasp. I'll let you know if I find it and then I'll know whether it's the clasp or not (because where I lost it will reveal all). But right now I would say to anyone who owns pearls... make sure you get a good sturdy clasp.

[Amrita]

Did you find your lost necklace yet, zengirl? I hope you did.