My Design

[Caitlin]

Hi Susannah

Personally I prefer the freshwater pearl to the seawater pearl because of the durable nacre of the former. And I think the freshwater pearls with the perfect roundness and sharp luster are even more valuble than seawater pearls. That's why I like the FW pearl.

You are a person of great discernment and good taste in your preference for CFWP. Your description of your work and life are so interesting. Thank you. Actually we are lucky to have you here.
As a pearl-person in China, in the industry, where do you buy the pearls you work with? Can you get them from the factory where you work? Man Sang is one of the biggest companies. Do they buy all your companies pearls or are there some for sale to the public?? Are you able to access any round/off round 12mm and up? Have you seen the faceted pearls locally? Do you like to use the undyed colors?

[susannahxu]

All the round pearls I’m using are all from my factory except for a small part of pearls of other shapes, big potato, baroque and etc., But in my design the pearls of these kinds are not often utilized. For long time I’m so fascinated with the subtle overtone and orient of the undyed pearls, which are the magic of nature. For round pearls, what look more natural will be more valuable and more sophisticated in appearance. They are always favored by people with a good taste for jewellery. That’s why I use them most when stringing my necklaces. However, the dyed pearls also have their own unique charm. The dyed pearls usually are those of low-end, i.e., those blemished or strangely shaped (excluding those of big size for their rareness). But with a colorful cover, they present totally different characters from undyed pearls. I think the dyed pearls, especially those with bright colors, more cater to the young people. They can go well with semi-precious stone and look more casually. If smartly designed, they will also have rich artistic look.

Man Sang buy more than half of our products each year. But we also have quite a lot of products in strands for our overseas clients other than Man Sang. Round pearls of 12mm in size (grade AAA) are rare in our pearl market in Suzhou. For its small-scale consumption and high price, we don’t have many in stock. At present we only have some in loose pearls, not in strands. Of course we do have the strands with round pearls of 12mm of A to AA grade,i.e., slightly blemished. Usually we prepare them according to our specific orders.

I never see the faceted pearls in China, whether in Suzhou or in Zhuji. I don’t think it is produced in China. A jewellery Magazine I once read introduced it and also mentioned a wholesaler dealing with it in Hong Kong. Unfortunately I forgot its name.

[Caitlin]

Hi Susannah
Thank you for your answers and for sharing your preferences in pearls. I agree with you about orient on pearls. What magic. Thank you for discussing your Company's 12mm and overs. Do they have a webpage? Can someone from America do business with them?

I really like your artistic sensibility as you write it in words- and would love to see more pictures of your creations, especially using non-round pearls in the designs. I would be interested in seeing your less traditional designs, especially pieces that are unique.

Since you were so candid, I though I would respond in kind: I also like to make necklaces using CFWP. I also give a lot of them away, but I also sell some in stores around Arizona and at an occasional trunk show. I have to find ways to pass them on to others, in order to clear them out, so I can buy even more pearls. I also want to buy my favorite pearls by the kilo, so I have to be kind of commercial with the extras.

But I am nothing like the sellers here, who all sell the top grades of pearls only and stick to the most traditional designs, for the most part. (unless they are innovating a new, "old standard" )

I am retired and doing this for fun. I've only run through about 25 kilos of pearls in the last year- 18 months. That is too small time for most wholesalers. Though my adult daughters push me to go professional with this, I am not quite ready- unless they take more active parts in the selling and website! I like stringing the beads, but too much of the other stuff is not fun.
Another thing that differentiates me from the major sellers here is that I like certain odd pearls and bad pearls. I like the peacock dyed cultured freshwater pearls (cfwp) and collect them in every size from 1mm to 17mm (of which I have just one) I use button pearls from 4mm-9mm a lot for pieces I sell. They sell very quickly when alternated with a semi-precious gem stone roundells of the same size, faceted or not, like garnet, amethyst, aquamarine, peridot, labradorite, quartz in various shades, and more. Turquoise, coral, you name it, alternate it with pearls and you have a pretty piece people want to buy.

So far, I have only been able to get CFWP 12mm and up, that don't quite make A grade. They have cracks and peeled portions on almost every one. Still, they have nice luster and look good to me, and some others, anyway. (Not to any of the Big Kahunas here!) People who have seen my flawed klonks, love them for the "natural look" of the almost round shapes, the dark color (I always disclose the dye), as well as the huge size, and I know I could sell a lot of pearls 12mm and over, even if not the best grades, if I could get a source willing to start small with me.

If I had a really good source for klonks (12mm and over- thx ZESPA), I would have the motivaation to kick my website into the next gear and establish a shopping cart. I think I would have a product people would buy. Especially since you can hardly get anything in America over 12mm in a AA or better- just a few brief times a year. They come, they are gone, poof! Only the quick with cash can get them before they are gone! And they are out of my price range. So, I would rather have a flawed klonk than a high priced one...

[susannahxu]

I'm just not a fan of the faceted pearl. What's the point? I can undercstand faceting other gems but it ruins the pearl in my opinion.

We call the faceted pearl as scale pearl in China. Maybe it is a bead-nucleated pearl culturing in saltwalter. Pearls of various shapes have been created these years in China. The majority of them don't look like the normal pearl.Maybe someday the concept of pearl will be widened by Chinese. But I'm still admire the classic charm of the normal round pearl.

[Caitlin]

Faceted Pearls
In my usual tasteless way- I love glitter and glue it on many things- I glitter up cards and shrines and tiny glass bottles, just to name a few things....I have a thing for sequins too and do the same with them-

I also like the horrendous faceted oblong pearls now coming out of somewhere- maybe HK, as Susannah suggested. They glitter. Something about the poor faceting job still roughs up the surface of the pearls enough to give them iridescence and glitter.

I would never look twice at those fat, giant, rice-shaped CFW pearls before they were faceted, but I am thinking of ordering a strand from coolbeads ,now, just so I can see it in person. I got my "fabulized" shell beads from them yesterday and they are beyond mouthwatering, they are positively slurp-y! They have a niobium molecular coating that makes them intensely iridescent, so I think their faceted beads will also look like the photos of them.

No excuse for indulging in the vulgar taste for cheap glittered objects - my mother is probably rolling in her grave.. ...

[susannahxu]

No excuse for indulging in the vulgar taste for cheap glittered objects - my mother is probably rolling in her grave..

Dear Caitlin:
You let me think of Vivienne Westwood, a creative English Fashion designer, a rebel against tradition in her crazy design. , You are an aritst! An modern artist has the courage and power to break any rules and to turn a common object to a piece of great works(Like Duchamp). I can't even waiting for seeing your design with those beloved glitters. I don't think it is tasteless to adopt those lovely glittered objects into your works. Personally I think it features a tyle of streetculture. I'm also surprised at your active engagement in pearl design and the continuous inner passion for your work. It does not very often happen in Chinese retired people. Besides, Chinese pearl dealers also like to use semi-precious stone, aquamarine, quartz,agate...in their pearl products. But the mix of complex colors and textures of different materials is a challenging job for a designer. Most of Chinese designs lack a professional aesthetic sense for beauty and uniqueness.

I'am a bit busy these two days. I will post them here after I take photos of my other necklaces in near future. My company has its website in Alibaba.com. in Chinese. Our English website/webpage is on the way. I can email you some pictures of our huge pearls(round pearl with rings and pits, potato, oval, rice...) and can also mail you some samples if you like. Don't worry, we treasure each order from clients, whether small or big, and I also treasure each of my friends on this forum.

[susannahxu]

That greatly depends on the pearls used and the competence of the faceter. It really only improves already excellent solid-nacre pearls and only if the faceting has been done expertly. Then the result can be stunning. I do not much care for faceted Tahitians because the resulting windowing allows you to see all the way to the nucleus and I think that faceted akoyas are a gargantuan waste of money because it makes the already thin and brittle surface even more susceptible to chipping and abrasion.

I learned so much from your ideas about faceted pearl. Now I can show off to my office-mates.

[Caitlin]

Hi Susannah
Thanks. I am flattered.

So far, I have not sprinkled glitter on pearls, but thaaaat gives me an idea.........

[Caitlin]

Most of Chinese designs lack a professional aesthetic sense for beauty and uniqueness

That is going too far. It is a different aesthetic sense from an American one, but just as valid. Besides, I think the two cultures will come closer in the future. As the pre-teens exchange culture, the adults will follow.
Of your designs,#3 the one with the pearl drops every so many beads seems to be the favorite here, so far. I think a lot of popular jewelry features either one drop bead or maybe several, with a larger one at the bottom of each drop. And it is a pretty style.
We had a discussion of swags on necklaces here a few weeks ago. That would be a style that connects two drops into a continuous loop of pearls. Swags are popular in other jewelry right now, but I haven't seen too many in pearls... Have you done any? Or do you know anyone who has?
Please take your time in answering, I understand you are busy and I am in no hurry.

[perlas]

Hi Susannah,

What I meant by "my lowly beadworks" is I don't use the high-end pearls like the ones Pearl Paradise or Pearls of Joy are selling unless otherwise requested by some customers (but the requests do not usually fall on the beadwork category but on gold and diamond jewelry).

I usually use muranos, amethysts, peridots, garnets, swarovskis, aquamarines, and the likes. Nothing fancy.

For higher end beadworks (which usually ends up for myself and for family), I add gold balls, rubies, gemstone briolettes.....

I too, am a beader and designer by hobby. Before I stumbled on this forum, I don't usually use pearls due to personal struggles against durability issues. You see, my mom used to own a Miki rope and after using and spraying perfume on it every so often, she was left with beads in no time.

But lately, I've been so interested in pearls buying stuffs not for beadworks but for myself .

-----
For the rest of the forumers,

About faceted pearls, I don't find them attractive ALTHOUGH I would like to try carving pearls in freshadamas and tahitians. Any of you guys ever tried carving a pearl?

[Caitlin]

Hi Perlas
I am glad to realize you are a bead stringer like me. We use about the same materials. I have liked the tidbits I read about you in your posts. Now I know why.

[Caitlin]

Hi Perlas

So can I join the lowly beader's club?

I think you are already a charter member.

I thought I was all alone in this pearl world- the only one who likes to string beads in a world of Perfect pearl connoisseurs. It is so nice when some of you start revealing a little of yourselves- especially your creative works.

That necklace is really creative and I like your pearl carving. I think you would find using the proper tool a little more satisfying. Like what IS the proper tool for such an endeaver? I don't think it is Kinsey Milhone's hair scissors, though! , LOL

[perlas]

Caitlin,

Thanks for even considering the necklace creative. The reason why I made it into a kid's necklace is because I thought it would only appeal to this demograph, especially if I throw in a lollipop along the way.

The dyed pearls are bought at USD1/strand so this should definitely certify me as a lowly beader's club member.

[Caitlin]

The dyed pearls are bought at USD1/strand so this should definitely certify me as a lowly beader's club member

It sure does. Not to mention the colors!

[susannahxu]

We had a discussion of swags on necklaces here a few weeks ago. That would be a style that connects two drops into a continuous loop of pearls. Swags are popular in other jewelry right now, but I haven't seen too many in pearls... Have you done any? Or do you know anyone who has?

Dear Caitlin:

Sorry I’m not quite sure about the swags you mentioned here. Is it a kind of pendant with two drops of pearls? If so, that isn’t a rare style in China. You may post a picture to let me know the swags you defined if possible.

And thanks for your good words about my third picture.