[nlerner]

no idea about the size..... it is not important. One can make different combinations with colors and shapes.
I just think that diamonds do add glamour to pearls.

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by nlerner

no idea about the size..... it is not important.

Oups for the confusion; my previous post was reffering to something else: that it is unusual for fancy melee to have lab reports.

[Karl-Wertzler]

I bought this strand for my wife from a store in Chicago IL. They are from Bynoe Harbour Australia and although not AAA quality (which would have cost me $25k) I did get them for under $800. The guy was very helpful and explained to me that due to the nacre thickness being only 2 years and thinner (3 to 4mm) and that the nucleated bead was made from mussel shells they were 'cultured' not naturally grown pearls. It has 14k yellow gold seamless beads and a 14k gold clasp. My wife absolutely loves them!
Karl

[Caitlin]

Hi Karl
Bynoe Harbor pearls are shell pearls. They are high quality faux pearls. Read the internet ad carefully. I think this ad is very misleading and it has been discussed extensively elsewhere on this forum- I'll look for it and get back to you.

this page covers a similar company.

[Karl-Wertzler]

Caitlin;
Thank you for the reply, Yes, the owner of the store did take the time to explain to me that these are not genuine and that they were not Akoya or Mikimoto quality - not did he try to persuade me that they were anything but a costume piece of jewelry, he actually showed me one of the pearls that was damaged from Australia that has the shell bead showing, so I knew they weren't geniune, but the price I paid (under $800) with the luster and 14k gold beads and clasp I thought it was good compared to other strands I saw at Macy's for over $2k.
Also, I looked on eBay, Bidz.com and americanpearl.com for similar before I bought these, and it was obvious to me that he wasn't trying to pass these as geniune, but the luster on the Gold ones is very beautiful - so, as long as I know they aren't worth the thousands of dollars that especially americanpearl tries to convince customers they should be paying for something like this - I feel good about it. And my wife loves them!

[Valeria101]

Phew! [sound of relief]

Definitely agree that the golden beads are smashing looking regardless. And from the picture they resemble some near-impossible quality for natural pearls; there was a pair posted here earlier, don't think I've seen a whole strand as yet, although they must exist somewhere). What's not to like! This speaking of looks alone, as you wrote already.

Can't say I am very familiar with the price of high end pearl imitations... the ones with natural shell nuclei and nice finish come up to a couple hundred - how many 'a couple' means depending on where you buy them. And these aren't very common, understandably.

I think you've got yourself in trouble though (joke)! If you ever wanted cultured pearls with natural color looking like that .... With pearls as with most precious stones for which good synthetics are available, it isn't quite fair to ask from the natural to be that perfect (although possible, and despite some features being permanently distinct etc.) - not everyone is hapy admitting that, but why not.

Happy pearl wearing!

[Valeria101]

PS. in the picture the pearl beads appear to have about the same intensity of color (if not more) as the yellow gold findings on the strand. Going from there, either cultured pearls with natural color like that or similar natural pearls are really a dream... something rare, coveted and... I believe that the quotes of the jeweler and others were quite an understatement by an order of magnitude or two.

Here's what I mean: LINK to cultured and TO NATURAL.

Just for the fun of it: these little natural ones are a type famous for being very intensely yellow - either golden or straight yellow. So intense they wouldn't look real if you didn't know they are supposed too. This forum seems to have an unusual concentration of news about 'pipi' pearls - they really are not common at all!

Hope this isn't more than you ever hoped to hear about golden pearls The color of those you posted touched a chord...

[jerin]

Originally Posted by Karl-Wertzler

I bought this strand for my wife from a store in Chicago IL. My wife absolutely loves them!
Karl

Hi Karl,

I agree, the colour is fantastic and I most certainly would like a strand of that colour. As You were spending so much as over 700 USD I would recommend to get a look at Pearl Paradise.com, they sell REAL GOLDEN SOUTH SEA Pearls and for that price You could get a nice baroque (fri form) strand, although the colour would be a very light gold/yellow tone.

That´s just in case You want to have real pearls and not imitations, even if they are high class. Pearl Paradise has GSS as their monthly Special (I hope they still do), there the pearls are cheaper yet than normally.

[Raisondetre]

Originally Posted by Karl-Wertzler

I bought this strand for my wife from a store in Chicago IL. They are from Bynoe Harbour Australia and although not AAA quality (which would have cost me $25k) I did get them for under $800. The guy was very helpful and explained to me that due to the nacre thickness being only 2 years and thinner (3 to 4mm) and that the nucleated bead was made from mussel shells they were 'cultured' not naturally grown pearls. It has 14k yellow gold seamless beads and a 14k gold clasp. My wife absolutely loves them!
Karl

Well, I know you think you still got a good deal, and you know they're not real pearls but that still sounds like misrepresentation to me. Faux pearls are not the same as non-AAA quality cultured pearls. Most pearls on the market are cultured, not natural, so while it's an extra piece of information it's not really adding much to the description apart from the fact the initial irritant is not a polished mussel shell bead. A nacre thickness of 2-4 mm is not thin, and shell pearls, while still made of nacreous material overall, do not have nacre layers and do not take 2 years to culture (not sure about the rate of nacre deposition in SS shells, but I don't think it's 1-2 mm/year - that's considered quite thick). It's simply compressed powdered nacre that's molded under high pressure to desirable shapes, possibly with an external synthetic coating. I'm not sure about the specifics of the technology, but even in China they fully disclosed if it was shell pearls. US$800 for shell pearls is way overpriced, especially with the misrepresentation. Whoever sold you the pearls either does not know what shell pearls are, or is deceiving you intentionally by misleading you with words. I agree PP's Golden South Sea Baroques are much better value for money and do keep their value. Most people do prefer rounds, but if you're paying that much for shell pearls you might as well get something that's at least authentic. You won't get decently sized round GSSPs for under 5K.

Having said that, if you're happy with the purchase and your wife loves them, that's the most important thing.

[Ragnorak]

I didn't think they still grew out pearls in Bynoe Harbour these days but you live and learn.

Not to the extent that you could quote it as a name when selling pearls but then again they look very nice in the photo and if you're happy with them, there's no reason to be unhappy.

Give me deep gold over champaigne any day.

[Karl-Wertzler]

I want to thank everyone here for all their help in discussing my Gold Australian pearl strand. I just talked with the owner of Dis-GO! and he has issued me a $550 credit! Now, that's what I call customer service! I don't know any other dealer that would have done the same. And he is making corrections on his site after talking with his dealer in Australia. Thank you all sooo much...
Karl

[salem]

Wow, that is fantastic. Glad you found an honest dealer. Good luck with future purchases

[perlas]

going back to the original question.....

although the goldens are more sought after, i just prefer the champagne color eventhough we have a lot of goldens here. with a lot of luster, the champagnes really look gorgeous.

i also like pearls with a bit of yellow (between white and champagne) because they change from white to champagne depending on lighting conditions.

these are earrings i recently purchased. still mismatched in my standards. there is a body color difference that i hope i captured in the photo. one is yellowish. the other one with fantastic orient (the one facing front is a nice white with silvery bluish pinkish tinge but looks yellow because the luster is reflecting the yellowish pearl beside it... can you see my camera in the pearl? it's black with silver around the lense.).

until i find a match... the yellowish pearl would do as they look the same when worn because of the high luster.

they are 11.4mms, near round.

[Raisondetre]

Originally Posted by Karl-Wertzler

I want to thank everyone here for all their help in discussing my Gold Australian pearl strand. I just talked with the owner of Dis-GO! and he has issued me a $550 credit! Now, that's what I call customer service! I don't know any other dealer that would have done the same. And he is making corrections on his site after talking with his dealer in Australia. Thank you all sooo much...
Karl

I'm impressed. If your guy's lurking, welcome!

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Valeria101

This forum seems to have an unusual concentration of news about 'pipi' pearls - they really are not common at all!

…in context, an individual infatuation that resulted in my presence here (and nowhere else), with no pretensions other than to share an experience and 'discovery.' That poe pipi might enjoy exposure here despite relative commercial irrelevance should be a positive indicator for forum members. (Meanwhile, we might fantasize about improving the incomes of some well-deserving Tongarevans—not to mention proper management and preservation of a disappearing treasure.)

Steve
Seattle