[Eugene]

Hello forum members my name is Eugene I am new to the forum. I like to get you opinion on these pearls, can anyone at the forum tell me what they think of these pearls and what they believe their value should be?

[Caitlin]

Hi Eugene
Thanks for posting pictures.

I suggest you surf the web and find comparables selling here in the US. Maybe Pearl Paradise, PurePearls, The Pearl Outlet. But Google "south sea golden pearls" and see what comes up. If you do this survey of websites, you will really get an eyeful and first hand knowledge of the range of prices, but be careful, some of them are not telling the truth.

What do you mean by AAA+?

[Eugene]

AAA+ quality pearls: Pearls having super luster, no blemishes, thick nacre, have an attractive and uniformly-round surface that is clean and free from blemishes.

[Nerida]

So Eugene, are these pearls that you are selling?

[Valeria101]

'Bet you know all too well what these are worth where Thanks for posting though! These are beautiful! All of them...

The first strand is very impressive, of course. However, I love the medley of pastel colors of the third and what you label 'off-round' shapes in any color. If I were shopping for a south-sea strand, then it would have both traits.

Just curious: for these more impressive strands, do you ever get requests for certification (lab reports) of 'natural color'? [remembering funny reports about pearl submissions at AGTA and others]

[Pearlgully]

Just wondering....... is the golden color in the first two pictures natural? I ask this because all of the pearls seem to be exactly the same color (at least on my monitor).

Gail

[Caitlin]

Hi Eugene
That AAA+ designation is used on eBay, but you will never see it used by the best pearl dealers here. It is considered a joke (or dishonest) by serious pearl dealers

Can you show us some close ups of a really gold one? Please be sure to show us any dimples, etc.

Pearlgully and I attended a lecture by Elisabeth strack in 2006. It was on how to recognize pearl treatments, what should be disclosed and what doesn't need it. She showed us how the gold dye gathers in places that can be seen under magnification. Gold dye MUST be disclosed, so have you gotten any of them certified and/or appraised?

If they are natural colors and that size- then appraisal and certification are a drop in the bucket against the sales value. You really need to get them tested, to prove they are what they look like. That will help buyers feel more secure.

If they are natural color and the quality you claim (even if I take off the +) you should be able to sell them in top auction houses- if you have the certifications in hand.

Without them, they are suspect-especially the uniform color Pearlgully mentioned earlier, but also the lack of any blemishes.

SSP are hard to find without blemishes- let alone without blemishes and such perfect pearl color matching. I would say that the combination is a statistical impossibility, but I will apologize, if a reputable certification lab says they are.

[Mervione]

I have a few questions. Sellers that are considered to be serious very often mark pearls that are between AA and AAA grade AA -->+<-- . So what`s wrong with calling pearls between AAA and gem AAA+? It doesn`t make sense.

Also, Druzy OFTEN call her pearls and other gems things like AAAAAA+++++++++, but everyone here think she is serious and they ignore her strange grading, which seems unfair. (She call pearls with pretty dull luster and blemishes "gem", is it only me that have noticed that?) No attack against Druzy, I like her items a lot, it`s just her descriptions that could be better.

[Mandy]

Originally Posted by Mervione

I have a few questions. Sellers that are considered to be serious very often mark pearls that are between AA and AAA grade AA -->+<-- . So what`s wrong with calling pearls between AAA and gem AAA+? It doesn`t make sense.

Maybe because it's redundant? To me the extra plus is unnecessary.

Originally Posted by Mervione

Also, Druzy OFTEN call her pearls and other gems things like AAAAAA+++++++++, but everyone here think she is serious and they ignore her strange grading, which seems unfair. (She call pearls with pretty dull luster and blemishes "gem", is it only me that have noticed that?) No attack against Druzy, I like her items a lot, it`s just her descriptions that could be better.

Although I have never purchased anything from Druzy Designs have I have heard nothing but positive things about their merchandise. Their reputation precedes them, if you will, hence such excessive handling of grading is for the most part accepted. I've read their descriptions and they're quite eye-popping, to say the least lol

[Mervione]

The plus in AA+ is not unnecessary, it have a proper meaning and that is that the pearl/s is better than typical AA but not quite as good as AAA. This is why it`s strange in my opinion that AAA+ isn`t accepted. If it`s between AAA and gem grade, then the plus must have the same meaning as in AA+.

[Caitlin]

AAA is the highest grade, freshadamas and other gem quality pearls like Hanadamas are the top of the top of AAA.

A-,A, A+,AA+ and AAA are all on a continuum. AAA goes from better than AA+ in a continuum to the best of the AAA which are the gem quality pearls. There is no higher grade.

As for Druzy, others have complained of her disregard for serious grading, but her stuff is rare and unique, never mass produced, and everyone who has bought from her is satisfied. She has 100% positive feedback for years of selling on eBay. No one wants to pick on her.

We know her descriptions with all the exclamation marks is the style she picked to sell on eBay waay back when, before this forum started let alone started trying to bring up Pearl sellers for sloppy, if not kinda cheating on grading. So many of us have known her and/or bought from her for years, that we totally trust her, even with the ebullient descriptions. She always puts up so many pictures with varying backgrounds to set off the pieces in various ways, that folks know what they are getting.

Eugene is entirely unknown, he is selling what look to be high priced necklaces, we want some vetting; we want to get to know him.

[Mervione]

Ah right. Then maybe he should just call them gem instead.

I didn`t criticise Druzy or what she sells, I buy lots from her all the time, just her descriptions.

I think it`d be much better if there were either no grades at all or an official system as with diamonds. Would mean less fraud (Thinking of sellers that have awful pearls that look like plastic but still call them AAA because it`s the best pearls they have in stock.) and less confusion.

I`ve slowly started to stop looking at the grades when it comes to pieces you see the exact picture of because I know it`s better to go by the photos in those cases since descriptions aren`t always accurate. Just my two cents.

[Eugene]

Yes they are.

[Caitlin]

I didn`t criticise Druzy or what she sells,

I know you didn't, you were just trying to figure out why we let her get away with it without raazzing her.

Hi Eugene

What post did "yes they are" refer to?

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by Valeria101

'Bet you know all too well what these are worth where Thanks for posting though! These are beautiful! All of them...

The first strand is very impressive, of course. However, I love the medley of pastel colors of the third and what you label 'off-round' shapes in any color. If I were shopping for a south-sea strand, then it would have both traits.

Just curious: for these more impressive strands, do you ever get requests for certification (lab reports) of 'natural color'? [remembering funny reports about pearl submissions at AGTA and others]

Yes Valeria we do and we have certification for them.