[Kevin Canning]

One thing to remember is Americanpearl.com has some of the most heavily photoshoped photos of any online company.

Just look at the purple Hanadama photos mid way down the page they have here: http://www.americanpearl.com/hanadama.html

I've never seen Akoya's that look like that, but maybe they have a secret source of purple pearls.

[pattye]

Kevin,

So true! At first I thought it was just my monitor! Good thing they have a 30 day return policy---------------!! Just in case---------

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[jshepherd]

It looks like a light-color peacock in the middle of the strand, darkening to a medium-color peacock near the clasp. This may be a result of the photography however, because that would be strange. You should ask about the true saturation as the darker-color peacock would be much more valuable (unless you prefer the lighter, of course).

I agree with the 'A' rating but not the "perfectly round" in the description. Nor would I agree with the usage of the word "flawless" for two reasons: You can see some light spotting on the strand. In Tahitian grading vernacular 'flawless' is only associated with "Top Gem." Also, the circles do not cover 30% on several of the pearls and should then be graded as surface.

[airdancer]

It did cross my mind that the colours could be very slight in natural light - that is, the camera picked up more colours and Adobe found even more.

I think the appeal of this necklace (for me) is that it has a bit of everything - a bit of colour, more or less even drop shapes, the right size and the price. (A boring grey drop shaped strand was asking for USD8k after some store discount.) I decided against matching earrings as I hope to find a pair of tahitian drop with pink overtones. I simply adore pink overtones. It's amazing to me that the oyster can come up with a dark bodied pearl with an overtone colour.

Knotty : that's what a colleague said too! My aunt said she saw some pinks in some pearls but not all. A friend said she saw quite a lot of pinks except for the greens near the clasp. (I could go on: I asked everyone I know.)

[airdancer]

Originally Posted by jshepherd

I agree with the 'A' rating but not the "perfectly round" in the description. Nor would I agree with the usage of the word "flawless" for two reasons: You can see some light spotting on the strand. In Tahitian grading vernacular 'flawless' is only associated with "Top Gem." Also, the circles do not cover 30% on several of the pearls and should then be graded as surface.

*nod-nod* Yes I completely agree that the use of 'flawless' is a bit of a stretch. I examined every pearl and found the pin-pricks and the circles that you mentioned and wondered about it. I was very wary of other strands marked 'clean', 'very clean' thereafter. There were some lovely golden drop shaped SSP marked 'clean' which was abt 3.5k - I stayed away even though they were soooooo tempting....

[jshepherd]

Originally Posted by airdancer

*nod-nod* Yes I completely agree that the use of 'flawless' is a bit of a stretch. I examined every pearl and found the pin-pricks and the circles that you mentioned and wondered about it. I was very wary of other strands marked 'clean', 'very clean' thereafter. There were some lovely golden drop shaped SSP marked 'clean' which was abt 3.5k - I stayed away even though they were soooooo tempting....

I think usage of the term "flawless" is just an American Pearl thing. I have never really understood it. I have seen their akoya strands and although they are nice, I have not seen one that I would call flawless. So I am not sure what they really mean by that. According to the FTC it is "unfair or deceptive to use the term flawless."

I am not really opposed to using the word. Some pearls really are flawless. But I don't believe it is a word one can just throw around. Any sort of inclusion, spot or discoloration is considered a flaw. If one exists, the pearl or the strand is not flawless. I have seen very, very few strands of pearls in my life that I would call perfectly flawless.

[Hanaleimom]

I saw some comments regarding purchases from American Pearl via amazon.com. Some customers are not happy with their purchases, specifically the Eide earrings (Tahitian drop on french wires). One comment said the glue came off in a few months and some other ones said it took AP a long time to reply. Just FYI. I realize that no vendor receives perfect satisfaction score from customers, but I thought I'd bring this to your attention.

[Caitlin]

I've been staring at this for months

Do you think you will get the one in the picture? Either Eddie is using one picture for several necklaces or that is the only one like it. Either Eddie has had it up for sale for months, and it hasn't sold, or that is the photo they use for more than one.

Maybe that is why he said it didn't have pink- he has already sold the one in the picture. Just some thoughts considering Eddie's inconsistent MO.

How did he let the photographer/webmaster show purple hanadamas?

[knotty panda]

Good point, Caitlin. That's one thing I like, having a strand specifically numbered, seeing the sold go up, and looking really close when I get the strand and it always ALWAYS is that precise strand. Perhaps AP's inventory is too large to give such personalized service and a one price fits all mentality is used. I don't see why though, even B&M stores price each strand individually. Just musing here.

Kevin: Seen Hanadamas, seen colored Akoya (be still my heart) but you're right, never seen colored Hanadamas.

Warning: Thread hijack. Clouds are darkening here in S. FL. Praying for much needed rain.

[jshepherd]

Originally Posted by Caitlin

How did he let the photographer/webmaster show purple hanadamas?

I really think that is intentional. When AP first started carrying Hanadama a couple of years back they described them as Mikimoto does on their Website.
Mikimoto states:

MIKIMOTO pearls are referred to as hanadama, or 'flower pearls', which denotes the highest quality pearls.

But when other online vendors started carrying Hanadama at lower prices (okay, it was us), AP changed their descriptions stating that Hanadama only referred to a rose color and not the quality of a strand and only Collection Quality was the best. They then dropped the price of HD and upped the price of CQ.

Now compare the words here on AP. The first paragraph states that Hanadama only refers to color and is not a quality indicator.

Now compare Mikimoto's description of Hanadama here.

AP's description is a contradiction of Mikimoto's. And Mikimoto coined the term.

In Strack on page 362 she states, "Individual pearls or high value are treated separately, the Japanese call them "handama". And on page 364 she states, "Pearls of the so-called hanadama quality are sold separately at auctions in Tokyo".

So AP contradicts both Mikimoto and Strack in their definition. This means they either made it up, or a seriously misinformed. The kicker is that AP has placed a western ideal into their "new" definition. Hanadama is Japanese for "flower pearl", so WE could naturally assume they mean rose colors. But in Japan this is not the case. In Japan the most popular flower is the sakura, or cherry blossom; not the rose. The cherry blossom blooms white. So hanadama pearls actually refer to WHITE pearls not rose pearls.

[knotty panda]

Perhaps he's waiting for us to join his forum. It's just so hard to do when you're blocked. Guilt by association.

[airdancer]

I got my necklace. Catlin is right. It's not the one in the picture. I will post pictures of it tomorrow night.

[Raisondetre]

Very nice strand from the pics. I feel for you - it's always a disappointment if you don't get exactly what you were hoping for. That is one great piece of photography, but I suspect it has been PSed to look better than it really is, or that fantastic piece has been sold like the others have said. I personally prefer to be surprised with brilliant colors from a piece that has been muted down, like the tahitian/keshi bracelet I got a while back from PP. That was brilliant and I really appreciated the muting, because it was just amazing.

I think it's alright to overpay if you absolutely love the piece, but I got an AAA tahitian drop necklace at less than a third of what you paid. I truly truly feel for you ...

[jshepherd]

Originally Posted by airdancer

I got my necklace. Catlin is right. It's not the one in the picture. I will post pictures of it tomorrow night.

That is really unfortunate. Are the colors and shapes similar at least? Is the strand "flawless" as stated? I feel for your disappointment as you are in Singapore and it will be difficult to get it back.

[pattye]

Hi Airdancer,
Sorry to hear you didn't get the necklace in the photos. I know just how that feels. Seems like in your exchange with Eddie he could have said that was just a representative photo, or offered to send photos as our vendors here will do. Or post the actual photos of the necklace, at very minimum, in that price range, and because baroque tahitians have such individual personalities. However, I look forward to seeing what you received, and finding out if you feel you want to keep it. It may "grow" on you in a few days. Must add, it seems like Eddie just wants to make a sale, not finding out what you really wanted and making certain you got it.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time