[Caitlin]

Try to top this for outrageous prices:
Here is a photo of the paper catalog "tahitians" for the outrageous price.
http://www.grandmotherspearls.net/fake%20Tahitian.htm

They are, of course, the ultimate price If these are cultured Tahitians, why would they bother? The CFWP can be just as ugly and cost way less........

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Caitlin,

Although Tahitians can and often are off-round like that these are pretty awful quality-wise. I guess if you mabelswine them, people will think they are worth that money. Must be because of all those rare and precious diamonds in the clasp.

Zeide

[jshepherd]

Well, they are Tahitians, just uberlow-end. The clasp is standard HK, around $50 with probably around .05ct diamond.

But this is definitely retail, high retail. I have seen strands that were a lot worse going for even more in a jewelry store.

[Caitlin]

I sold this one for $40 and it's prettier.
I moved to same page as the Catalog page.
10mm CFWPearls from Faye and photo by Balfour Walker.

[Caitlin]

ZE & JS
So you are saying that bead-cultured Tahitians can look like naturally shaped CFWP?
In the example above I noticed that the pits are different than I have seen before, so they must be a Tahitian signature.
Do you think this color is untreated coloring?

[jshepherd]

The color could definitely be natural, but it is not easy to tell by the copy. The center pearl does suggest that the strand is not dyed.

The pits look standard for heavily blemished Tahitian pearls. Without seeing the pearls clearly I would guess they are about a 'C-D' farm grade semi round. Any lower and they would not be considered "usuable" in jewelry. I am not even going to post what it would actually cost to make a similar strand. And as you can see, the strand photographed may not be the actual strand you receive. I doubt they chose their worst for the photo.

[jshepherd]

That was kind of you...not to list the name of the company selling them

[Caitlin]

Now tell me aboout the status involved in wearing a Tahitian like that?

Wouldn't it all be in your head because you paid that very high price? The status is not intrinsic to the quality of the necklace.. . in this case.

Does status accrue because you wear a zircon that looks like a big diamond and people think it is real?

I edited one mention I found of a brand name. You see anything else, let me know.

[youngster]

Wow Caitlin, that is incredible. $5995 for 16 inches of that? It gives the whole trade a bad name, and that's not fair, because there are a lot of reputable, honest dealers out there who provide a solid product for a reasonable price.

Imagine purchasing that thing and then taking it in for appraisal down the road and being told that it's, "uber low-end"?

[Caitlin]

younster
This was a paper catalog for a big brand online dealer. Snob appeal taken to the nth degree?
#

I call this color, "goat dropping" CTP. Maybe it shoulda had some metal vapor deposition and lots else processing to enhance the color?
#

It looks like there needs to be a standard for all types of pearls.

I first thought this was a huge CFWP ripoff, but if it is Tahitian, then they need to tighten up their standards too. Down with lousy pearls of all stripes as far as jewlry goes. Let's eat them and bathe in them and stuff like that, instead. Add them to our organic crops.....

[jshepherd]

A lot of the intrinsic value is in the price and from where they were purchased. Think about the little blue box? Don't get me wrong, that company carries a superb product, but that box can often have more value than the item actually purchased.
I appraise pearls for a very famous 'A' list actor and wife that everyone knows. They have a collection of cultured that rivals nearly any, and they are great customers. I always appraise their own pieces high retail, although I know I could replace them for much less. All of their Tahitian pieces (that they did not get from me), they received personally from Robert Wan. This was not done "under the table", it was intimated strongly that was what they wanted.

I think I may delete this post tomorrow...

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi Jeremy,

I can think of a red box company and a company with boxes of many colors where the papers, clasp, and the box are really all you need, they are worth 90% or more of the purchase price. Mostly more.

Zeide

[Caitlin]

the papers, clasp, and the box are really all you need, they are worth 90% or more of the purchase price. Mostly more.

So you are saying: If you have the accoutrements, you can run down to the local bead store and get the pearl plated beads to attach a necklace.(yes, bead stores carry loose akoya covered beads)-but the actual pearls aren't even necessary to determine the value!

This is a great lesson in Mystique. I mean, I had to give it a capitol M, because it is the same as hot air, packaged and sold. After all, to collect hot air, you don't even need the original air, just the original packaging!