Blue Nile vs Pearl Paradise & Enhanced Black Pearls

[SoCalSteve]

Previously I purchased a freshwater pearl necklace from Blue Nile and was quite happy. Since then I've discovered quite a few highly reviewed retailers like Pearl Paradise. While I am not completely certain PP is where I will buy, I am considering it based on reviews I've read on here and their activity on the forum. I am wondering if any of you have BN pearls and pearls from other retailers and can give me advice on how they compare.

Also, I have considered picking up black freshwater pearls as they are significantly less expensive and appear to be visually similar to Tahitian pearls.

Any advice on these two subjects would be appreciated!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Hi SoCalSteve,

I don't own any Blue Nile products but will address the dyed freshwater vs. Tahitian subject.

They are simply two different entities, and there are perfectly good reasons for choosing either.

Dyed freshwater pearls are usually solid nacre, much less expensive than Tahitians, and the dye does not come off or fade over time. They can be attractive and durable, and a perfectly good wardrobe item, but they don't usually look like Tahitians-- at least not to those who know Tahitians. The colors are not really the same as those of Tahitians. I see a lot more blue and purple in the dyed freshwaters, and often there is a sort of oil slick effect, or a kind of mottling. Usually they are smaller than Tahitians, and the shapes are typical of fwp rather than Tahitians. I have also found that luster is lower in the dyed freshwaters-- at least in the strand I own.

Tahitians have a bead nucleus, but the color is natural, and this is what Tahitians lovers desire-- natural color, in so many variations.

 

[annie]

I have bought gemstone rings and gold earrings from BN. I was pleased with what I received. I’ve not bought pearls from BN.

I bought three strands of dyed “black” freshwater pearls from PP. The were a bluish purple color. I had planned to make a long rope because at the time I wanted a Tahitian rope. I thought they would be a good substitute. However, they didn’t compare to the luster and natural color variety of a strand of real Tahitians.

 

[BWeaves]

I have some dyed freshwater pearls, and I enjoy them for what they are, but after I saw real Tahitian pearls, I realized that the freshies looked nothing like the Tahitians. Tahitians come in all sorts of different colors, so you really can't generalize and say, "Well, Tahitians look like this." I bought and sent back several strands of T's before I found ones that spoke to me.

 

[lilliefuzzysocks]

SoCalSteve, The Pearl Paradise AAA dyed freshwater pearls are custom dyed with very high quality freshwater pearls that were selected just for this process. That is why they are so colorful. I asked when I was looking at them. They are very different than the PP dyed akoyas which are coal black. The dyed PP freshwaters far left and dyed akoya center. Right are commercial grade dyed freshwater from a pearl party vendor.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

My dyed fwp are anything but uniform and I bought them because they actually resembled Tahitians, but I haven't seen any more like the strand I bought years ago. But even this strand has more blues and purples than Tahitians do.