Show Us Your Pearls In Action!!!

JP: Regarding that very interesting article about the lab grown stones mixed in with the natural diamond melee. Are they talking about lab grown diamonds, or true synthetics like CZs?
I believe two different types of lab grown diamonds...I would suspect that the GIA would not be at all fooled by a CZ. But I agree with you regarding using much nicer alternatives than crappy diamonds.
 
I'm really bad about wearing the same jewelry several days in a row. It's like I rediscover a piece, and then it becomes my favorite for a week, and then I rediscover another piece and that one becomes my favorite for a week. I'm not very good about wearing something different each day.

So, the Kojima blue grey drops with the topaz in the huggie part are back on today, but this time with The Swan.

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That's a particularly lovely combination, BWeaves!

JerseyPearl, the white topaz/iolite strand is so sparkly and different ... the tassel has my heart :) Really going to be gorgeous!!!
 
I've never seen topaz beads before. They do look sparkly!

Your iolite and topaz necklace reminds me of a lead crystal necklace my mother brought back to me from Italy. Let me see if I can take a photo that does it justice. It's all very sharp, angular roundels and it sparkles like a thousand diamonds. It's jaw dropping in the right lighting. My sister got the "negative" version of this necklace. Her's was all black with just a few of the clear crystal roundels. It was also amazing looking. The necklaces are about 30 - 32 inches long.

My necklace from Italy on the left. It's strung on fine silver chain with a crystal clasp. On the right, my attempt to replicate the necklace for my late mother-in-law using small Swarovski crystal angular roundels and a crimp bead instead of a clasp. I couldn't find black crystal beads in the roundel shape, so I used the regular bicone shape instead.

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My feeling is that the white topaz beads look a lot like the lead glass cut crystal beads. Lots of sparkle, just not as hard as diamonds, so they'll chip if I bang them against anything.

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Trying to capture all the amazing colors and dispersion. In real life, the necklaces are going off like a thousand flashbulbs. One of my aunts thought it was a diamond necklace, hahhaha.

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I think these would look dynamite with a rope of pearls, but I'm afraid the sharp edges of the glass roundels will scratch the pearls.

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Very pretty BWeaves! I've been using tiny 2-2.25mm black spinel and white topaz beads...they each have such nice sparkle to them! Your interpretation of your mother's piece is spot on! What size are the beads? I wanted to create chain alternatives for larger pendants/enhancers.
 
Wow, so so many beautiful posts lately!!

MSC - great job with the teeny tinies! ..love the ombre effect!

Bailey1856 - those gssp look absolutley lovley on you!

JP - love your sparkly tincup necklace and tassel project. I've been looking for a cap like that!

PW - those Tahitians against your grey sweater just pop off my screen! I also like you keishi & round Tahitian necklace. You could add some gems, but I think there is enough luster reflecting off the keishi that it can stand on its own.

imanit - that claw clasp is jaw-dropping amazing! ... very creative implementation!

BW - love your blue akoyas and topaz strands!

Thank you all for sharing your beauties!
 
Jp and Bweaves thanks for the white topaz examples. Interesting. I have limited real life view od white topaz. So it's great to see your pictures.
 
My necklaces are cut glass, not topaz, but the sparkle is similar. I honestly don't remember what size the beads are, but they are very small. 2-3 mm. I cannot find their shape anymore. They are bicone rondelles, so they almost look like brilliant diamonds with the cutlet cut off. The necklaces are from around 1980.
 
I'm really bad about wearing the same jewelry several days in a row. It's like I rediscover a piece, and then it becomes my favorite for a week, and then I rediscover another piece and that one becomes my favorite for a week. I'm not very good about wearing something different each day.

So, the Kojima blue grey drops with the topaz in the huggie part are back on today, but this time with The Swan.

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BWeaves, I do this too. We are indeed creatures of habit.

Love the drops. Love the swan. Just gorgeous.
 
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PP's 20% off everything has started (I think) and I snapped up another strand of 8-10mm silver ovals. I love my silver rope, made up of an 8-10mm strand and my babies. But I really really miss wearing my babies as an 18" necklace. The steep size graduation was also bugging me. I'm hoping the new strand will be a good match for the rope!

Rope:

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New strand:

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My babies!! Can't wait to wear them like this agin.

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Edited to add: NO MORE pearls for me!!!
 
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Edited to add: NO MORE pearls for me!!!

HAHHAHAHAHHAHHHA! What? HAHAHAHHAHA! No. I'll see it when I believe it.

I'm trying to hold off buying any pearls until Ruckus when I can see the whole vault in person.
 
JerseyPearl et al: Good sources for the "GOOD White Topaz" ? I've never seen white topaz that impressed me, so I'm sure I've never seen the good stuff, because if it impresses JP .... :)
 
BWeaves, lovely crystal necklaces! I have a few, nothing quite like that. I especially love when you find a nice vintage one, strung on that fine silver? chain.
 
PP's 20% off everything has started (I think) and I snapped up another strand of 8-10mm silver ovals. I love my silver rope, made up of an 8-10mm strand and my babies. But I really really miss wearing my babies as an 18" necklace. The steep size graduation was also bugging me. I'm hoping the new strand will be a good match for the rope!

Edited to add: NO MORE pearls for me!!!

LOL famous last words ;) Every time I have said that I seem to go wild and add lots more. So I wish you luck with that :) BTW love your silver pearls.
 
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