Coco Chanel's Pearls

[CLICLASP]

Oh thank you , I did not understand the potato story and dare not to ask for more

And I will shift from "custom" to "costume" if custom authorities like it so.

 

[Heidi]

....
Now tell me why US say jewelry when british say jewellery ? ...

The Wikipedia article on this gives a good overview - there are many differences between American and British English. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences

 

[Nora]

This comes under the "You say potato", etc. rule.

That was a reference to an old pop song- You say potaato, I say potahto, "

Anna, here it goes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoUSrtw6gJs

or: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGCJJ2pU0UQ&feature=related

 

[Pearly Shell]

As someone who sold jewelry, I could not understand women who would fork over thousands of dollars for a Chanel necklace that is made of base metal and bad fake pearls. Yet when you show them a quality piece of jewelry about the same price, they'll complain that it is too expensive. That drove me bonkers!

 

[Pearly Shell]

BTW, I love your avatar Wendy! Is it new? Would love a closer look too, do you have that necklace posted somewhere?

 

[Begonia]

Whoops, meant to have that highlighted, must have done it wrong...

 

[Begonia]

"native French, and even parisiennes, wince at the french spoken in some parts of France, Quebec, Tunisia, Morocco etc"

Them's fighting words I would hope that people don't wince at anyone trying to communicate with them and that respect is shown for how people express their native language, no matter how if may differ from their own...

 

[Pearly Shell]

Wendy that strand is gorgeous! Great job!

 

[CLICLASP]

I went today at Chanel's store at "Le printemps" the most magnificent department store in Paris where Chanel has a high fashion department with accessories and those famous long rope of pearls.
It is not exactly the same design as the one pictured by Man Ray at the beginning of this thread, because it is a fashion accessories line, and they don't produce ancient designs anymore.
The price range from 800 E to the double.
The manufacturing of ropes is excellent, the pearls are fake/faux/imitation as you like, when suddendly I saw baroque FWCP on a rope more or less like this one :
http://www.chanel.com/fashion/1-acc...aturelles-et-metal-emaille-a-la-main-4,3,5,26
I must say it is very elegant.
Of course, the ones who prefer high quality pearls will spend their money in higher quality pearls.
Fake/faux/imitation pearls are described by sellers as equivalent to Mallorca pearls and they speak about "real nacre around a silicon ball".
Not very conversant with pearls specifications ...
As you know Chanel has also a range of very high end jewelry using wonderful pearls and precious stones like this one.
In a way it is amazing to present 2 lines of jewelry so far away from each other under the same brand name.

More later.

 

[Caitlin]

Anna, here it goes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoUSrtw6gJs

or: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGCJJ2pU0UQ&feature=related

You chose lovely examples for the Gershwin brothers song of the 30's.

The song is still being sung and it is still being seen in that Fred Estaire, Ginger Rogers movie, "Let's call the whole thing off" the movie the song was written for. It has since become a popular American duet for male and female covers of it.

My remark was an American cultural movie reference. Let's call the whole thing off was the kicker for, "you say tomaato, I say tomahto", and a list of pronunciation differences "neether, nyther" stretched to include, in this case, "Fake, faux, Let's call the whole thing off".

 

[Caitlin]

Hi, yes. I bought them undrilled at the Hong Kong trade fair last september. 12-13mm metallic bead nuked freshwaters. On the last day, as the sellers packed up around me I sank into a pearl fugue and picked each one out of a tub of thousands.
http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/2764

I bet that was fun!

 

[CLICLASP]

You chose lovely examples for the Gershwin brothers song of the 30's.

The song is still being sung and it is still being seen in that Fred Estaire, Ginger Rogers movie, "Let's call the whole thing off" the movie the song was written for. It has since become a popular American duet for male and female covers of it.

My remark was an American cultural movie reference. Let's call the whole thing off was the kicker for, "you say tomaato, I say tomahto", and a list of pronunciation differences "neether, nyther" stretched to include, in this case, "Fake, faux, Let's call the whole thing off".

Tanks a lot I listened to it with great pleasure and it's so true about so many things ...

 

[pattye]

Anna,

Thank you so very much for helping satisfy my curiosity! How interesting to find they are currently using some freshwater pearls! The celestial theme is always a favorite, isn't it!

I have noticed here in the US a number of the top designers who work in 18k gold, platinum and fine gems, also work in sterling, making similar designs but in a much more affordable way. Some are using cubic zirconia also.

 

[CLICLASP]

Chanel says they use Swarovski on the "CC" mark of the in-between of their fashion jewelry large rope too, and I saw it, same than on the link I put previously.
This kind of rope has become a basic, now.
Chanel people said at the time of Mademoiselle Chanel (no one says "Coco") they were not the CC brand design on the rope, exactly as on the photo you posted at the begining.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi all,

I think faux is a perfectable acceptable way of saying fake, imitation or shell based pearls and believe most people know exactly what it means. It is just a French word that has become totally normal way of saying imitation. Maybe just because it sounds better than saying fake but I really do not think it is meant to fool anyone.

If in doubt look up faux pearls on eBay and see that bids would be same if any. With other Gems I doubt the terms is used very often. Synthetic replaces it or unknown etc.

But Faux pearls is widely used and understood.

Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Again,

Fashion houses go for the utter Bling overdone effect it seems to me and most if not all are Faux Pearls as well as Paste Gems and now Synthetic Gems today. Real Gems, Pearls and Diamonds would only be lent to celebrities for extremely special occasions and they probably have loads of security guards mingling around in the crowd. The lending of said items to advertise their own products but they would surely be protected on such occasions.

As for the photo of Coco Chanel pearls it looks to me as if they are huge pearls with small pearls between and with one tiny knot either side of the huge pearl. Coco Chanel started out with understated but beautiful garments, comfortable to wear unlike Edwardian clothes with preceded hers. Since then, well times have changed.

Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Bodecia]

I doubt that anymore work needs to be done researching Peggy Guggenheim, she obviously had extremely bad taste. Once again just my biased genuine pearl snobbery opinion, whether naturals (best) or cultured, still beautiful. Better add under-stated preference to that too. Ugg to those sun glasses too.

Dawn - Bodecia
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 and natural pearl collector and all round pearl lover.

 

[Nora]

I doubt that anymore work needs to be done researching Peggy Guggenheim, she obviously had extremely bad taste.

Maybe in men, but not in art

 

[CLICLASP]

And what about the french expression "petite" used for a nice small one? often found in jewelry/jewellery
what's your feeling about it?

 

[Nora]

Touch? !!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_words_and_phrases_used_by_English_speakers