I tried on an AAA 7-8mm Mikimoto strand!

[dkan 168]

I visited London for the weekend, and went jewellery window shopping in Burlington Arcade and the Bond Streets on Saturday.

I walked into the Mikimoto store, wearing my Gem Fresh 8-9mm strand from TPO, and asked to see a couple of strands from the display.

They turned out to be both AAAs, their highest grade, and I was congratulated to have such good eyes to be able to pick out the best!

The nice lady salesperson kindly let me tried the 7-8mm strand on.

I took mine off, and placed it next to the Miki strand for comparison.

The Miki strand was noticeably more glassy with a metallic sheen, very pretty indeed.

However, it is too small for me, and had a yellow gold clasp with a pearl on it (I only wear white metal), and at over 27k+ GBP, yes, 27+ grand sterling, I shall give it a miss, as I could get one each of very nice Tahitians and South Seas from PP at that price!!!

It was great being able to make that comparison and see it with my own eyes.

And I shan't say no to a 9-9.5mm Hanadama strand!

Ooo, the sales lady commented about my Gem Fresh being a nice strand of pearl while I was there!

 

[Hanaleimom]

Thanks for the shopping report. Too bad you couldn't get a picture of them next to each other.

 

[pattye]

dk,

Nice to hear from you, and appreciate the comparison report! Really Expensive!!

 

[GemGeek]

I'll bet you looked like a million bucks -- before and after!

 

[AMc]

27K?!?!?! For 7-8mm ?!?!!? 27??! It's obvious that I need to take another trip down to Rodeo soon to re-evaluate just what's going on over there... jeez. 27... There are so many words that occur to me right now.... <--- walking away for lunch now, mumbling to self.

 

[dkan 168]

Could they be 8-8.5mm? The pearls were definitely smaller than my TPO's Gem Fresh 8-9mm strand when they were laid side by side each other, and the clasp was nothing special!

 

[dkan 168]

Thanks for the shopping report. Too bad you couldn't get a picture of them next to each other.

I felt too cheeky to ask if they would let me take a pic, and the picture quality on my mobile phone is not that great.

 

[pattye]

Easy to check out the Mikimotoamerica.com website. A basic 18" strand, 8 x 7.5mm, A+ grade, is being offered at $6,910. Oh, 18k clasp, too! No higher grade offered, but probably available by special order.

 

[AMc]

Thanks- sometimes I get so focused on what we're doing here, I forget that Mikimoto even exists!

Then I get whupped upside the head with Applecheek's shopping report (srsly- thank you, it's definitely a needed service!!), and the reality of the pricing differences that we're really dealing with shock me to pieces all over again.