South Sea Pearls??

C

cyrus

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Joined
Nov 26, 2012
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HI. My name is Lester. I'm new to the forum. I joined to learn about pearls, as I was shopping to buy some as a gift for my wife. I recently ordered and received a strand, and wanted some opinion as to the quality of my purchase. I've been home-bound due to a health concern, and therefore made the purchase online. The pearls I bought were sold as South Sea pearls, but I was a little surprised by the pink overtone when I received them. It is an 18" strand, with pearls measuring around 11.1 to 11.2 mm. The clasp is marked 14k. They are not perfect, with noticeable surface blemishes. I guess my main concern is whether they really are South Sea, since the color seems quite similar to a strand of the freshwater pearls that I had also purchased. I've included some pictures. The first two pictures are under natural light from a window, the third under a lamp, and the fourth is outside. It's a little overcast today, so the sunlight wasn't the best. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

IMG_20121129_143501.jpgIMG_20121129_143537.jpgIMG_20121129_143648.jpgSoC 789


Thank you!! Lester
 
I would add, there are 45 pearls in the strand, and looking at the comparison of the clasp to the pearls, it doesn't look like a long strand. If it is 18 inches, there are about six extra pearls. In other words, it isn't 11 mm. It looks like you received a smaller freshwater strand.
 
Hi, Jeremy. It's an 18 inch strand. Are the pics adequate, or is there a better shot/lighting that would be helpful? Anything else to look for to help tell? LJW
 
I'm sorry - I just measured with a tape. The actual lenght (not counting clasp) is 19.25". I measured some individual pearls, and they were measuring at 7/16".
 
No offense taken, Sven. I did find them on ebay, though they were not from a Chinese seller. I had read from others on this sight that there are reputable sellers on ebay (some members being sellers themselves) and chose to purchase from one with 100% positive feedback, that was selling only pearls, who stated that they were mostly pieces picked up in estate sales in Hawaii. In the seller's picture, the pearls looked more white with silver overtones, were advertised at 11mm+, and I've seen members here selling and using the 14k clasp on the pieces of their website stores, too. With all that said, and with the price not too dirt-cheap (not thousands, but several hundred), I thought I may have been safe and found a decent deal.
 
That is unfortunate. Did you pay via PayPal or some other method that would allow you to get your money back? Do you have a link to the auction that closed?
 
hmm that's a bummer Lester, any more information's you have would help us to be sure, would you be able to make a closeup from one or more of the pearls, maybe even around the drill holes?

The necklace just doesn't look right to me in therms of even shapes and color of the pearls, to be south sea, and like i said that color would be quite rare if not impossible to get a complete south sea pearl necklace together though.

PS: this is all based judging from your photos!
 
A few years ago, a friend and I both ordered necklaces like that from an eBay vendor, knowing that they couldn't possibly be south sea pearls at $150. And they weren't, but heck, they were great necklaces and the pearls were very very round for freshwaters! :)
 
Sven-
Here's a couple of more. I might try again tomorrow in daylight and with my camera - I've been taking these with my phone.
IMG_20121129_223400.jpgIMG_20121129_223423.jpg

GemGeek-
I was aware of the possibility of them not being as stated. It's funny - I let the cat out of the bag and showed them to my wife and she loves them, doesn't want to send them back even if they are freshwaters. At what I paid, I don't feel I got too hurt and she's happy. Along the way I've curiously picked up this fondness for pearls as well.
 
They seem to change with the light. They'll look white with pinkish overtone, then look just slightly pinkish, white with a silverish hue in a different light.
 
Last edited:
Hi and welcome!

Your pearls look just like my large fresh water pearls, including the slight pink overtone. I paid $200 for the pearls themselves in wholesale, unstrung and without clasp.

It is true that there are reputable sellers but they are few and far between. Sven,who has been commenting, is one of them, but if you compare his prices and those of other on-line sellers plus http://www.tahitianpearls.biz/, with what you paid for the strand, you'll get an idea if it was too good to be true. These on-line sellers also have really good pictures you can use to compare with your own.

If you paid with PayPal you have 45 days from the time of purchase to file a case. First step, of course, would be to contact the seller. I'm happy with my FW klonks, by the way, having now restrung them to a short choker using an arts and craft copper clasp :)

- Kari
 
PS

You get more realistic information on an eBay seller by checking them on toolhaus.org. You will be able to see feedback going way back, what was withdrawn, and exactly what people were saying.

- Karin
 
Sorry for hijack the thread.
But i think i go to bali in 3 weeks, and have a question for Sven.
You have any nice SS earrings ?
Want to buy some for my fiance ;)

By the way, might you be a swede ? :)
 
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