Monster of a pearl necklace

[jshepherd]

Six months ago I mentioned a quest to put together a truly remarkable strand for a special customer of ours. Over the course of the last 6 months the strand changed a bit in form, but not in rarity. I was able to put the last pieces together after returning from a whirlwind trip yesterday. Here are the results.
The strand is 17.5mm, non-graduated, and composed completely of RD1 T-2's. This is the highest grade produced in this size. Total cost to complete the project was about $233,000. We just agreed upon a price of $250,000 with the customer. It took a full six months and two separate "out of the way" flights to complete the piece, but the results are absolutely amazing.
Also, after seeing the photos, the same customer (who wishes to remain anonymous) commissioned us out for a second strand - he likely wants to turn this into a double-strand necklace. It will probably take another six months!
You can follow the link to the picture. The stringing is temporary while we determine the kind of clasp to design around the piece.
http://www.pearlparadise.com/temp8.html

 

[jshepherd]

PS
The strand is Australian South Sea, and all pearls come from Paspaley (of course).

 

[mikehrz]

Wow. It looks incredible... incredibly photoshopped, actually, but I'm sure it's not. What's the length of the strand? And your margin sounds awfully thin considering the time and effort involved.

 

[jshepherd]

Not much in the way of photoshopping in that one. Just cleared out any remaining background. We are going to try a couple of close-ups as well as you really cannot see the amount of luster from the current shot.

The margin was thin for the effort. But it was not really about that - I wanted to make the strand. I would have done it for cost if that is what it took.

 

[Valeria101]

Wow! everyone seems to have got a wonderful deal out of this one - even more amazing than the pearls themselves No wonder there is a double strand in the works

Could really see an 'egg shell' clasp on it ... or otherwise just dream for a week or so about what could do these pearls justice.

 

[Rosomane]

Wow, if you had posted one of your "guess what this is" I would have replied "bracelet."

It's amazing, is someone really going to wear this? It must be rather heavy, but hey, that wouldn't bother ME a bit. Congratulations on what might have been a once in a lifetime project (in your case twice in a lifetime, so far as we know).

Maybe I'll catch a glimpse of it when the lucky lady boards her BBJ (you think pearls are expensive??). I'm looking forward to the closeups to see the quality (then go home to my itty bittys, sob).

What do your staff think of it?

 

[Valeria101]

If there really is some history-dependence at work out there... than this strand right here and its keen would be precisely what the nucleation experiments might be aspiring to, for looks and worth.

Those pearls really didn't prompt any profound introspection - just 'wow'. Were they non-PPB or naturals, it would have been a line of 'wow'. Do such things even exist (double strand all-nacre, round-ish, fine & huge) ?

Anyway, what am I arguing here I think I understand the difference between successful bivalve implants and anatomically correct pearls; just can't wipe the gloss of something like this with cold reason.

 

[Ashley]

Hey Guys,

Wow, Jeremy that is one jaw-dropping necklace!! Thanks for all the pics you sent- I am just so jealous!! I can appreciate all the time and effort it took to put something as beautifully matched together; all the tones look the same and surface quality is just impeccable! Do you happen to know how thick the nacre is on those pearls? I guess from my lil corner of the world, I don't really care if they're cultured or natural, they still come from an oyster, and they're still drop dead gorgeous... The great thing about culturing pearls is that you get a insanely natural-looking product in the end- vs. lab created rubies or emeralds which are WAY too perfect looking- cleaner than Mr. Clean and over-saturated...anyone who deals with colored stones can spot those fakes a mile away! In my book, nacre is nacre, and culturing pearls and farming oysters has saved the saltwater pearling industry and opened more than one door for Chinese freshwater culturing improvements...
Maybe we'll be seeing this necklace someday soon on a red carpet or two...Congratulations Jeremy!

 

[Caitlin]

The Gloria
Congratulations Jeremy. This has to be a record breaker, even for Paspaley. It is really hard to see how big those are. I'd like to see a 7-8mm strand in the same picture for comparison.

I think this is an excellent strand for a self-hiding "mystery" clasp. Why dilute it with gold or diamonds?

PS I am still not getting new posts.

 

[lisa c]

Hello, these old threads are amazing - but this link goes nowhere. Are there any photos remaining anywhere of this 'Monster' necklace, and its buddy?

 

[Katbran]

Is this the same strand that was used in the 'stringing video' ? That was a monster strand of SS pearls at 200,000+ $

 

[GemGeek]

I might have a photo of it on one of Octavia's adventures.

 

[GemGeek]

Post # 4
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2510

 

[whicker]

Gem Geek and Jeremy, I left you an important post on the referred thread...

 

[lisa c]

Thank you, GG! I don't know how you work your magic, but you did it! I was sad that a chance to see that unique necklace was probably gone forever, and there it is!!!

Your contributions are invaluable, amazing, awesome, priceless!!! From your photo essays to your science to your sense of humor - what a lot of fun it's been being 'around' you!

 

[GemGeek]

Thanks Lisa. You'll never know how much I needed a kind word just now. It feels super!

 

[whicker]

Gem Geek,
{{Hugs}} You have brightened my life, too. I'm looking forward to meeting you in person. We can conjure up a magical Tale for the Ages.

 

[LitGeek]

Yes, GemGeek you are a real treasure

 

[lisa c]

(((GG))) to Infinity!

I was also going to add "Talented and gorgeous, and she's got a full set of beautiful teeth" but that seemed kind of shallow of me... Now that I know you're having a bad moment, I'll go ahead with it

Not only that, GG, but a couple of days ago when I was having a pity party because I was denying myself those baroque Tahitians (DOWN! You temptress, DOWN!) I went whole hog, bemoaning my dearth of Significant Pearls, when all of a sudden you popped into my head. I'll tell you fellow PGers why.

Years ago, when I was a total-pearl-spat, I was still in my earliest learning and wildly enthusiastic about making friends here, and comparing my old akoyas (I didn't know they were akoyas yet) with the newer ones and speculating "No, they couldn't be natural, could they?" and writing her with endless questions about jewelry making and God knows what else - GG just patiently guided me around with Questions and just, I don't know - Fun !

That winds me back to the point of my story (and I do have one) - some of us may never own Significant Pearls, but that won't negate how you've enriched our lives by what YOU brought to this table. That's Important.

 

[GemGeek]

Thanks to all of you. I have a sea of little problems that have jumped up and overwhelmed me recently. My sweet orange cat, Cleveland, died two weeks after I got the diganosis of cancer and that got me started. If I could pick out the bigger theme, it's that I have worked for many years toward a goal that appears to be receding as fast as I try to reach it and I have a very small amount of free time available to pursue my goals.

Okay, whining is over. Thank goodness for our wonderful community!