Ebay Sellers Worth Your Buck

[pattye]

Hello Texan,

You make some really good points. I think, however, that the pearls in your example are not the same size, hugepearls offering being larger and apparently with fewer flaws. Also the hugepearls are closely, although not perfectly, matched so that they would make good earring charms. This adds to the value as a matched pair. The icgems pearls are sold together, but are obviously not a pair, have obvious large flaws, and you can't see what is on the other side at all. The icgems pearls in your example I would not be interested in at even a lower price. I didn't look at their other items, so am just referring to the item for $27.

Pattye

 

[Texan]

my favorite ebay seller

my favorite ebay seller

I should mention that the ebay seller who sold me the absolutely beautiful strand of pearls is Monsoon-Collections ( http://stores.ebay.com/MONSOON-Collection ). I bought several different strands, and every single strand was better than I could have hoped. I recommend them to the group, even though this means I may win fewer auctions later. Has anyone else on this board bought from them?

 

[jshepherd]

They do seem to have pretty nice stuff, and it is fairly priced.

Their grading scale standards are perfect as well. But I think that is because they lifted it from our Site

 

[Texan]

I chose to try them in part because their grading scale looked similar to what we have listed on this forum! My pearls absolutely shine - I can see my reflection in each pearl. Beautiful! (er, the pearls... not my reflection).

 

[pattye]

Hi there,
I ordered some k-gold beads from them, they were a fair price in my mind, and what I needed, very small ones. Also a few strands of lavender flat keshi pearls. They were buy it now items.
I check them out every now and then. I personally think their ss keshi are very over priced. But my biggest gripe is that they list bead nucleated ss with a little keshi-type growth tail as a ss keshi pearl. I have emailed them about the dishonesty in that. Doesn't seem to have changed anything, though.
I'm glad you are happy with your pearls, Texan, did you get akoya and what size??? I really don't think you will start a mad rush to their site!!!
I think their finished jewelry can be extremely expensive-IMO

Pattye

ps the spice pearls are rather intriguing, but I haven't seen the large size I like.

 

[Texan]

The pearls I bought were freshwater. One strand is not offered anymore - in color it was graduated from white to the spice colors, to a mauve. It was stunning enough that I turned right around the same day and bought their last strand of that one. I also bought some white freshwater buttons (for earrings), a strand of tiny seed pearls (for the ongoing beading projects), and some stick pearls. So, quite a variety but all freshwater. I also bought some other beads, but these were gemstone beads. I was pleased. It stood in stark contrast with the purchase I made from the other ebay seller (both arrived on the same day), which was not at all as advertised. You are right, monsoon-collection costs a bit more, but the quality was there, in my opinion. I guess everyone has to balance what they want, and what they want to pay... but there should be no surprises. What I hate is when a seller pretends to sell "AAAAA++" and it turns out to be the pearls you can by ready-strung in on Miami Beach, 3 strands for $10. <sigh>

I just saw that you mentioned the spice color - that drew my attention the most, too! They are just stunning in person.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Perlas,

Love the double strand of pearls Perlas. Really stunning. Would love to get some of those

Bo

 

[Caitlin]

I have bought from Monsoon too. I was worried because they are in Malaysia or somehwere like that, but I got my order and I got it in a decent time frame.

I ordered a baroque pearl shaped like a little Dumbo for a "very wealthy" friend of mine to repay her for all the fancy pearls she had sent me. She had said she loved the pearl and it would fit it her collection. Neither of us was disappointed. I actually think the Monsoon paragon pearl was more than equal as trade. What a fantastic luster. It cost almost enough to hurt though. What a fantastic luster... It is worth saying that twice.

I looked at their site regularly for a couple of weeks, but have not bought again because their prices are not low. With all the endorsement from here, and my own good experience with them, I may look again, because quality was what I remember. The pain of the money spent is gone.

It does not look like we will buy out from under each other- we all seem to have different tastes!

 

[perlas]

=Off Topic=

Attention: lucyryalls

Fancy the white strand at post #12? It's yours!

Happy Birthday!

 

[lucyryalls]

THANK YOU SAM!!!!



Im having a great birthday! 24 Today!!!


Sorry for going off topic!

 

[jerin]

Quote: Im having a great birthday! 24 Today!!! Quote

Have a really nice birthday, Lucy and enjoy Perlas gift.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi All,

I will second rainbowislandpearls . . Can totally trust her and her pearls. I have bought from her a number of times and always been happy with pearls and service. So I totally recommend her.

Have also bought from Monsoon and have been happy but mostly bought gold from them as many of their prices are on the high side but they are good and I think trustworthy.

druzydesign has beautiful things and I have also bought from her and been totally happy. She does get some really hard to get items in and has a huge number of followers.

There are, in my opinion, a lot of small sellers that do their best to describe items they have but many don't know much about pearls and just try their best on descriptions. So it can be hit or miss and no sense blaming them if it turns out wrong.

It has been my experience that 95% of Chinese sellers are crooks. Sorry any honest Chinese sellers out there. Just my experience. I recently had one Chinese seller recommended to me and I am waiting on one necklace to arrive so I can't recommend them yet. Would need to buy more than once to be certain they send what they advertise.

Bodecia

 

[Casey.R]

I haven't bought pearls from her but I did buy a pair of nice earrings from druzydesign and recently I bought something Robert Elliot, I think his store is called 22k 18k. not pearls but great goldsmithing at a fab price. He did a custom ring for me with a hessonite.

Just thought I'd share.

 

[pattye]

Other ebay sellers I like in general:

for pearls-wats2luv

for gems

Briarwood Artgems-has a few pearls, but mostly nice quality strands of gemstones

Superstarlooks-has a few pearls, mostly gemstones

A*Cut*Above

Rock Candy Gems and Jewelry

Crystal Cottage

These are ones I have purchased from repeatedly and been pleased, and have had very few occasions to return anything, and if so it was handled promptly and courteously. Each buyer has to judge for themselves whether it seems a good value for the items, of course.

Others I use on a regular basis have already been mentioned,

Pattye