Recent content by ennui

I like the simulation. Another option is to be more random ... 4, 3, 1, 2, 4, etc. If you have a bead board, you can lay them out and play around. One thing about making your own is that if you don't like it or tire of it, you can take it apart and make something else.

Imperial Pearl offers this program to their retail jewelers; they call it Pearl by Pearl. They are Akoya pearls.

Not recovered yet, anyway. I can't imagine anyone would want to touch them, and they become a bargaining chip for the alleged perpetrators.

Do the clasp pieces pinch open? I've seen adjustable clasps that appear similar, it pinches and you can clasp it over a pearl. But my first thought was that there's a piece missing. Where did you find these?

Seeing family heirlooms sold on eBay makes me sad. Is there anyone else in your family who would like to have the pearls? My other thought is for you to hang onto them. They don't take up much room. Your circumstances and tastes may change. I recall a story about a woman who was given a pair...

Trivia -- I have a souffle pearl that still has the earthen material inside (eBay). If you shake the pearl, you can feel it rolling around a little. So, once the core dries, it's fine. My pearl is half-drilled, no odor.

When you are looking at single pearls, you can ask the vendor for the weight. My guess is a 9 mm Tahitian would be $100 since it's bead nucleated, but you'd need the weight to be sure. I would think that most people requesting GIA review are sending in multiple pearls, strands or bags, so...

The GIA fee schedule I found charges by carat weight, not mm size. It's $60 for a very small pearl, under 3 carats. A larger pearl will weigh more. If I'm reading it correctly ...

Are they drilled? Send them to me. ;) I think they'd look cool simply displayed, like rose petals in dish.

925 Italy would be the chain. What is the length? I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one of Honora's Ming pearl necklaces. Honora's Ming is their brand of Edison. It seems like Honora items often make their way to thrift stores but I don't know why.

Are there any marks on the clasp? It could be a Tahitian, or maybe an Edison ... at worst, it's a shell pearl ...

I think Mikimoto has a collection targeted for men, but I didn't see a link on their website. I'm not invested enough to do a serious search. :)

I happened to see a VIP (Very Important Pearls) section today ... Maybe the section is new since August ... definitely out of my allowance.

I was also going to suggest Kamoka. There's a topic under Pearls in the News, called "men and pearls," with celebrity male pearl sightings. You might get some ideas. It would seem that men and Tahitians are compatible.

Sarah at Kojima seems to like fuchsia for some fun looks. If you don't like it, you can take it apart and make something else.