Recent content by KarinK

The replacement looks even better :-)

They look like stone. Maybe some type of jaspis.

I've wasted a lot of money in the early days buying strands that wasn't what I really wanted but cost less. I wish I had waited and pooled that money. And I still have the pull at anything, not just pearls, to buy something because it is a good deal. It isn't if you don't use it. Great that you...

A good rule of thumb is that if it looks too good to be true, it usually is. $180 is way too good to be true :-) It's a good idea to spend time looking at the kind of pearls you like from the various online vendors and get familiar with how they look and what they cost. That way it is easier to...

My immediate reaction is that that is a lot of money for something that's plated. I might buy gold filled and real silver but never plated, not even cheap. But I would also not be in the market for dyed mabé. I like the vintage look, though. Out of curiosity, what species are the mabé from?

Gaaah! They have a carabiner on Etsy where the screw part is a skull!! This reminds me that I was going to restring my white Tahitians on some colorful thread because I never use them and a carabiner would be a great clasp for such a project. Actually, I rarely wear any of my pearls. Maybe this...

I really love the carabiner look, gives the pearls a nice edge.

If you consider buying them, you should then compare the price to other dyed freshwater, considering shape and luster, not Tahitians. And if you don't love them, don't buy them.

You could have the goal to make a 100" rope, mixing the pearls up in size and quality :-)

You could probably use some of the lesser pearl at the back of a nice strand - either app the same size or lightly graduated.

You won't be able to find any information. Search for fish hook clasp and see how many hits you get. It is extremely common.

That is a generic clasp So many necklaces has this kind of hook clasp.

You are also supposed to be able to tell with a loup. Contrary to the tooth test, genuine pearls should look smooth.

I was lurking for parts of it, as I often do. It's around my evening reading and bed time so I am on and off. Impossible not to have sweet dreams when the last thing you see before you turn off is pearls :-)

You might want to consider pre-loved pearls since pearls don't hold their value well.