Recent content by kjledford

Okay - guess fake... never mind!! =)

Not at all sure... could be - they are set in a silver clasp... I don't have access to them to test...

Got bit by the bug and I'm considering this vintage piece. Would you say old Akoya? or Freshwater? They say its a double strand with 18" longer and 17" shorter... 12mm center pearl.

Hi Cherstin, I too am very new to pearls - but your post struck me so I thought I would reply! I have a two sets of similar pearls. One that is "real" (tooth test, yep that little grit gives it away!) and one is fake. The fake one I actually got from my grandmother a long long long time ago...

The appraiser doesn't make or sell jewellry - he just appraises... so I'm not sure what the angle would be other than maybe just wrong.... He did pull up sales on Amazon with what he called similar quality (The $130 100" rope)... and yep - it was $130 for the rope, around $80 each for the 60in...

Okay - I will close the case on these pearls... they are for sure Freshwaters... and I agree with Jeremy - we will just right it off as an even deal - no big savings or wows with this deal. The negotiator is actually just another employee and his wife who live there in Manilla. They help take...

You would die. I actually used my husbands grandmothers old Corelle ware plate! hahahha I had to crop out the little 70s green flowers!

Talked with negotiator - says these were purchased as freshwater... so that means the natural black comment was a lie from the vendor... maybe they meant more natural in color? but they did say no dye... Oh this mess is confusing...

New Photos!!! New Photos!!! Sorry - didn't get the different color background note until just now... I did take a few shots more - I think these are much better but not exactly what I hoped! I will have several of each strand - my original pink set (well worn!) - the new black set (and one...

Would it be possible these are 8mm salt waters? I am going to borrow a much better camera this morning and take some tighter shots. Even on my white counter top the photos I'm getting are still dullish.... Some do have a really good luster on them - my original pinks and the new whites.... I...

Okay - just heard back from the fellow who negotiated. He did confirm they are using the same vendor that corporate has used for years... his two strands he paid $30 us were sent to an appraiser in NY that xrayed and used refraction (?) to grade them and they came back worth $1.5k --- now how...

yeah - but the bad thing is he had a negotiator working for him as a corporate recomendation... this guy negotiatied deals for my husbands boss before... *he* should know better.....

Thanks Jeremy... I was pretty sure the "natural black" was lie... I feel bad because my husband was to purchase a set of "black" pearls just like mine (I knew mine were dyed) and came home with some that are much much lighter (more evident in the group photo at bottom) and not "Black" like our...

Hi All, My husband has on two occassions purchased pearls from the Greenhills market in Manila. I'm not sure both trips were from the same vendor - but the second vendor was Raquel's. I don't know much other than what I've read hear but I'm trying to nail down a rough worth of the pearls. I...