Recent content by Mary-Contrary

Thank you! It’s always great to know what they are

I never cease to be amazed at how totally filthy people get their jewelry!!! I bought a sonic cleaner at one point after I thrifted a bunch of earrings that were mostly grime, absolutely crazy what came off them. I have an akoya strand I almost gave to my kids because I was sure they were shot...

It was crazy filthy, I need to wash it an additional time and then restring it. I’ll post it again when I finish, it’s such a cool, unusual necklace

Love the pearls with the t-shirt! I’m over here in an old flannel shirt Thrifted keishi earrings, they’re soooo satiny but the cups have FW etched on them so I’m thinking freshwater, with my necklace from repurposed thrifted pearls and gold. It’s shocking what people donate, my best find is...

Today it’s thrifted Tahitian 10 mm studs and a mystery necklace. The pearls are 6.5 mm to 7.5 mm and look just like tiny Tahitians on a silver chain. Passes the tooth test and no hallmarks. Drill holes look good, the discoloration around the one in the photo is just scratches from the chain...

These are my best fake pearls, they’re incredible. Each one is different and they have cherry-peacock overtone. 14k clasp & gimp too. Luckily I knew they were fake when I bought them!

Finished stringing these—a $10 64” absolutely chaotic rice & keishi strand strung with 14k findings from old rice pearls I thrifted. I am sooooo pleased. I might grab some more gold beads and make some more pieces with the several feet left of the strand. The pearls are lovely but the way...

That was an amazing trip! Thank you for sharing 1. I own many strands, my first was my great-grandmother’s Mikimoto when I graduated from college 2. So sparkly & round, different than freshwater 3. That rainbow strand and some more blue akoyas

Thank you—when I finally did a direct comparison, it was pretty clear they matched the SSPs I already have. I should have started there! I do have some 9.5 mm akoya earrings! They’re at my jeweler’s, I’ll post a picture after I get them back. They’re set in rose gold with a fairly large garnet.

CFW studs & vintage CFW pearls with Toho beads I’ve had in my craft supplies for 20 years and some silver findings. It’s great to be able to remake some old stuff into things I can wear without concern for whatever bad fate they might meet. Like too much perfume 🫣

Awesome! I’ll clean them and string them into something fun and not worry about anything

Wow, such an amazing trip! Thank you for sharing

I wonder if I washed them and then re-photographed them on not a stormy day would make it easier to tell what they are

Thrifted, definitely needs cleaning & restringing. But, are they CFW or Biwa? These are definitely vintage, makes me wonder if they were from when CFW was sold as Biwa. In person they have very nice peach-rainbow overtone

Maui Divers, Tahitian—they don’t do imitation Tahitian ordinarily. I’m sure they could tell you if you asked.