Gem Quality Freshwater Pearls?

Icyjade said:
I have a strand of round metallic Edison's that is really stunning and with beautiful lustre. You can try asking one of the vendors if they can source for you from Hong Kong. Won't be that cheap but shouldn't be ssp price either. It made me seriously question myself if I still need a round ssp strand. Jury still out on that...

From top:
Triple freshadama
Baroque Edison
Round metallic Edison
Off round south sea pearls
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Your pearls are gorgeous. What size are they?
 
TXPearlLV said:
Your pearls are gorgeous. What size are they?
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12-15mm. They are fairly substantial.

Katbran said:
As always - amazing pearls Icy !

Is it my eyes or is the thread getting a bit loose on the Baroque strand..is it getting frayed there at the front? I'd hate to have to lose one of them !
Click to expand...

Thanks Katbran. The baroque strand stringing is a bit off you are right. Was like that from the beginning. Anyway I'll probably restring on wire (with silicon bead spacers)... find that for larger pearls, wires provide better support and shape.
 
Really great photos, everyone -- but my favorite is the one Pearl Dreams took under the fluorescent. It really captures the incredibly beautiful nacre of each type of pearl.
 
Thanks Sunseeker :)

JerseyPearl said:
Great luster on those Edisons, Icy! Did you find those during your trip to show in Hong Kong?
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Yes indeed. I found it hard to assess the pearls under strong fluorescent lights so I only bought a strand but was smitten when I finally saw it in natural light. Went back a few days later but couldn't find another decent strand unfortunately. They are from Grace. Spent some time admiring the 10k Edison strands too.
The pic I posted of the various lighting is under natural lighting and you can see how metallic that strand is as compared to the baroque one, or against the satiny wssp strand.
 
I can't comment on the pearls themselves, as I have zero knowledge about SS pearls; however, I just wanted to point out that the zoomed pearls are not the same as the strand which appears on the page. When you select "Hover to Zoom", the zoomed strand is different. Others here may be able to tell you about this vendor or the pearls themselves, but since you're seeing 2 different strands on this page, I personally would ask for photos of THE strand I'd be purchasing.
 
BritM, you have a sharp eye! I never noticed the zoomed photo was different. The listing says the pictured strand is the exact one you will receive so I agree, ask for close-up photos since the zoomed one is not the same one.

I like the strand overall, but be aware that the pearls are not fully round, if that matters to you. The luster is listed as AAA so that will help minimize the appearance of blemishes (light to moderate).
 
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I love this site! I didn't even notice that...so now I'm just thinking for my budget of around $1300 I will go gem grade fwp. I would like the largest I can get that are round with good luster. Do you think it's possible to get something in the 10-11mm range in 18"? Also are there any Black Friday sales or sales in November since it's close to Christmas???
 
Thanks so much. I have actually researched the 3 sites most often recommended here and noted these two as possibilities. I think I need to go see what 9-10mm look like on me. Does anyone know of a good pearl store in Dallas?
 
Does the whiteness of the pearl bother you? If so then you may need to consider if fwp is a good fit to what you are looking for. Generally fwp are not as white, veering to a cream/warm white color.
 
Ug...I'm really struggling. I have a beautiful strand of baroque fwp that my husband purchased for me in Hawaii. They weren't very expensive but I love the rainbow luster and size. So I vacillate between baroque ssp and round pearls. My budget is in the way!

strand of baroque fwp
 
Very nice! What size are those?

I find it helps to take the long view. Very likely the next pearls you get won't be your last ever, right? (We pearl lovers can't stop at one or two.) And likely white isn't the only color you'll ever want. You might want Tahitians or golden south sea pearls someday too.

So don't lay too heavy a burden on this decision. There will always be more birthdays and anniversaries to receive pearls! But whatever you get, let it be the best quality you can afford. Don't buy something that you don't love; that just wastes money. It will just sit there in your drawer unworn.

If the ideal strand (for you) is not in your budget at present, maybe get studs now, strand later?
 
You are all so sweet. I fell in love with GSSP in Hawaii. Alas those will be in the future. But I agree with your "long view". I think I"ll just get the best within my budget because like most of you, I love pearls and know it won't be my last strand! Those baroque Tahitians had me at hello. ;)
 
Oh, they're big! I can see why you are leaning toward more large pearls. They do look great on you.
But you know, it's nice to have smaller sizes, too.
 
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