Getting my 2nd piece from Mikimoto

[mimingkat]

Hi All, I’m new to this forum and very new to the world of pearls. I’m seeking advice/opinions from all you experts regarding my next pearl piece. I’ve recently dipped my toe by getting my first ever pearl jewelry from mikimoto. I got an akoya 8.25mm pendant with a tiny diamond on top (to get used to wearing a pearl piece) and I want to go back to the store to get a pair of studs. Trying to decide if should get the 9mm A+ for $7500 vs 8.5mm AAA for $6700. If you were me, which one would you choose and why?

Thank you!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Get the higher luster ones by all means!
I'm surprised they cost less than the A+ with only a 0.5mm difference in size.

 

[mimingkat]

Yea that’s why I’ve been having difficulty deciding. Also, I just purchased my pendant yesterday. I went for the pendant so I can get more wear out of them but I’m not sure if I made the right decision. I don’t know if I should exchange it with a 7-7.5mm strand in AA if they have it available. The website only has two options which is A or A+. I will have to call the store later when they open.

This is the pendant I got. Its A+ 8.25mm. My SA told me this particular pendant style only comes in A+. If I do end up getting AAA studs, it might not go well with this A+ pendant considering the difference in luster.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

You will not always want to wear the pendant and studs together, and higher luster is always preferable to lower luster!
I don't think the difference in luster will be a problem as there is distance between the earrings and the pendant-- they are not worn side by side.

 

[mimingkat]

You will not always want to wear the pendant and studs together, and higher luster is always preferable to lower luster!
I don't think the difference in luster will be a problem as there is distance between the earrings and the pendant-- they are not worn side by side.

That makes sense. This pendant was actually the most lustrous out of all the ones I tried on but I was so focused on the design and didn’t bother to ask my SA if they have a AA or AAA pendant available that I can try. I’m so new to pearls and don’t know what to look out for. I will be going back to the store to try them all on. Thank you so much for the insight.

 

[ennui]

I vote AAA for the studs -- they are near your face!
I find that I wear pendants more often than strands, but my lifestyle is casual. I prefer pendants in the summer, too, not as hot and sticky.

 

[mimingkat]

Hello, thank you for sharing your opinions. I went for the AAA studs. These are in 8.5-8.75mm. I’m not sure but I feel like the right one is bigger than the other one on the left. I don’t really understand the sizing. Does this mean the left one is 8.5mm and the one on the right os 8.75mm that’s why it looks bigger?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

The right one looks a little bigger, but it will not be noticeable when they are worn as your face is between them-- they won't be seen side by side.
You could request a different pair but they may also be slightly different sizes.

The size means that both studs fall in the range somewhere between 8.5 and 8.75. They could be 8.62 and 8.71, for example.

Are your piercings exactly even? My left piercing is slightly higher than my right one, so I wear larger studs (or longer dangles) on my left ear to minimize the discrepancy.