"Mikimoto" pearl jewelry on ebay

[mrsadm]

Lately I've run into an ebay seller with Akoya pearl jewelry sold as new with the Mikimoto box and card. The pendants run $200-$400 or so, are not listed as Blue Lagoon, and to my only-recently-educated eye they appear to be not genuine. I have a pair of Mikimoto earrings and the luster they have is striking; the ebay pearls look very diffuse in the light. There is a stamped "M" on the sterling. I think these must be fake. Do you think I am correct?

Interestingly the seller is located in Nagoya, Japan.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Mikimoto-Akoya-Pearl-Silver-Pendant-Necklace-Linearly-5-Pearls-Authentic/222366292699?_trksid=p2054502.c100227.m3827&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908103841%26meid%3D69530e43353d4ad6af591f3cf9745415%26pid%3D100227%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D11%26sd%3D172554324754

eBay item number:
222366292699

 

[pearlescence]

Isn't 'authentic' eBay code for 'fake'?

 

[BWeaves]

Well, the hallmark does look a little iffy. And I've never seen anything like that piece on the official Mikimoto website, so I'd vote fake, too.

If it was vintage and silver, it could possibly be authentic, but "brand new?" Nah.

 

[SunSeeker]

The seller has a long history and all positive feedback. But I agree the pearls do not seem very lustrous on my screen, plus the price seems a little high for a silver necklace on eBay.

 

[BWeaves]

I also remember Blaire's talk at Ruckus 2016 on how some of the sellers get good feedback ratings while selling bad pearls. I don't remember all the details.

 

[SunSeeker]

I also remember Blaire's talk at Ruckus 2016 on how some of the sellers get good feedback ratings while selling bad pearls. I don't remember all the details.

Good point! Blaire did extensive research to show that time and time again many eBay sellers are using very clever techniques to exploit buyers

 

[Katbran]

I agree about the lustre. They are fairly ordinary looking Akoya. I vote fake.

 

[pattye]

mrsadm, that's a most interesting website. Have you communicated with the owner at all? Such a variety of items, too. I'm curious, not quite ready to call fake yet~though some of the prices, like the one linked to, are pretty high.

 

[pattye]

These earrings are interesting, as the posts are engraved with Mikimoto, as are the 18k earring butterfly backs

I'm not sure why the seller isn't listing the actual grade of the pearls. I would think that would be included on the new items, at least it was back when I sold Mikis.

 

[mrsadm]

The seller's prices are too low, IMHO, but I am comparing them to stud earrings (AAA) on Mikimoto's web site, at about $1480. I paid a little less than that at a licensed jeweler retailer for studs with great luster and 18K. What I don't know is if Mikimoto sells pearls at AA+ or less grade, with sterling instead of gold. I am debating contacting them just to satisfy my curiosity .....

Sorry if I am obsessing about this! Just trying to learn enough to not make a mistake on ebay.
Linda

 

[JerseyPearl]

Linda, you do us all a service!

 

[mrsadm]

Hi Pattye, I think it would be possible to fake the engraving on the posts, and also fake the boxes.

My only example is from my own studs, where the posts are marked "750" with the "M" mark. The catch that goes on the posts is marked "Mikimoto 750".

Thanks for your input Pattye!
Linda

 

[mrsadm]

Thank you Jersey Pearl!

 

[amti]

I looked at a few of the seller's auctions. Here is my take... silver on pearls is very common in Japan. When I lived there, I looked at pearls and almost every clasp was silver. When I inquired about why silver was used over gold, I was told that silver blended better with pearls. Japan did not use a lot of white gold at the time (my last time there was 2008) and platinum was very expensive. 18K was what was used. Seeing that this seller is in Japan, I don't think you can claim the items are fake just because they are silver. And I would assume that there are specific items sold just for Japanese customers. The JAL watch is one of them.

As far as the luster on the pearls... I thought it was very lacking in all their auctions. So either the items are fake or they are using some filter to create more of a matte look on their items. If you look at the metal, it is also very flat colored. Thus, a filter could be used. There is also a spray that you can apply to shiny surfaces so there is no to little refection (used in shoots and commercials). I would hope they wouldn't apply this to pearls.

As far as boxes, I've been to China and have seen so many different fakes... fake boxes are nothing. There were cases and cases of fake Tiffany silver, every brand name purse/scarf/clothing item/shoes, etc... You could buy a fake rolex with a fake box and papers. One common giveaway years ago was grammar and spelling. Most of the people copying writing material did not speak English and just copied the original papers. Thus, if you read the print, you'd find mistakes. One one Disney DVD cover, the Disney point was for a different movie. One of my all time favorites was shopping with my then sixth grade daughter. She was elated to find an Abercrombie store. We wondered if it was legit (the tags said, Made In Sri Lanka (and other countries). We found our answer when we came across a shirt that read, "Abercromble."

So, I really don't know if her items are fake or not but am leaning toward some of them being real. If you're interested in something, I would send her an email and ask her why her pearls are not showing luster and ask if she can take more pictures to show the luster, and see what she says.

 

[Katbran]

Interesting Amti ! I didn't know that about the Japanese Miki pearls and Silver. And I hear you on the fakes....the detail can be absolutely perfect with the high end ones. Love the Abercomble story lol

 

[mrsadm]

Love that, "Abercromble"!

I don't think the pearls are fake, I just think the quality is not Mikimoto. I'll try contacting the seller about the luster, good suggestion there!

 

[mrsadm]

I sent an email to the seller, asking about grade. But, I just noticed this statement in the listing:

"In Japan Mikimoto doesn't issue any certification regarding to the grade of the pearl."

Has anyone heard of this?
Linda

 

[Camelotshadow]

I have a 60's strand marked SIL.in the green velvet box. It's a really nice 21 inch grad 6 to 9mm appraised A+ Cream with silver. Paid alot for it but its one of the better older ones.
It could be for the Japanese market but that necklace is just overpriced for what it looks like.

Studs have Mikimoto 750 on the clutch backs on my 7.75 A grade 2005 I got from Beverly Hills Miki so I know they are the real deal.

There is a seller who has alot of preowned Mikimoto & she says she is selling to fund her expensive chemo. She just has so much thought so sometimes I wonder but it looks authentic.

 

[Camelotshadow]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEAUTIFUL-1...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Not interested buy I took a peek as they claim south sea. the pearls are not even round. I don;t think Miki sold such off round pearls. Some have tails at the drill hole.

Clasp appears to be an old S in a box but doubt the pearls are original to the clasp/

 

[amti]

Oh, that earring! lol!