My "Pearling" Story...

[heartofawareness]

Perhaps you have wondered about the name I choose for this forum? "Mother of Pearl Trumpet" I have a degree in Music with a specialty in Applied Trumpet. That means I perform and teach trumpet. I am also a choir director and music department administrator. Pearls are my side passion. The tops of trumpet valves are Mother of Pearl. From my earliest recollection I remember my father saying how much he loved the Mother of Pearl on the trumpet valves...he was a Chemist and was therefore always very interested in lovely stone/metal/pearl materials and jewelry of all kinds. In his later years especially, he gave my mother many beautiful pieces. Below is pictured the tops of trumpet valves. Also pictured is a lovely Tahitian bracelet and necklace my Dad purchased for my mother. He purchased this close to the end of his battle with cancer. He had my brother take him to the jewelry store to pick these out for her because he was too weak and sick to drive. They were the last gift he gave her before passing. She cherishes them for that reason...knowing how sick he was but still wanting to show his love for her with lovely jewelry. I restrung them for her this past year.
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These are beautiful! Thank you for sharing the info about the tops of trumpet valves being MOP. I didn't know that. You learn something every day!!

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

@jeg shared her ocean wave Akoya strand and I absolutely love it. Here is something similar. I needed something long and unusual for a specific outfit and this seemed to fit. Interspersed 14K heavy gold beads with a mixture of sizes to create visual impact. I love wearing this one with clip on enhancers, like my Celtic Cross.

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

So here is my 14.7mm South Sea white pearl pendant with the NEW pendant finding. I was able to remove the simple 18K bale and attach this heavier 14K with a small diamond. I like it much better now!!! Thank you @pearlescence so much for the advice and for giving me the empowerment/bravery to take a chance and use the super glue dissolver to remove the former finding.

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

@pattye inspired me on her Etsy site, with her white FW pearls and black thread. I've cut apart this strand and will restring them with black thread and a black toggle clasp. I've moved the nice CZ Rhodium Silver rondels to a 13-14 FW Peach/White Strand. I will post the finished pictures when I'm done.

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

Half of the above project is done. I'm waiting on the black toggle clasp to come in the mail in order to finish the above FW Oval strand.

Below are my 12-14mm Peach/Cream/White Freshwaters. My daughter calls these freshwater pearls my "Wilma Flintstone Pearls" because they remind her of the rock necklace Wilma wore on all the cartoons! I agree. They are ever so much classier now with the CZ Rhodium Sterling Rondels. They are first pictured with some 1.5mm diamond cut sterling beads before, but the beads were starting to tarnish and I couldn't clean them next to the pearls. The latter photos show the restrung strand, which I believe is a much better combination both for look and for cleaning. I pulled a "novice" mistake when restringing them though. I didn't check carefully and had the 3-pearl combination one-off with the 2's and didn't notice until I was finished. Ugh, I had to cut them apart and start over. No matter how long I do this, I still make stupid mistakes. At least they are fixable and I don't mind restringing, because I do it for love and and for fun (and I want them to be right). Before and After photos below.
BEFORE:

AFTER:

 

[CatMom]

Love the new version!

 

[CortezPearls]

Lovely!!!

 

[StevieBoy]

Half of the above project is done. I'm waiting on the black toggle clasp to come in the mail in order to finish the above FW Oval strand.

Below are my 12-14mm Peach/Cream/White Freshwaters. My daughter calls these freshwater pearls my "Wilma Flintstone Pearls" because they remind her of the rock necklace Wilma wore on all the cartoons! I agree. They are ever so much classier now with the CZ Rhodium Sterling Rondels. They are first pictured with some 1.5mm diamond cut sterling beads before, but the beads were starting to tarnish and I couldn't clean them next to the pearls. The latter photos show the restrung strand, which I believe is a much better combination both for look and for cleaning. I pulled a "novice" mistake when restringing them though. I didn't check carefully and had the 3-pearl combination one-off with the 2's and didn't notice until I was finished. Ugh, I had to cut them apart and start over. No matter how long I do this, I still make stupid mistakes. At least they are fixable and I don't mind restringing, because I do it for love and and for fun (and I want them to be right). Before and After photos below.
BEFORE:
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AFTER:
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these are so lovely!
Since I am a larger person, I tend to gravitate towards Wilma Flintsone strands myself hehehehehhe

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

I posted in "Pearl Care & Cleaning" a question about some earrings I purchased and wanted to remove old pearls and replace the 14KWG diamond findings with new larger South Sea pearls. That thread has the before and after pictures of those pearls as well as the saga of stuck pearls, short posts, and 2 trips to the jewelers for repairs. Go have a look if you're interested. Here is the finished pair of earrings. I absolutely love them. The findings are so unusual and vintage.

 

[CortezPearls]

Really nice Dangling Earrings

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

Sometimes you run across a deal that is just too good to pass up. I found this lovely 14K White Gold Diamond pendant for sale under $100. It had a 10mm off-round black Tahitian pearl. I was able to remove that pearl and will use it on another project. Instead, I used an 11mm round nice quality Tahitian instead; one that I purchased loose from a gem seller. The top part of the finding covered the 3 minor indentions and the end result is definitely more beautiful and worth quite a bit more. Love finding a deal that can become a better piece. What do you all think?

 

[CatMom]

I posted in "Pearl Care & Cleaning" a question about some earrings I purchased and wanted to remove old pearls and replace the 14KWG diamond findings with new larger South Sea pearls. That thread has the before and after pictures of those pearls as well as the saga of stuck pearls, short posts, and 2 trips to the jewelers for repairs. Go have a look if you're interested. Here is the finished pair of earrings. I absolutely love them. The findings are so unusual and vintage.View attachment 464489View attachment 464490

The pearls look like they have always been there. I love these earrings!

 

[CatMom]

You are the Queen of finding great deals and then turning them into beautiful pieces. Love the new version.

 

[CortezPearls]

Wow! Great Bargain! And it turned out quite nicely!

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

A 20" strand of high end Akoya made a really nice 3 strand bracelet. Clasp and dividers courtesy of Konig findings.

 

[CatMom]

A 20" strand of high end Akoya made a really nice 3 strand bracelet. Clasp and dividers courtesy of Konig findings.View attachment 464725View attachment 464726View attachment 464727

I love how you are always reimagining your pearls.

 

[jshepherd]

Beautiful bracelet and pearls!

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

Found a great deal on a hank of nice FW rice pearls and I'm making 4 necklaces for my "cruise gals" trip at the end of the summer. Perfect strands to all wear to dinner and a nice gift for everyone to remember the trip. Strung on fine wire with crimp beads at the clasp. Sterling silver with Rhodium dip to keep it from tarnishing. Can be worn twisted or piled. Pearls are amazing whether they are cheap or expensive! Just love working with them. 109-111 pearls per strand, 6 strands per necklace. That's a LOT of tiny pieces on that wire!

 

[BWeaves]

Love the torsade! I love the feel of Rice Krispie pearls in multiple strands. It's like feeling silk tassels.

 

[CatMom]

Wow, lucky "cruise gals!"