Newbie Anniversary necklace for wife help

[Rymahoney]

Welcome Rymahoney - I wanted to show you the Pearl Paradise freshadama set I selected for my son's bride last fall. I discussed the various pearl options with her, but the better price, larger size, beautiful luster and overtones of freshwater pearls versus akoya were appealing. I also explained that she could wear these pearls as much as she wished, and being solid nacre, that they would last a lifetime. She actually asked for the 8-8.5mm size (I talked her up from 7.5-8mm), but Hisano liked the overtones on the 8.5-9mm size better. So, I was able to convince her the larger size was the way to go.

If you could do it over again - what would your very first pearl purchase be?

That sounds great! Dear Santa...

www.pearl-guide.com

Thanks you for the post. They look great. Unfortunately the price jump to the 8.5-9 is to much for me. Wish they had a 8-8.5 I could probably swing that. I do like the double bracelet in a smaller size. That's great you got to work directly with Hisano. After I give my wife the new pearls and show her this forum her words will be "I wish I still had my wedding pearls" Tell your daughter Inlaw to never let them out of her site!! Oh well hopefully this will make up for it as I'm sure these will be nicer. Out of curiosity did you have them put the "P" charm on? I was debating that. Don't want anything to take away from the pearls.

 

[Red]

Thanks you for the post. They look great. Unfortunately the price jump to the 8.5-9 is to much for me. Wish they had a 8-8.5 I could probably swing that. I do like the double bracelet in a smaller size. That's great you got to work directly with Hisano. After I give my wife the new pearls and show her this forum her words will be "I wish I still had my wedding pearls" Tell your daughter Inlaw to never let them out of her site!! Oh well hopefully this will make up for it as I'm sure these will be nicer. Out of curiosity did you have them put the "P" charm on? I was debating that. Don't want anything to take away from the pearls.

Thank you, Rymahoney. No, I did not have them put a P charm on these pearls. It didn't even occur to me.

Your wife may not have her wedding pearls, but she will have her lovely seventh wedding anniversary pearls! I have discovered that the best pearls are the pearls that you own.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

This may be a little "out there", but another option is buying nice stud earrings now, while saving up for a larger diameter strand to be bought for a future anniversary, birthday, etc.

Pearl stud earrings are always in style and so versatile. They go with everything.

 

[Rymahoney]

She has some pearl studs already from her grandmother. Although I will probably get her matching ones with whatever I get.
I really think the 7.5-8.0 is going to be okay. She is very thin. 110 pounds 5"7. Who knows.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Well, I passed my 7-8mm Freshadamas on to my daughter, who is 19, and she likes them. There is nothing wrong with that size! Especially for younger adults.

If you look at old photos of society ladies with pearls from years ago, many of them wore 7mm and smaller pearls (akoyas or naturals).
I think the trend toward larger sizes is a direct result of the advent of round freshwaters with their lower price point.

 

[Rymahoney]

Are pearls measured like any necklace?

 

[BWeaves]

Here of some photos of some Pearl Paradise 8 mm Freshadamas and Pearl Paradise 8 mm Natural White Hanadamas.

On my neck, the Hanadama rope is doubled and is the shortest and longest strand. The two center strands are Freshadamas.



Laying on a paper towel, the two bottom strands are the Hanadamas. The two center strands attached to the clasp are Freshadamas. The top loose strand are my Grandmother's very old worn out akoyas.



I really really wanted a top notch strand, which is why I bought the Hanadamas. However, the Freshies are so good, and one tenth the price, that if I wasn't so intent on having the expensive strand, I would have just gone for Freshies all the way.

The Hanadamas are beyond beautiful, but I have non-knowledgeable friends who think they look fake and think the Freshies are the expensive pearls. Go figure. The Hanadamas just glow from within almost like they are lit with tiny LEDs inside, while the Freshies have a slightly more satiny glow to them.

If you are on a budget, go with the Freshadamas. You will not be disappointed.

 

[Sea Urchin]

Are pearls measured like any necklace?

Yes. The length of the strand includes the length of the clasp, if that's what you mean.

Also, since I think you mention Freshadama/gem grade and AA+ grade, I'm wondering if you notice that Pearl Paradise also has a grade in between those two, AAA? Or maybe you mean AA+ grade in akoyas...

These are my colored freshwaters (9.0-10.00 mm) as an example of the difference in lengths, the lavender is 16 inch and the peach is 18 inch (I'm wearing the same top in both pics). The lavender should be gem grade, the peach was much less expensive, probably AA+ grade or less going by the low price on a home shopping channel (also, the earring pairs are both gem grade, the lavender studs are 10-11 mm and the peach ones are 10.5-11 mm):





Here are a couple of pics that include my 48 inch lavender rope (7-8 mm, AA+ grade from PP, custom made by the inch), as an example of the shape and luster. These examples are why in my opinion the AAA grade would be a good compromise between pearly perfection and value. I think all of the pearls I've mentioned here look nicely round and lustrous in real life:

 

[Sea Urchin]

@BWeaves- Lovely pearls! Do you know the exact pearl size range listed(7.0-8.0 mm, 7.5- 8.0 mm, 8.0-9.0 mm, 8.5-9.0 mm)?

@Rymahoney (also wondering what anyone else thinks of this) it just occurs to me that South Sea pearls tend to have a softer, more satiny luster than akoyas. So I'm thinking perhaps the larger, slightly lower grade white freshies might resemble them.

 

[Rymahoney]

Yes if I don't get the freshys I would get the Akoya AA+ grade I think.

 

[Rymahoney]

Sea Urchin thanks for posting the pics. To my untrained all of them look great I can only tell a slight difference. Do you what the range was of pearl size or were they all 8mm?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

And here are my 7-8mm Freshadamas below my 8-8.5mm metallic white freshwaters. (The Freshadamas are not clasped-- I just held them there for comparison purposes.)

Note how much whiter looking the metallic whites are against my skin. The rosier overtone of the Freshadamas are too close in tone to my skin; I had requested silver rose overtones, but if I bought them again, I'd request silver. This color looks amazing on my daughter, though-- she is fairer than I am.

You say your wife tans easily with bit of Native American heritage. Maybe she would look best with a silvery overtone, too.

And here are 9.5-10mm baroque akoyas, which people have mistaken for SSP, probably because of their size and whiteness:

 

[Rymahoney]

Thanks for posting those. Makes me nervous to buy the silver rose overtone my wife has even darker skin and that's what I planned to order. Now those metallics are awesome!! What grade were they?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I think silver rose may not stand out as well on darker skin. JMO.

The metallics were AAA. They had strong green undertones, which made them seem whiter.

I see PP still has white metallic FWP in AAA, but the website only shows 7-8mm in stock (you have to use the drop down menu to find the higher grades and longer lengths.) You could ask if they have any larger ones in the vault. It's possible there are not enough to put up on the website.

https://www.pearlparadise.com/p-2412-70-to-80-mm-metallic-white-freshwater-pearl-necklace.aspx

They have metallic white studs and dangles, also. The larger sizes in studs seem to be out of stock. Be aware though that the metallics are sometimes creamier-- you have to be sure PP has the tone you are wanting.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

This thread has more photos of metallic white FWP:

My white metallic freshwater strand, 8-8.5mm

I love them! Beautifully matched, a little off round as advertised, fantastic overtones, very lustrous. It's overcast now, but I will get shots of them in sunlight later today or over the weekend. I did get a chance to see them in sunlight briefly at the UPS parking lot and I definitely saw...

www.pearl-guide.com

Laid on a table, the metallics' off-roundess is more visible, but as seen on the neck, not so much.

 

[Rymahoney]

I can see the off roundness on table slightly. I will call there tomorrow before they send pictures and see what they have. I'm going to struggle to remember all the things I need to ask. Yikes. Thank you all so much. Hopefully they have have atleast 8mm AAA metallic I would truly consider that if the tone is right and they are the shape of yours. I don't want to be a pain in there butt with all my questions but I really want to make this special and select the right pair.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

It's a lot to take in.

I have to add, I liked my Freshadamas but I adore my metallics. They look amazing in any light. Pearls generally look best in softer light, but the metallics look amazing in full sun, too.

I wore my metallic white FWP ring the other day when eating out with my daughter. The waitress, a woman about my age, complimented the ring. And let me tell you, here in CT, people do not tend to hand out compliments much at all.

Don't worry about being a pain! PP folks are very helpful!

 

[GemGeek]

I'm going to chime in and say that the white metallics are the way to go. They look round enough on the neck and they are dazzling. The whiteness will go well with darker skin. You are such a peach to try to get the perfect gift.

 

[Rymahoney]

On there site they don't have the size. We shall see. They also look very silver in the site but obviously that's the picture and white back ground.

 

[Red]

The Pearl Paradise white metallics are listed as 7-8mm. In this case I would definitely ask for AAA to get the rounder pearls.