"SATORA" and/or "Kobe" Pearls?

K

kimmielou

Guest
Can anyone provide me with feedback on "Satora" or "Kobe" pearls versus Blue Lagoon or Sea Magic by Mikimoto?
I'm attempting to get the biggest bang for my buck and jewelers don't seem to want to reveal too much about their pearls.

Thank you so much!

Kimmielou
 
When you mention 'Satora' pearls I am not sure what kind of pearls you are referring to, as I have not heard of this trade name before. 'Kobe' pearls will of course refer to Japanese pearls, but just from a company in Kobe Japan. Akoya pearls are not produced in Kobe, but this city is a large trading hub for pearls in Japan. My guess is that if you have a jeweler using the term 'Kobe' pearls, he/she is just indiscriminately adding this name to Akoya pearls to increase the perceived value. I would be very careful with this seller. You need to ask them 'Why are these called Kobe pearls?' This is equivalent to calling our pearls 'Los Angeles' pearls.

In regards to 'Sea Magic' and 'Blue Lagoon', these are both Mikimoto brands. They are the 'lower-quality' lines of pearls by Mikimoto. They are carried by jewelers, not the flagship Mikimoto stores. To read more about these brands please see this thread:
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72
If you are looking for a very high-end pearl strand Mikimoto is always a good way to go if you purchase from an actual 'Mikimoto' store, not an affiliate. But you will pay a premium for these pearls.

If you are looking for the biggest bang for your buck I would ignore 'brand' names and research pearl quality foremost. Some jewelers will indeed carry high-end pearls, but those who do usually sport high-end prices. Things to look for when buying Akoya pearls:
The pearls should be perfectly round - like miniature marbles.
There should not be visible marks, bumps, or other inconsistencies on the surface.
The pearls should have a good luster and shine. You should be able to see your reflection in the surface of the pearls.
There should be no cracking near the drill hole.

These are just a few things to look for. If you take you time and research pearls before you buy. you will soon be able to distinguish a high-quality strand from a low-quality. One thing you should absolutely not do is just take a sellers word for it when buying pearls. Pearls do not have internationally recognized grading standards as do diamonds, so nearly any claims can be legally made about the quality of a strand of pearls. You need to rely on your own eyes, or have a level of trust and confidence in the seller.
 
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quality

quality

Was wondering what you thought of american pearl . com They advertise on their website that they are of the same quality as mikmoto. They even have a page that blatantly compares the prices by strand and quality. Is the quality as good and are they a reputable company?

Thanks

John
 
John,

They do have a good quality product. It is hard to say whether they compare with Mikimoto, however, as Mikimoto has several different branded qualities. Some of them are of a lower quality (such as Blue Lagoon, Sea Magic, etc.) and some are of exceptionally high quality, such as those sold at Mikimoto stores. They have different grades even at their own store, so I think it is impossible to honestly compare a product to 'just' a Mikimoto necklace.

American Pearl.com has reasonable prices for pearls in the larger sizes, such as 8.5mm and above. You can definitely do better, however, on their smaller sizes, such as 6.5-8mm. These seem priced quite high to me.
 
PS
I should preface this by saying I have actually seen the pearls from American Pearl, a 7mm strand of Akoya pearls graded as 'AAA' to be precise, so I am speaking from first hand experience.
 
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