South Sea v. Freshadama

[drop]

Hi there,

I'm continuing my noobish questions, thanks for your patience and help. I'm interested in a compare-contrast between the look and allure of white SouthSea and "Freshadama" caliber freshwater pearls. Cost aside, what are the key points and things to look for as I try to become an educated buyer?

I have seen and understand akoya v. south sea, but haven't had the pleasure of seeing the high caliber freshwaters in person... pictures on the net are tough for my untrained eye!

My thanks!

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi drop,

Freshadama have a deep glassy look with shimmering rainbow colors unlike the typically rather dull South Sea PPBs whose main attraction is their size (unless artificially enhanced) or akoya PPBs whose main attraction consists of their various chemical surface treatments. In short, freshadamas look like actual pearls and can only be compared to actual fine pearls.

Zeide

 

[Valeria101]

Size is the only advantage of SS.... and you have to trade in quality for size for all but a rarefied elite. I've got my fair share of blank stares when telling folks that SS pearls are 'not good enough' (roughly). But again, it isn't common to see the different qualities of SS let alone large, fine freshwater all in one place to get that bit of experience and I didn't have a bag of samples to show... better not say anything at all

Very nice freshwater pearls may be there around 13mm. Whether any such large ones would be good enough to get the 'Freshadama' label, no idea. I have never seen a non-graduated strand of round freshwater that large that were not nucleated. Zeide here, appears to have seen everything and know everything about freshwater pearls! Including where to get them

Among the south sea, south sea keshi would be my favorite - they appear to have the glow of natural pearls like the 'Freshadama' does, but with a different personality (they look 'cold' to me, if that makes any sense).

You may find a related chat on the thread about the 17mm south sea pearl. I would expect to find the better quality south sea pearls at most 15mm large (with wishful thinking). Not that larger are not there, just barely. Low quality ones make a good match to shell pearls - as if they had overstretched skin...

 

[drop]

This is interesting, thank you.

My wife enjoys the size of the SSPs, in particular along with the look of graduated strands. Am I wrong to describe that look as slightly contemporary...? She also doesn't care for the ball bearing like 'shine' of akoyas, preferring something softer and richer...

Anyway, I'll look into a graduated strand of high quality FWPs with more confidence now. Think that look would work?

 

[Valeria101]

I believe that graduated strands were the norm for natural pearls and the early stages of PPB cultured, as the larger pearls were scarcer and seriously more expensive. Now the larger ones still are priced higher alright, but the cultured are available in quantity to make non-graduates strands. At any given time non-graduated would have been and still are priced higher, with the cost of larger pearls, and are more difficult to match. However, they are so common with cultured pearls that it is all very relative (higher price and availability). It looks that for smaller freshwater, the cost of matching the graduated strands is more than the easier matching of same-size - go figure

To me, graduate strands are the quintessential pearl look - no logic involved, just because they are a throw back to natural pearls. They are more comfortable and IMO, fall better on the neck than same-size in multi-strand necklaces. So all in all, I agree with your wife all the way.

I've seen some large 12-13mm freshwater pearls with one of the sellers posting here, but not Freshadama. I wonder if a graduated strand (say, 8-13mm) could not be put together, if you asked for it.

Just a non-expert, personal opinion, of course.


PS: Modern? Modern, same size are the relatively modern look. And those mix & match strands with different sizes (and colors) mixed at random without orderly graduation really are new kids on the block, as far as I can tell. The mix & match are quite intriguing and take some fashion guts to show up with, especially if the pearls are valuable. But that's the whole fun (wouldn't make a surprise gift of one though!)

 

[Zeide Erskine]

Hi drop,

I admit my bias, but any serious pearl lover on a given budget will in my opinion get the better looking and higher overall quality from a graduated freshwater pearl strand compared to a South Sea PPB strand of the same price.

However, the larger high-quality freshwater pearls are vastly rarer than the South Sea PPBs. That may sound illogical and it definitely is absurd that the rarer, prettier, and higher-quality strand should cost relatively less but, at present, that is the case.

Just shop around. Even here in Fresno, EVERY jeweler has South Sea and Tahitian PPBs in a range of qualities and sizes or can get you some within a few days. If you ask them to get you a graduated 11-13mm freshwater strand in untreated pink with high luster and good surface (not to mention orient), you will draw a total blank. Nobody has one and nobody knows where to get one and if you are willing to find one for yourself, you better figure in a round-trip ticket to China plus accommodations and translator/driver services into the final price paid. Yet, all jewelers will first tell you that they are common as dirt and cheap and you will get a much better lasting value from South Sea or Tahitian PPBs although that is blatantly false.

Zeide

 

[Valeria101]

It wasn't very nice of me to mention a product that's barely available (those larger FWP.). Clearly, there are not many and to be honest, other than placing an order with a couple of higher end shops, I wouldn't know where to dig such things out. By comparison, the 10mm-ish Freshdama give instant gratification!

Surely, south sea also come in a range of qualities and chances are everyone (myself included) would be very happy with the looks of better ones. I find it a tad tricky to navigate treatments and trust anything because of them, but even the worst paranoia can be cured by the seller's reputation after all, they'll always know more than I do... 'Bet I am not the only frustrated by the apparently endless wave of ugly (and at least sometime cheap) SS pearls looking like shell pearls or plastic... or anything but pearls. There's allot of that. Get to see ONE good stand (or some high quality freshwater)... and the experience would at least make the worst stand out. Still, there might be less of a 'hunt' involved than with the larger freshwater counterparts.

There might have been more talk about these larger pearls on this forum, but I have not read through it all. The topic sounds controversial a bit (if you can make any sense of THIS THREAD...)