This thread inspired me today. We have not carried a tin-cup style in more than five years, but there are a lot of things that can be done in pearl and chain, especially Tahitian.
My thoughts ...
Straight-size pieces with peacock Tahitians of differing body colors but with Tahitian "orient", or straight peacock.
Graduated pieces from 8-9 mm to 12 mm in the center. It would likely be seven pearls total, so 8-9x2, 9-10x2, 10-11x2 and 12-13x1.
Peacock circle Tahitians.
A piece like the avatar with a 2-3 pearl drop but also a station necklace with keshi pearls every few inches up to the start of the drape.
A "Pelosi" style tin-cup with white SS, golden SS and Tahitians.
Well, there is a lot of chain and wire-wrapping involved. But the possibilities are endless. It should not be that expensive. You would allow for three inches on either side of the clasp to accommodate the neck, and if the piece were 18 inches and the pearls separated by two inches it would take seven pearls. A 16-inch piece with seven pearls would have a 1.5-inch separation. That separation seems about right. I think we are going to start tinkering with it next week.