To Keep or Not to Keep...Baroque pink/mauve/pondslime freshwaters...

[maiakity]

I received these yesterday and am having diffiulty deciding on whether or not to keep them...some of them have really good almost metallic luster and iridecence, and some of them are more...meh. Colors are pretty, and they are fairly large. Neck shot for reference (just holding it up behind my head ). Would you keep them? What do you think would have been a fair price for this strand?




Thanks for your input!!!

 

[GemGeek]

My opinion:
You have to pay a lot to get a strand of pondslimes that are high grade. That said, they look pretty good to me. Because they are so pastel, I think the pearls might look better if they didn't have to carry the strand by themselves. If you interspersed them with gold beads or glass or gem beads with colors like pink, mauve, citrine and bronze, you might like them a lot. Were you expecting more color?

 

[Ramona]

It depends how much you paid for them and how much shipping them back would be. International shipping got expensive and it is too much work in my opinion. I usually take the loss then. GemGeek's recommendation is spot on. Even boring pearls can be made up into something exciting. That is if you are not me. With jewelry I have to do it like I do my cooking. Buy the best ingredients and keep it simple so as not to mess it up (I have no artistic talent).

My online experience is so far mostly limited to purchasing some freshwater pearls on Ebay. I have mostly good experience with Care Ehret, though I have not purchased in a long time. My other pearls were from China (quite a good seller) and after two strands I imposed a strict price limit on my purchases. No matter how great the pearls look like on the pictures and no matter whether other bidders are killing themselves for the same strand. My experience has been that the pearls always look better in the pictures than in person. But if I stay below USD 50-60, I feel the price is more in line with the quality. You generally have to pay quite a bit for extraordinary pearls and in this case I would go with a trustworthy source, not the cheapest price.

 

[pearlescence]

Yes, they are a bit meh (good onomatopoeic word that!)
They're a bit pink, a bit pond slimey, a bit baroque, a bit marked.... a bit nothingy really. All I can say is that I would not buy them for stock if hte pix are accurate.
I might pick out the best for a bracelet but if you can return them...after all, if you have to ask you have probably answered your own question...

 

[Sarah]

If it was an international purchase, I agree the return might be a hassle. Also agree that these are the type of pearls that would look better interspersed with other gemstone beads, pearls, etc. in a bracelet, necklace or rope. There appear to be some really pretty ones there if you decide to sort them out.

 

[maiakity]

^^there are some really pretty ones, and that's why I'm having trouble deciding. It was an international purchase, but only from Canada, so I can't imagine it would cost more than $10 to send them back. I paid less than $100 but more than $50, and for that price I wasn't expecting spectacular, but I was expecting a LITTLE more color than they have. That being said, I do think they are pretty and the colors do seem to compliment my skin. I pondered a bracelet but these just seem to be prettier around my neck One other reason that I'm having trouble deciding is I also have these on their way to me (at least I hope! They aren't marked as shipped yet)



I'm not expecting these to be spectacular either for the price, but I don't know that I need so many similarly colored pearls...I'm a little pondslime obsessed right now!

 

[pearlescence]

That seems a bit pricey for what I saw on the pix

 

[maiakity]

^^ Well then, decision made! I'll keep looking if set #2 doesn't do it for me either. I appreciate all your opinions!

 

[pattye]

Yes, this 2nd strand looks a bit more interesting; I love the pondslimes, too!

 

[Ramona]

I think you made a good decision. Strand #2 looks more interesting.

 

[lisa c]

I prefer the smoothly rounded contours of strand 1. I think strand 1 looks luscious, but what You​ Like is what counts. Meh Is pretty revealing !

 

[LitGeek]

I think the 2nd strand is much more interesting! I definitely prefer their texture over the smoother surface of the other strand.

 

[pearlescence]

I was packing some orders today and saw these - backs up what I said on price possibly a bit paler than that photo shows.
12mm by up to 15mm, mostly metallic, some with flat sides, but many rounded no black bits..?18 a strand including shipping

 

[Marianne]

Those are pretty, Wendy. Better luster and color than strand #1 for sure!

 

[maiakity]

Yes, they do look very pretty! Do you have any more left? I received strand #2 and it was terrible!! (Sending back tomorrow). The colors were quite nice and they each had a "good' side that was very pretty, but the reverse sides were all gnarly and on top of that, appeared to be coated with something that resembled pearlescent nail polish!!! (I'm assuming to disguise the blemishes or poor nacre?) Gah...my search continues!

 

[CeciliaW]

maiakity,

I agree. It is so frustrating to order something based on the pictures and have the strand look much worse when it arrives.
Why do the sellers even bother? They don't get repeat customers by sending such poor quality.

Cecilia

 

[maiakity]

I know! On top of that, I'm irritated I had to spend $5.50 to have this yucky strand shipped to me, and probably just as much or more to send it back for a refund! All because she couldn't be honest about the condition...I'm not a picky buyer here people, I just expect honesty and accurate descriptions and pictures!!!!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

In my experience pearls never arrive looking exactly like their photos, though. They are hard to photograph; color and luster are hard to capture accurately.

Even stated size ranges are not as clear-cut as they seem...knowing the size of the smallest and largest pearls does not tell you how many of the other pearls are closer to the small end of the range and how many are near the upper end.

 

[maiakity]

^^Yes, I totally agree with this statement, I've tried to photograph them too, it IS really hard! That's where the description is helpful...and there is NO excuse for nail polish!!!!

 

[juliebeth]

omg i rec'd some pearls with nail polish recently, as well! but they were fairly cheap, they were EXPENSIVE to send back, and i didn't want to bother. i can use a few of the pearls, so what-ev. that seller is OFF my list. wonder if the're the same? start with a k? i even emailed to ask about it, and was assured they were 100% natural, no touch-ups. RIGHT.