KarinK
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2010
- Messages
- 1,898
While it's true I have only a few (high class) pearl items on my wish list, I do have some projects. Today I got caught in the welknown dilemma: should I buy cheaper solutions and be able to wear the styles I would otherwise miss or should I wait, save and get better quality?
Well, today I shopped. We don't have any gem faires here in Denmark and I didn't come across one during this year's US vacation either, but there is a wholesale jewelry fair once a year. It's been getting smaller every year but there was one single booth with reasonable freshwater pearls at reasonable prices. Got even better after they deducted 10% and didn't include the 25% VAT as I had my business number with me.
So, for the price of $240 I got seven strands of almost round FW pearls, 5-5.5 mm. (great shape, not amazing luster but pretty much without blemishes), two strands of 4 mm. metallic FW (potato shaped but so shiny you don't really notice) and a strand of baroque akoya (great overtones, really thin nacre with the bead showing in places but no one is going to get that close).
These strands sums up my entire list of projects: a five stranded bracelet using a vintage clasp I have, a 70'' rope with white pearls (yes, the pearls are small but I like 'dainty' coupled with 'abundant'), a 30'' rope with the small metallic pearls (wasn't on my list but I like the pictures I've seen on the forum with a variety of sizes in ropes) and a white-ish off-round akoya necklace as I sorely miss the vintage strand that I lost.
It's just that none of these pearls are what you'd call amazing pearls. I guess I sacrificed quantity over quality. But at least I'll have my rope(s) now and I'll be able to finally make the bracelet. For the money I spent I could almost have gotten a 54'' rope with AA pearls, readymade. Or I could have limited myself, spent the same amount of money and gotten better quality for the rope... Oh, I don't know... I guess if I love the ropes I can save for a better one and be like Caitlin's MIL with garlands of pearls hanging around my neck.
Picture of purchase coming soon.
- Karin
Well, today I shopped. We don't have any gem faires here in Denmark and I didn't come across one during this year's US vacation either, but there is a wholesale jewelry fair once a year. It's been getting smaller every year but there was one single booth with reasonable freshwater pearls at reasonable prices. Got even better after they deducted 10% and didn't include the 25% VAT as I had my business number with me.
So, for the price of $240 I got seven strands of almost round FW pearls, 5-5.5 mm. (great shape, not amazing luster but pretty much without blemishes), two strands of 4 mm. metallic FW (potato shaped but so shiny you don't really notice) and a strand of baroque akoya (great overtones, really thin nacre with the bead showing in places but no one is going to get that close).
These strands sums up my entire list of projects: a five stranded bracelet using a vintage clasp I have, a 70'' rope with white pearls (yes, the pearls are small but I like 'dainty' coupled with 'abundant'), a 30'' rope with the small metallic pearls (wasn't on my list but I like the pictures I've seen on the forum with a variety of sizes in ropes) and a white-ish off-round akoya necklace as I sorely miss the vintage strand that I lost.
It's just that none of these pearls are what you'd call amazing pearls. I guess I sacrificed quantity over quality. But at least I'll have my rope(s) now and I'll be able to finally make the bracelet. For the money I spent I could almost have gotten a 54'' rope with AA pearls, readymade. Or I could have limited myself, spent the same amount of money and gotten better quality for the rope... Oh, I don't know... I guess if I love the ropes I can save for a better one and be like Caitlin's MIL with garlands of pearls hanging around my neck.
Picture of purchase coming soon.
- Karin
