Special Orders

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

Shop Van Cleef & Arpels at Fashionphile
#1,157
Trying to get my hands on the mini Frivole earrings… was told it can be ordered from Paris and would take one month by one SA and up to three months by another… does anyone know which time frame is more realistic?
 
#1,158
tykva75 said:
Trying to get my hands on the mini Frivole earrings… was told it can be ordered from Paris and would take one month by one SA and up to three months by another… does anyone know which time frame is more realistic?
Click to expand...
People are getting things in various periods of time, so no one can predict that. So I would take that bit of information and hope it would be 1-3 months.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hhw, missie1, muska and 1 other person
#1,159
Dear VCA TPFers,

I was told by my sales associate that VCA is not currently accepting any custom orders...and it didn't ring true to me, so I thought I'd reach out and enquire if anyone else had heard that VCA has put a hold on custom orders?

Thank you
Maya
 
  • Like
Reactions: DS2006
#1,160
Mayacamas said:
Dear VCA TPFers,

I was told by my sales associate that VCA is not currently accepting any custom orders...and it didn't ring true to me, so I thought I'd reach out and enquire if anyone else had heard that VCA has put a hold on custom orders?

Thank you
Maya
Click to expand...
Yes, quite a few members on this thread has mentioned that special orders aren't accepted. (Since late October, if I recall correctly? :thinking:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: JAS798015, DS2006, BigAkoya and 2 others
#1,161
Mayacamas said:
Dear VCA TPFers,

I was told by my sales associate that VCA is not currently accepting any custom orders...and it didn't ring true to me, so I thought I'd reach out and enquire if anyone else had heard that VCA has put a hold on custom orders?

Thank you
Maya
Click to expand...

Yes, I was told by my sa too that they are not taking any SOs right now, and no one knows when will they reopen the list :sad:
 
#1,162
BigAkoya said:
I agree with RC lapis; it's not high quality and I would skip. Lapis should be as pure blue as possible.
I'm a bit leary of the mid-tier designers and their use of stones. You may recall years ago, David Yurman did a lot of turquoise pieces. Then someone called DY out for using reconstituted (e.g. fake) turquoise, which is basically very low grade turquoise, grounded to sand texture, then mixed with other resins, minerals, and dyes to look like pure turquoise. At one point, I think DY had to post on his website they use simulated (e.g. fake) turquoise. It was a mess I recall. Using fake turquoise is fine, just call it out and don't pretend it's real or charge high prices.
Click to expand...

isn't VCA also using altered turquoise? it states on their website they undergo a "stabilization process" and from google, a stabilized turquoise is "Soft, low grade, turquoise that has undergone a stabilization process to enhance its hardness and color" :hrmm:

VCA website -- scroll down to see their statement about the turquoise they use https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/en/the-maison/articles/turquoise.html

Based on this, I don't understand why turquoise is so highly valued ? :amazed:
 
  • Like
Reactions: lynne_ross and BigAkoya
#1,163
lovexchanel said:
isn't VCA also using altered turquoise? it states on their website they undergo a "stabilization process" and from google, a stabilized turquoise is "Soft, low grade, turquoise that has undergone a stabilization process to enhance its hardness and color" :hrmm:

VCA website -- scroll down to see their statement about the turquoise they use https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/en/the-maison/articles/turquoise.html

Based on this, I don't understand why turquoise is so highly valued ? :amazed:
Click to expand...
Turquoise is very soft, hence nearly all turquoise is stabilized.
VCA uses stabilized turquoise which is an industry standard. It is similar to emeralds with minor-oil which is an accepted standard. Stabilized turquoise is a true piece of turquoise, just "treated."

Reconstituted turquoise, the type that David Yurman uses, is pieces/fragments of turquoise that is crushed to create a powder. The powder is then glued with resins. This is the cheapest form of turquoise, and purist would say it's fake turquoise.
 
  • Like
  • Insightful
Reactions: Glitterbomb, staceyjan, jenayb and 13 others
#1,164
BigAkoya said:
Turquoise is very soft, hence nearly all turquoise is stabilized.
VCA uses stabilized turquoise which is an industry standard. It is similar to emeralds with minor-oil which is an accepted standard. Stabilized turquoise is a true piece of turquoise, just "treated."

Reconstituted turquoise, the type that David Yurman uses, is pieces/fragments of turquoise that is crushed to create a powder. The powder is then glued with resins. This is the cheapest form of turquoise, and purist would say it's fake turquoise.
Click to expand...
So interesting! Never knew this.
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: Stardust Andromeda and BigAkoya
#1,165
BigAkoya said:
Turquoise is very soft, hence nearly all turquoise is stabilized.
VCA uses stabilized turquoise which is an industry standard. It is similar to emeralds with minor-oil which is an accepted standard. Stabilized turquoise is a true piece of turquoise, just "treated."

Reconstituted turquoise, the type that David Yurman uses, is pieces/fragments of turquoise that is crushed to create a powder. The powder is then glued with resins. This is the cheapest form of turquoise, and purist would say it's fake turquoise.
Click to expand...
This.
A very very very (very!) small amount of turquoise is naturally hard enough to take a high polish and avoid discoloration over time without treatment, but there's no way there's enough of that stuff to make anything meaningful from! That's collector stuff, anyway.
The "treatment" has been around for a long time - it's called the Zachery method. It's a proprietary process but the bigger labs can effectively test for it. It's beneficial in that it hardens and "porosity-proofs" (can't think of a better way to put that lol) the material without changing a specimen's colour, altering its texture, or adding any fillers. As BigA already said - it doesn't impact value in any way, outside of perhaps to the few people who would never accept anything but an unoiled emerald either :biggrin:
The word that VCA's site uses - "stabilization" - is a bit confusing because that does often indicate resin or polymer additives, which the Zachery treatment doesn't.

The Identification of Zachery-Treated Turquoise

Millions of carats of turquoise have been enhanced by a proprietary process called the Zachery treatment.
www.gia.edu www.gia.edu

Edit - add me to the list of people who are very curious where this new supply is coming from, if it is a new supply!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Insightful
  • Love
Reactions: jenayb, DS2006, TankerToad and 12 others
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top