The PEARL Lovers Thread!
- Thread starter bougainvillier
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Prices have increased pretty much across the board. Changes to the ocean, pollution, & majority of Tahitian farmers are not letting the pearls stay in to produce larger sizes. It's getting harder & harder to find the large size Tahitians. Plus many farms are somewhat secluded & the worldwide pandemic has effected the sales as well.
My newest goodies. I've been trying to shop from my jewelry box. 
Vintage Japanese Akoya brooch in Sterling Silver. They look a little yellowed in the pic but IRL they are white with some pink overtones.
Golden South Sea & diamond drop enhancer from my good friend David Norman.
Last but not least...this really cool pearl embellished evening bag I found. Now, I just need an event to accessorize with it.
Vintage Japanese Akoya brooch in Sterling Silver. They look a little yellowed in the pic but IRL they are white with some pink overtones.
Golden South Sea & diamond drop enhancer from my good friend David Norman.
Last but not least...this really cool pearl embellished evening bag I found. Now, I just need an event to accessorize with it.
My newest goodies. I've been trying to shop from my jewelry box.
Vintage Japanese Akoya brooch in Sterling Silver. They look a little yellowed in the pic but IRL they are white with some pink overtones.
Golden South Sea & diamond drop enhancer from my good friend David Norman.
Last but not least...this really cool pearl embellished evening bag I found. Now, I just need an event to accessorize with it.
View attachment 5056432View attachment 5056433View attachment 5056434
That bag!!!
My Edison’s make a better showing in sunlight thought I regret using a smaller sister hook clasp I had laying around. I should have used the one I planned this is too hard to hook
Keshi Tahitian pendant from a seller in Hawaii
This new pearl is an aubergine Tahitian with teal overtones that I can’t get a good pic of. From the same Etsy seller as my recent Big Dipper pearl
This is my completed Tahitian rope. It was supposed to be done “cheaper” but, while cheaper than PP, got pricier when my initial pearl buy turned out to be smaller and more pitted than expected and I had to buy more. Happy with the end result though. It could go over my head but I used a magnetic ball clasp on it.
Close up
Close up
My first yellow SS pearl with a simple diamond pave setting. Just discovered this thread and I need to make sure I bring my strand of pearls for re-stringing next time I go to the jeweller. I've never worn them (passed down from mum) as I'm not used to wearing them but after seeing all your photos, I know I should start. I'm fairly plain when it comes to necklaces.
Quick snap before heading out for a trip to the nursery.
Close up
Store lighting
Quick snap before heading out for a trip to the nursery.
Close up
Store lighting
I’m looking to purchase a double strand of Akoya pearls and based on posts in this thread I’ve looked at The Pearl Source, Pearl Paradise and American Pearl. The prices for the same quality and size strand at Pearl Paradise and Pearl Source are very comparable. However, American Pearl is quite a bit higher. Are the pearls across the three websites comparable or is one really offering a truly superior quality pearl? Any advice would be appreciated.
I have only ever purchased from Pearl Paradise, but one of those other sites, I can’t remember which, is owned by the brother of the Paradise owner. I have always been happy with my PP purchases, but their prices have gone way up over the years.
The Akoyas and Tahitians have really gone up in price. Didn't notice the same for the FW. I don't really track their SSPs since there is a local place in my country where I buy my SSPs.
I also rehab bags and this is one of those cases where the end result of a project you dive right into is so happy that you end up irked you didn’t take before pics to show the journey. Grrrr! Forgive me using screen shots from listings, they were my only option
Anyway, I have been obsessed with the Marie Antoinette pearl since it went up for auction in 2018.
I was always a little surprised the sellers at the Pearl Forum didn’t offer a replica up given the demand at the time. Several attempts by me were made to simulate the look and while I wound up with pretty pearls, none quite hit the mark. So, recently learning the original did not start with the big diamond on top - it was poached from the clasp and added later- I made my own version in a way.
I needed a big drop shaped pearl. The real one was a natural 26x18 mm. I found a 23x17 baroque Tahitian pendant on Etsy that came on an enhancer.
Then I needed a bow to hang it off of and found this odd cats eye necklace
When the pearl finally arrived today when I was luckily off, I got to work.
I decided to keep it an enhancer so I could wear it on a cord like this
Or put it on pearls like Marie had
p.s. these are not the pearls I planned to model it on, too creamy, but I was rushing and couldn’t find my whiter ones.
Anyway, I have been obsessed with the Marie Antoinette pearl since it went up for auction in 2018.
I was always a little surprised the sellers at the Pearl Forum didn’t offer a replica up given the demand at the time. Several attempts by me were made to simulate the look and while I wound up with pretty pearls, none quite hit the mark. So, recently learning the original did not start with the big diamond on top - it was poached from the clasp and added later- I made my own version in a way.
I needed a big drop shaped pearl. The real one was a natural 26x18 mm. I found a 23x17 baroque Tahitian pendant on Etsy that came on an enhancer.
Then I needed a bow to hang it off of and found this odd cats eye necklace
When the pearl finally arrived today when I was luckily off, I got to work.
I decided to keep it an enhancer so I could wear it on a cord like this
Or put it on pearls like Marie had
p.s. these are not the pearls I planned to model it on, too creamy, but I was rushing and couldn’t find my whiter ones.
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