I have these and I am getting a lot of use out of them. I often double it as shown in the neck pic posted and then add another string of pearls that I already owned so I have three layers. As far as waiting for a sale, I was told this is a classic piece they have been selling for years and therefore will never go on sale kind of like the classic flaps. Regarding real vs. fake, the typical person can't tell the difference at a glance so I wasn't pressed about owning real pearls. I'm more of a costume jewelry person. I lose small jewelry too much to get the real deal, plus I spend all my accessory money on bags and shoes so somethign has to give. I saw someone sold this necklace on ebay a few months ago and she almost got all her money back. The winner paid about $100 less than the retail price and they were used. They are a classic staple of my wardrobe that I will use well into my later years. If it was more of a trendy piece I wouldn't have gotten them.