Experience with Pearl Paradise and Bluenile

[GreenBling]

To those who purchased on PP/BN, may I ask:

1) if the pearls you received were more or less what you saw on the pictures, especially the color and luster?
2) how noticeable are the differences between AA and AAA pearls?

This is my first time buying jewelry online so i want to be realistic with my expectations Any input is welcome. Thanks!

 

[missy]

I have bought a few pairs of pearl earrings from PP and their earrings are lovely. I recommend their Freshadama collection as those pearls are gorgeous- high luster and perfectly round to my eye. I never bought their AA pearls but from my understanding those are less round and not as lustrous.
And I never bought anything from BN so cannot help you with that sorry.

 

[4Ranch Girl]

Hi Elan I have a lot of experience buying pearls from Pear Paradise. Pearls are very hard to photograph and your computer moniter colors can show different than mine. Have I been disapointed absoutly not they have always been beter that I expected. Their customer service has always been great. Some of my pearls you can view on a thread I started..

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/thought-i-would-share.154025/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/thought-i-would-share.154025/[/URL]

On the second page there is a triple strand of small 6mm pearls from TPO they are AA+ I have another strand of 7 mm AAA from PP that is not posted on that thread the luster to me is the same on both strands when I put them side by side. The only difference I can see between the two is several of the smaller pearls on very close inspection are slightly off round which you really need to be looking very, very closely to even see.

I do not have any experience buying from Blue Nile. Have fun buying your new pearls.

 

[GreenBling]

@missy

thank you for input! I haven't really looked at the Freshadama. I should do some research on that

@4Ranch Girl

Thank you for sharing your pieces - you have an amazing collection I thought i only liked round pearls, but your tahitian bracelet in gold chain is VERY pretty... now i have another item to add to my wish list.

But really, it is reassuring to hear that you find the pearls 'always better than expected'. My biggest worry is the luster as I want really really shiny lustrous pearls.

I still haven't decided what to get... there are a few on my wish list:

Blue madama - a necklace would be too costly, probably a pair of earrings...
White Akoya with silver tone neckace - actually wouldn't mind a hanadama if i had the $ but i'm likely to go with a AA+ (AAA if i can see big diff on the luster)
Tin cup round tahitian bracelet - spot it on PP but need to make sure i like the color

 

[NacreLover]

Color can be decieving. The camera picks up things your eye can not. Some strands will look more colorful in photos, but look kind of drab when you see them in person, only coming to life in certain lighting situations. This is really true with Tahitians which can have beautiful overtones that POP.
I have purchased items from Pearl Paradise, The Pearl Outlet and The Pearl Source. None from Blue Nile or Mikimoto.
I asked to see a strand of the Madama blue akoyas, Hanadama akoyas and Frehadama freshwaters all at the same time so I could compare them at PP in July. They were all beautiful and perfect but I really want a strand of the Hanadama's now. WOW! I love Rose` overtones , and those babies had it going on. Now I just have to save up.

As for your question about the difference between AA and AAA. Yes, it is noticable. Not just quaity of the pearls, the luster is much better. PP is very picky about what pearls are graded AAA. You get your money's worth and more.

 

[GreenBling]

What are your thoughts on blue madama and hanadama after seeing them in person?

 

[4Ranch Girl]

I was at PP when Nacer Lover purchased her cherry Tahitians in her avatar. That picture does not do those pearls justice. They are just amazing pearls.

All employees at Pearl Paradise have gone through the Pearl Course at GIA. When you do order your pearls make sure they know that luster is the most important thing to you.

 

[rikalovespearls]

Also Pearl Paradise and The Pearl Outlet have a full money back return policy of 90 days and 60 days respectively. So you're not stuck with them if the pearls don't match your expectations.

 

[NacreLover]

Elam, It was a blast going into "The Valut" at PP. 4 Ranch Girl had been there many times and written so much about that experience.
She warned me to have a idea of what I was interested in prior to going in or it would be much harder to decide what to buy.
As soon as I went into the vault I asked to see the Hanadama, Madama and Freshadams side by side.

I will tell you I have purchased two strands of the baby blue baroque akoyas from Jeremy in the past so I knew what blue akoyas would look like. Also, I am very drawn to pearls with overtones of other colors and rose~ overtones on white pearls.

The blue akoyas had a beautiful pink overtone and were perfect blue orbs. Glossy and baby blue. The freshadamas were the same, round, perfectly smooth,glossy with a slight pink overtone. The Hanadama's were Perfect, glossy, round but the Rose` overtone was much more pronounced. The pink eye moved on each pearl when you rotated them in your hand..... Yes, I was really in love with these pearls. I kept thinking Blue, white. Blue , White...... Then I remembered what 4 ranch girl had told me and asked to see more items including Edison pearls, White South Sea, Golden South Sea, Souffle pearls and Cherry Tahitians.

I have many different types of pearls in my collection and would love to add a strand of White South Sea but don't know how much I would wear large white pearls. Most days I wear a strand of large mm multi color Tahitians and stud earrings. When I was poking around PP's website prior to my trip I snooped in the Tahitian section and ran across the Cherry Tahitians. I had purchased some Ultimate peacock studs from Pearl Source and was hoping that Jeremy would have a whole strand I could buy to match them.

There is a huge square table in the lobby of PP which you can bring boxes of pearls out of the safe to compare on the big well lit table. I asked to see the Cherry's out of the vault area and all the cherry strands appeared . WOW! All thoughts of the Madama, Hanadama and Freshadama, South Sea whites and goldens were now gone..... Had to have Cherry.

I usually wear large Tahitians and the Cherry's were strands of 8-11, 9-11mm. I was trying to see which strand I really wanted, I asked Jeremy if he had any loose Cherry's we could add into the strand to make it larger in the front of the neck. We poured though sacks of loose pearls, trying in vain to find something that could match into the stands..... NONE. I then thought, what If I took all the largest pearls out of two stands and made a necklace. Jeremy agreed with this idea, but then I thought If I needed to make a bracelet or add length later I would never have the opportunity to get matching pearls in a graduated length. I bought both strands.

The next day at the Ruckus, Josh at Komoka Pearls brought loose pearls from his farm and finsihed jewelry for us to purchase. https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/Kamokapearls
There, in two earring boxes were matching Cherry studs in different sizes. It was a miracle to find just what I needed, so had to buy some. Now, I just need a loose pearl for a ring. The colors of these Cherry's is out of this world. The green is bright and colorful the Cherry screams too. They are so different they seem like wearing carnival beads, but they are natural pearls. I do have women ask me what they are, expecially if I wear them outside. Eyes are drawn to them when you chat with people. If you want something very special, PP still has some of these special pearls in stock.

Perhaps next trip to PP I will buy the Hanadama's, or White Edisons when they finally become available. Either way, something from "The Vault" will be mine.

 

[NacreLover]

The small studs are Ultimate Peacock from The Pearl Source, the larger are from Josh as Kamoka Pearls. Strands from Pearl Paradise, Cherry Tahitians.

 

[Enerchi]

Sorry to interrupt this thread, but Nacrelover - those are GORGEOUS pearls!!! wow --- I am speechless!

 

[GreenBling]

@NacreLover - you are killing me with your words!!! i fear i might do something irrational if i ever visit PP.

I have a long wish list incl tahitian baroque bracelet, tahitian earrings, lavender metalic freshwater rope, and a natural white hanadama necklace that i'm saving up for. Not to mention the latest US$23K mikimoto set of 2 strands that can combine into 1 long or double with 2 really beautiful clasps.

 

[GreenBling]

and the round cherries you posted... gosh...they are gorgeous!!!!