Who appreciates your pearls?

[mynattk]

Have you guys noticed that people in general cannot tell the difference between real and fake pearls? I have an 18" multicolored metallic freshwater strand from Pearl Paradise, wear it all the time, and nobody ever compliments me on it. (except my dad, he does every time he sees me) I love it and derive pleasure from knowing its value, but I wonder if other people think it's just a string of beads... Have you had the same type of experience?

I always enjoy seeing other ladies wearing real pearls. It's kind of like an exclusive club. Seems like there are not enough members, though!

 

[that_someone_special]

Honestly..... yeah, I have had about the same.

I get the most compliments on the tahitians and blue akoyas. When I try to explain "Oh thanks! These are natural blues" people look at me like whaaaa

I don't think most people know what they are looking at but know if they like it or not.
However, I do think that with pearls becoming so popular lately, that more people will (hopefully) appreciate them.

My husband is usually my biggest cheerleader He listens to me gush on and on about my pearls. In his grooms speech (grooms dinner) he even complimented my necklace! Aw. Ok, I'm tired and feel all sappy. LOL love that guy!

 

[NacreLover]

Yes, I do get the "Nice Beads" response many times. I ususally wear Tahitian pearl strands which are not a well known as white pearls are. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised they don't recognize them as pearls.

4RanchGirl sent me one of her South Sea White strands to wear for a few months. I am really loving these pearls. She and I were wondering if I would really like big white pearls. YUP! Thanks, 4RG....NL

 

[HHPmom]

My husband and mom appreciate pearls. Husband wears pearls himself. My mom's friends always admire the pearls I bought for her. I've been personal shopper and bought Tahitian pendants from Honolulu and other FW from PP for my mom's friends.

Other than that, in general most people don't know about them. A few years ago, one co-worker referred to my FW strand as "the beads you wore the other day". Most of them know I wear pearls now. I usually wear colored ones (I don't usually wear white pearls). Other co-workers have received compliments about their plain beads (I am talking about non-fancy ones that cost less than $20), but no one says much about mine. I know they like them and admire them because I've caught discreet glances or stares at my necklaces.

I enjoy wearing bracelets and longer strands because I can see them. Don't mind other people. You love your pearls and wear them for your own enjoyment. Who cares what they think!

BTW, I've seen more pearls on TV now, especially Tahitian pearls. But the general population probably don't know what they are anyway. Steven Tyler of American Idol wears multiple leather and Tahitian necklaces. One of the bosses (CEO of Diamond Resort) in that show "Undercover Bosses" wears a Tahitian leather bracelet, a huge pearl of at least 15mm, according to my eyes.

 

[iLander]

Well, nobody knows what golden pearls are! (I have a Mikimoto AA strand, but never wear it. I'm not a white pearl person) They appear to be yellowish, goldish beads, so if you don't know anything about pearls you'd be underwhelmed. But, honestly, that's what I like best about them! I can wear them into the grocery store, or even in shady areas of town and nobody bats an eye. Mine are kind of biggish, topping out at 12mm, so people might think they BIG tacky beads. But I don't really care.

I know there might be people around me wearing hideously expensive watches and they're wasted on me. Like some of those uber expensive ($50K+) watches with "turbelons" or whatever they're called. Or expensive understated jewelry that I'm missing. Or all that David Yurman stuff, that looks just like the $20 fakes. So I guess my lack of response is probably irritating others.

I did see a lady wearing a double strand of very luminous white pearls, about 22 inches each strand, right around 10mm I think. They were stunning. But she walked by so fast I couldn't compliment her. There is always that possibility; people admire but don't say.

This has occured to me before, and I use it as a test when I want to buy something; what if no one ever noticed it? What if I was the only one to ever see it? If I still want it, then I realize it's for me and not the admiration of others, so I buy it. I considered buying Tahitians, but then realized they would be for the admiration of others, and they really don't do it for me. So I passed.

But every time I look at my goldens I literally feel all drooly and weak-kneed. They amaze me, and I wanted goldens when I first saw them at Mikimoto 20+ years ago. They stuck in the back of my mind, and when the opportunity arose, I grabbed them.

So really, I wear them for me. Not other people.

 

[iLander]

Honestly..... yeah, I have had about the same.

I get the most compliments on the tahitians and blue akoyas. When I try to explain "Oh thanks! These are natural blues" people look at me like whaaaa

I don't think most people know what they are looking at but know if they like it or not.
However, I do think that with pearls becoming so popular lately, that more people will (hopefully) appreciate them.

My husband is usually my biggest cheerleader He listens to me gush on and on about my pearls. In his grooms speech (grooms dinner) he even complimented my necklace! Aw. Ok, I'm tired and feel all sappy. LOL love that guy!

Awww! Hugs and congrats to you, you're lucky to find a great guy!

 

[HHPmom]

I know there might be people around me wearing hideously expensive watches and they're wasted on me. Like some of those uber expensive ($50K+) watches with "turbelons" or whatever they're called. Or expensive understated jewelry that I'm missing. Or all that David Yurman stuff, that looks just like the $20 fakes. So I guess my lack of response is probably irritating others.

I did see a lady wearing a double strand of very luminous white pearls, about 22 inches each strand, right around 10mm I think. They were stunning. But she walked by so fast I couldn't compliment her. There is always that possibility; people admire but don't say.

This has occured to me before, and I use it as a test when I want to buy something; what if no one ever noticed it? What if I was the only one to ever see it? If I still want it, then I realize it's for me and not the admiration of others, so I buy it. I considered buying Tahitians, but then realized they would be for the admiration of others, and they really don't do it for me. So I passed.

But every time I look at my goldens I literally feel all drooly and weak-kneed. They amaze me, and I wanted goldens when I first saw them at Mikimoto 20+ years ago. They stuck in the back of my mind, and when the opportunity arose, I grabbed them.

I don't own a tourbillon but do appreciate it. One must be fascinated with the mechanics of automatic watches to be interested in tourbillon, I think. I give compliments to people either it's their clothes or jewelry, if I think they are beautiful.

So really, I wear them for me. Not other people.

What she says!

 

[baby monster]

I have a couple of strands and a pearl initial pendant. Nobody has ever said anything about the strands but I get comments on the pendant. I don't have a "wow" strand though. Maybe when I find my dream tahitian strand, someone will notice

I do give compliments on pearls that I like. My boss has some amazing strands and I've complimented her on them. One of the senior women at work (position not age) came to a recent meeting wearing huge chocolate strand. It looked very expensive but that color is not my taste so I didn't say anything to her.

 

[HHPmom]

I just remember that some sales associates are aware of pearls. I wore a strand of mixed SS and Tahitian pearls to Neiman Marcus. The cashier knew exactly what kind of pearls they are and gave me compliments. When I was at one of NM's fashion shows last year, there were a few attendees with gorgeous strands and earrings. The sales guy I know at a local watch boutique used to work at a jewelry store. He also complimented me on my pearls. I guess some sales people have more contact with pearls more than most folks.

 

[anne_h]

I don't have many pearls, only one really nice strand, a multi-colored tahitian, and I don't wear it often for some reason, although I do like it and find it very pretty.

Nobody has ever commented on it, save one - a guy at work who once vacationed in Tahiti and had bought his mother a pearl pendant while there. He saw my strand and asked if they were Tahitian pearls, and I said yes. He said mine were very round and he liked all the colors. He said the pearl he'd bought for his mother was "black", which to me sounds awful! lol

I have a few other non-pearl jewelry pieces that tend to get the most attention. But like others here - I buy for me, what I like. Although I do enjoy when others notice too!

I think my next pearl purchase will be a pair or largish hanadama studs, or maybe smallish south sea studs. I'm really dreaming about omega backs for some reason! Or, a double strand akoya or tahitian bracelet... lol

Anne

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

I gotta say I find this very strange you aren't getting compliments on your pearls - I can't go anywhere with my GF without somebody saying something about her pearls.

Although once I was having a shirt with French cuffs fitted for me at a very high end store and I brought out my Tahitian cufflinks - the owner of the store thought they were marbles - so go figure.

 

[NacreLover]

PearlsOfJoy. You live in the Los Angeles area right? I live in a very small town in Alabama. People here think it's a big deal if you get to travel to the Red Neck Rivera on vacation. (GulfShores,AL- OrangeBeach,FL) Pearls are small and white and your grandma wore them. I am the only one I ever see wearing Tahitians to the Talladega NasCar race.

 

[HHPmom]

PearlsOfJoy. You live in the Los Angeles area right? I live in a very small town in Alabama. People here think it's a big deal if you get to travel to the Red Neck Rivera on vacation. (GulfShores,AL- OrangeBeach,FL) Pearls are small and white and your grandma wore them. I am the only one I ever see wearing Tahitians to the Talladega NasCar race.

I see more people in Los Angeles wearing pearls (not talking about PP's Ruckus) than where I live, Houston, especially Tahitian pearls. Maybe Austin and Dallas are different, but unless you go to high end malls, the majority of people I see in Houston don't wear pearls. And if they know about pearls, then pearls must be white. I was invited to a private grand opening of a boutique with lots of local socialites. Beside me there was only one other socialite wearing a massive pair of white SS pearl earrings with diamonds. The rest of the ladies had emeralds, diamonds, other stones, and faux pearls.

Tahiti Pearl Market/Margo Pearl in Honolulu told me last year that a couple from Texas bought a Tahitian and diamond necklace from them, retailing more than $26,000. I've seen that necklace on their facebook page. It's a nice one, fit for formal event. That couple must not be from Houston, otherwise Margo Pearl would have told me so.

My husband wears Tahitian pearl on leather cord. One of his co-workers asked if it was a Hawaiian rock (because we go to Hawaii every year).

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Most everyone who see my pearls admire them--because pearls are lovely! It isn't about if they are "valuable" or "genuine" it is about how you wear them. Enjoy whatever you own, and enjoy the same on others.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Echidna]

PearlsOfJoy. You live in the Los Angeles area right? I live in a very small town in Alabama. People here think it's a big deal if you get to travel to the Red Neck Rivera on vacation. (GulfShores,AL- OrangeBeach,FL) Pearls are small and white and your grandma wore them. I am the only one I ever see wearing Tahitians to the Talladega NasCar race.

Classic, NL.

Not many people comment on my pearls. I like semi-baroque shapes (because to me they look more "real") and I think that just throws people off a bit. I have some very large white SS earrings and people must think they are fake! I'm reasonably young too, so perhaps that is a bit jarring?