Has anyone else felt disappointment......

[YC]

Alice, I guess if the pearls were set as earring studs, the shape and surface flaws would not be obvious. But I agree it is a no no for a ring.
I tend to be a little more apprehensive about buying pearls with potential 'flaws' (for want of a better word) from the larger online companies cos they usually supply only one photo. So in the end, I tend to buy either AAA or gem grade stuff from them to avoid disappointment as returns Is difficult being located outside the US. Some smaller online shops photograph their pearls much better, with more photos showing the flawsand closer to what is seen real life and I feel more confidentthat what I get will be close to what I see on their site.

 

[katbran]

Regarding the earrings to match the necklace, I assume they were going to work from the photo they have of your Tahitians. It's certainly difficult to match something once it's not in front of you. Perhaps for a perfect match you should consider sending the necklace back to them.

I agree that the ring is a bit of a disaster. For me , the pearl on a ring needs to be top notch...after all..that's all there is..nothing to distract from the flaws.

As to the whole question of colour in photos. It always seems that the photo's are darker than the pearls in real life. Sometimes the difference isn't great so it's no big deal..but I've had things that were substantially different. I've taken lots of pearl photos and have a light box..but nothing ever comes out quite right. I've been told that many people do photoshop but mainly to try and recreate the actual real life colours. I always photo the flaws as well and give as accurate description of the colour as I can .

I think that the advice given above .. to expect things to be lighter...is probably pretty sound. And to communicate exactly what you want to to the seller and ask for photos in different light. I've got two strands of Tahitians that go from almost the same colour to very multi coloured depending on the light..the softer the light .. the better the colour. Bright sun.... just bleaches all the shades away.

 

[Pearlescence]

Pearl photography is a bit of a nightmare for we sellers. I try very hard for the photos I post to be as accurate as possible. I have the pearls in my hands as I do some manipulation to bring the raw images up to as close a resemblance as possible. Sometimes items get photographed many times - I remember one lovely strand of pinky gold rounds where we just could not get the subleties of colour and I got heartily sick of the sight of them!
I think we've got better over the years. I've stopped trying for 'glamour' photography as per some websites even though that puts me at a disadvantage with some potential customers but on the other hand no-one has ever returned anything because of the colour not being as shown on the website.
I'm seeing some reaction against the 'glamour' style too as more people report disappointment.
All the usual advice one is given about pearl photography is a load of old hooey. I even asked the forum of the UK leading photography magazine for any advice. Got the usual about light boxes, then challenged them to take pearl pix. When they did there was an 'oh light boxes aren't actually any use. in fact we think you are doing very well. They are very hard to capture'

 

[LitGeek]

PP does have a redeeming quality, which is ease of returns. I'd agree this pearl is not a button.

I'm also feeling a bit peeved at this moment at PP. I asked for earrings to match my tahitian strand and they were going to ship them without even showing me the pictures of the pair they picked. Seems to be an odd way of selling matching earrings with no advance feedback from buyer.

I know they are incredibly swamped right now and inundated with emails, so you should definitely pick up the phone to discuss it with them. If you don't mind the wait, you could send them your strand to be matched or you might ask them to send you a couple pairs of pearls (not set or drilled of course) to match up to your strand and choose which you like best. Hoping you have beautiful matching earrings soon!

 

[alice87]

YC, you can see my pendant. It is accurately described, button shaped, nice color, and great luster. It is even better in person.
I had "no doubts" the second pearl from the pair would be as close as possible. For 90 dollars per pearl, it was a bit of disappointment.
When I saw the ring I end it up crying for the whole evening.
I like creating things. I used to make my own clothes, i made a bridal dress for my friend, and all kinds of clothes in general. My friends take me shopping with them, because what we pick together looks good on them. I make little jewelry projects, and esthetics is important to me.
This pearl is not suitable for a ring. Even in the earrings it would not be good. Did you see discoloration, like it was sanded on the side of the Saturn ring? It is basically white.
Heavy bezel around the pearl may save it.
No, baby monster, I did not get any pictures of the ring. It took them like 12 or 13 days just to ship it to me.

 

[HHPmom]

I know they are very, very busy. J told me it was the most hectic Cyber Monday of the company history. Whatever customers feel "peeved" about, contact them via all communication methods to let them make up to you. When I was at PP office one summer, I heard Mia retrieving her voice mails from the previous night. She had over 60 messages. That was during June/July timeframe. I'd imagine last week would have been ten folds.

 

[LitGeek]

I received two pairs of gSS pearls to chose from the other day and was kind of disappointed in them. I opened them in the evening after they had been on a freezing truck for a week and I swear they must have been sleeping The next day after they had a chance to warm up and I saw them in natural light, they took my breath away Their overtones (pink on one pair, green on the other) came out and the gold was a deeper color and they did match the photo I had been sent. I have learned with pearls it is definitely not always love at first sight.

 

[baby monster]

Alice87, no pearl is worth crying over. Sometimes purchases just don't work out.

HHPMom, while I certainly understand the challenges of running a small business during the busiest shopping time of the year, it does not make for a pleasant buying process. They seem to be so busy and stretched so thin that they're trying to just get orders out of the door without considering how the selection will be viewed by the customer. I'd say Alice's purchase experience is on par with mine this time around.

 

[pinkjewel]

I was talking with Jeremy the other day, and they are really swamped right now. I understand how that can make purchases frustrating, but they really are doing the best they can. He was telling me how he can't really add employees to help during the holiday season, as it would be impossible to educate them enough about pearls. Even in the shipping department, it wouldn't help because they need to know what they are packing and whether it's the correct type of pearl. As the company seems to be growing quite a bit, hopefully they will add more full time employees for next year!

 

[HHPmom]

I was talking with Jeremy the other day, and they are really swamped right now. I understand how that can make purchases frustrating, but they really are doing the best they can. He was telling me how he can't really add employees to help during the holiday season, as it would be impossible to educate them enough about pearls. Even in the shipping department, it wouldn't help because they need to know what they are packing and whether it's the correct type of pearl. As the company seems to be growing quite a bit, hopefully they will add more full time employees for next year!

It is difficult as they are growing. But it doesn't make sense to add full-time employees during the year when sales are slower than Christmas season. It's not like they can find temp help like Macy's or Bloomingdales, etc. PP temporary help must have pearl knowledge which is a more specialized than retail (except cashier positions, designer apparel, etc.). It certainly is a conundrum.

I feel for baby monster and alice87. I hope it is communicated to Jeremy so the issues will be rectified.

 

[YC]

Alice, you sound very disappointed but next time, don't take it so personally. Sometimes, the pearl purchases just do not work out but luckily for u PP has a great return policy.

 

[pkinnew]

alice87 - So sorry to hear about your "Saturn" pearl ring. I hope PP can maek one you truly love.

baby monster - I have faith that PP can match earrings for your strand.

LitGeek - Congrats on your new gSS earrings! Are you keeping both overtones or did one just knock your socks off?

 

[LitGeek]

LitGeek - Congrats on your new gSS earrings! Are you keeping both overtones or did one just knock your socks off?

The pink ones

 

[alice87]

Thank you everyone for support!
Yes, I am glad I was able to return it. In other case, I would just mule over it forever. LIke the ebay purchase I had (where I got totally different color), and the price of sending an item back equal half of the item cost.
Another thing, things like that make me wanting to buy in person, and just not trust the online retailer at all.
I stopped at my lovely Na Hoku to look at their stock. It is different selection, different quality, not necessarily better or worse.

 

[HHPmom]

Thank you everyone for support!
Yes, I am glad I was able to return it. In other case, I would just mule over it forever. LIke the ebay purchase I had (where I got totally different color), and the price of sending an item back equal half of the item cost.
Another thing, things like that make me wanting to buy in person, and just not trust the online retailer at all.
I stopped at my lovely Na Hoku to look at their stock. It is different selection, different quality, not necessarily better or worse.

Shopping in person is the best. It is more fun to move your head or the pearls to see them in different angles. I've stopped purchasing pearls on eBay because return shipping is not worth it. It's not fun to keep the item to avoid return shipping but it sits there or might as well be in the trash. I've been to Na Hoku in Hawaii and Dallas, TX. They have decent Tahitian pearls but price point isn't that great and most pearls were just green or gray for someone who wants to branch out like me. I didn't look at FW.

 

[Snowy]

I received the first of my purchases from PP out of many and I can say I was extremely disappointed. The pearls were SO much lighter in color than in the pictures. Almost to the point of thinking that they made a mistake and put the wrong pearls in for one of the items. I have tahitian pearls I bought when I was in Tahiti and the color is absolutely stunning and vivid in all lights and settings so i expect similar color changes in different light.

I'm going to try a couple more lighting settings and look at them over the week but I may just return them since they are not the color I had wanted or expected. I had them in the shadow in a darker room last night and the color that was in their picture came out but I don't want to wear pearls that only look good in the dark. I want to wear pearls that look good all the time.

I'll keep the pearls that are white since the color is white but all the other colored pearls so far seem so washed out including the gss Pearl necklace.

 

[Snowy]

I can't figure out how to edit though tapatalk. But I just mean to clarify that I know pearls can change in color vividness so I can't expect them to look the same or the color I want in all lighting. But I don't want say a multicolor Pearl necklace to have all the pearls look like the same color which is a muted pale pink in most lighting situations... which is what I have been seeing so far. A monotone washed out color when it's supposed to be multiple colors.

But I have hope for the rest of my multiple purchases do we shall see!

 

[baby monster]

A follow up to my post above. I cancelled my earring order but PP offered to put me on their wishlist for next shopping trip. So hopefully, they can find a better match for my strand.

 

[pkinnew]

LitGeek - Oh please share pictures!!!

 

[alice87]

Thank you everyone for support!
Yes, I am glad I was able to return it. In other case, I would just mule over it forever. LIke the ebay purchase I had (where I got totally different color), and the price of sending an item back equal half of the item cost.
Another thing, things like that make me wanting to buy in person, and just not trust the online retailer at all.
I stopped at my lovely Na Hoku to look at their stock. It is different selection, different quality, not necessarily better or worse.

Shopping in person is the best. It is more fun to move your head or the pearls to see them in different angles. I've stopped purchasing pearls on eBay because return shipping is not worth it. It's not fun to keep the item to avoid return shipping but it sits there or might as well be in the trash. I've been to Na Hoku in Hawaii and Dallas, TX. They have decent Tahitian pearls but price point isn't that great and most pearls were just green or gray for someone who wants to branch out like me. I didn't look at FW.

You are right. I looked at Tahitians, and they have a lot of dimples. There is no incredibly bright colors either. I do like their gold and silver design. I have several pieces and they seem to hold very well. I was in Hawaii, and their selection seems to be the same we have at our local store.

 

[alice87]

one more photo.
I think it is "I" and pearls are different in color too.
Think about glamour shots after that

Adding glamour picture from the website

 

[HHPmom]

Thank you everyone for support!
Yes, I am glad I was able to return it. In other case, I would just mule over it forever. LIke the ebay purchase I had (where I got totally different color), and the price of sending an item back equal half of the item cost.
Another thing, things like that make me wanting to buy in person, and just not trust the online retailer at all.
I stopped at my lovely Na Hoku to look at their stock. It is different selection, different quality, not necessarily better or worse.

Shopping in person is the best. It is more fun to move your head or the pearls to see them in different angles. I've stopped purchasing pearls on eBay because return shipping is not worth it. It's not fun to keep the item to avoid return shipping but it sits there or might as well be in the trash. I've been to Na Hoku in Hawaii and Dallas, TX. They have decent Tahitian pearls but price point isn't that great and most pearls were just green or gray for someone who wants to branch out like me. I didn't look at FW.

You are right. I looked at Tahitians, and they have a lot of dimples. There is no incredibly bright colors either. I do like their gold and silver design. I have several pieces and they seem to hold very well. I was in Hawaii, and their selection seems to be the same we have at our local store.

alice87, next time you return to the islands check out Margo Pearl/Tahiti Pearl Market on Oahu. On Kauai, I've bought at Grande's Gems (Marriott Lihue and Kilohana Plantation), Jewel of Paradise in Hanalei (check out Mark Kaneshiro's pearls). I wouldn't touch strands there, but pendants and earrings are about the same price as online vendors or a tad more. But there are so many colors and beautiful gold settings. They are not the typical huge grey and silver pearls in windows of stores in Lahaina, Maui. Don't bother with Maui Divers either. For the same amount of money you pay to online vendors, Maui Divers has lower quality pearls.

 

[alice87]

HHPMom, thank you! I think I remember Maui Divers. I went there for design center tour. I was there in 2010, and gold was not as expensive as it is now. I was pretty much amazed how they priced merchandise (it was very high).
I'll definitely look!