Starter White Pearl Drop Earring Advice

[EvangelineG]

PS is becoming a really bad influence on me! I couldn’t sleep one night and spent way too long surfing through the Royalty jewels thread, and by about 2 in the morning had decided that I NEEDED several things, one of which is a pair of pearl drop earrings inspired by how amazing Diana looked in pearls.

What I would like is a pair of everyday casual white pearl drop earrings. My budget is small (I’ve been buying a few too many coloured stones lately!), I am thinking around $200-ish? I don’t want them to be too big, maybe somewhere between 8.5-10mm. I really like the smooth drop shaped pearls, and I would want them to be set in white gold, preferring a leverback, but can be ok with French wires too.
I’ve been lurking around the pearls section for several days now, and checking out some of the vendors commonly suggested, and have found several options that would seem to fit the bill, but I need help deciding on one pearl type over another, and am open to other vendor suggestions.

For example:
Drop-shaped South Sea Pearl Leverbacks in 14k White Gold for $211 in the white 9-9.9mm AA+ option
http://www.tahitianpearls.biz/south-sea-pearl-earrings/drop_south_sea_pearl_earrings_welc.htm
White Metallic Drop Pearl French Wire Earrings in 14k white gold in the 9-10mm size for $129
http://www.pearlparadise.com/p-3646-white-metallic-drop-pearl-french-wire-earrings.aspx

Rounds not drop (although I would prefer drop):
Classic Collection White Akoya Pearl Dangle Earrings in white gold 8-8.5mm AA+ for $275. I realize these are a bit more expensive because they are rounds. Can anyone point me towards akoya drops?
http://www.pearlparadise.com/p-11-classic-collection-white-akoya-pearl-dangle-earrings.aspx
Classic Collection White Freshadama Freshwater Pearl Dangle Earrings in white gold 8.5-9mm for $209
http://www.pearlparadise.com/p-166-...shadama-freshwater-pearl-dangle-earrings.aspx

I am leaning towards the AA+ South Sea drops. They seem to be a great price and according to the listing are AAA in nacre, with very high lustre, and I am not bothered by the idea of “very light blemishes” as long as the front face is clean. What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I have a feeling these may be my gateway pearls. I can’t seem to stop drooling over the pictures of blue akoyas and silver blue Tahitians!!! But first up some simple drops.

 

[Fly Girl]

Welcome to the PS Pearl Forum, EvangelineG!

I hear you about wonderful everyday drop pearls. A couple of thoughts.

Whatever pair of drops you pick, I'm pretty sure that they can be switched for leverbacks if you prefer. Make a note in comments, and someone should contact you about the order. They'll let you know of any change in price.

Second, I went with little h myself, to get a little bit of styling. And her hand-selected SS keshi are gorgeous in real life.

http://www.pearlcollective.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1865

Let us know what you go with, and be sure to come back with photos!

 

[cmd2014]

Of the ones you posted, I liked the metallic freshwater ones the best. I'd personally rather have top quality fresh water than lesser quality SS, but that's just me (and others would totally vote the other way around) . You can definitely ask to have anything that you find at PP, POJ, Tahitial Pearl, etc., priced with leverbacks if you want. But you should go with what keeps drawing you back to look at it and what you like best because if you buy anything other than exactly what you want, you will probably always end up having regrets.

 

[pkinnew]

Welcome EvangelineG! You could be getting into big trouble here!!! I know you picked from 2 different vendors but maybe someone at PP could take pictures of AA+ SS white drops next to metallic fw white drops so you can compare them together? That would definitely help me because the luster on both is very different. I don't know if I've ever seen Akoya drops but then I'm not as knowledgeable as many on this board! Good luck shopping!

 

[baby monster]

If SS drops attract you the most, then you should go with that design.

Do you have to have the perfect drop shape? Baroques often have sharper luster and interesting overtones. Something like this http://www.pearlsofjoy.com/Baroque-Freshwater-Pearl-Earrings-FFB10_p_556.html... I have fw white baroque drops and they are my go-to earrings.

 

[EvangelineG]

Flygirl- I really like the styling on those! The white and sterling silver drops are right on budget. How does it work with sterling silver and pearl though? It seems like everything you would do to store and clean silver would be bad for pearls? How do you care for them?

cmd2014- The metallic drops are so inexpensive, and they look beautiful in the photos! That was exactly what I was wondering, whether the appearance of an AAA FW would be equal or superior to an AA+ SS or akoya in the same price range? Although from what I have been reading the SS pearls have a different more satin-y/glow-y lustre, whereas the akoyas and I am presuming the best FW's have a sharper more mirror-y, metallic lustre? Do I have that right? I wish I could see some freshadamas or metallics IRL, then I am sure the choice would be easy. The FW's I have seen locally are plastic-y/chalky/boring, and even the nicest looking ones are dead beside a string of mid grade akoyas. I am also in Canada, so the strategy of ordering multiple pairs just to look and then returning is too much of a PITA with customs.

pkinnew- I think I am in a bit of trouble...I've been poring over all of your beautiful pearls for days. Photos would be amazing if anyone owns both and could do that, or could refer me to some online?

Babymonster- They definitely don't have to be perfect drops, but I do want this pair to have more of a smooth, classic look. So smoother baroques would be fine, I think?

Thanks for the link to Pearls of Joy. Their pics of metallic drops really show the "intense overtones". Beautiful! The lavender and copper/gold ones are stunning, but I am wondering if even the white ones are more "colourful" than what I have in mind for this first simple white pair? How do the glamour shots translate to RL lighting?

 

[pkinnew]

EvangelineG - I have white SS drops and white metallic drops but the size difference is pretty outrageous! I'll see if I can take decent pictures for you so you can get an idea of the luster differences.

 

[mapo]

I highly recommend the metallic freshwater pearls from POJ. I have 3 pairs - 9.5-10mm white metallic studs (these are very metallic and have an intense bluish glow), 8-9mm lavender metallic studs (these have a metallic green tone which i love), and the 8-9 mm metallic "fancy colored drops (these appear pink to copper to peach on me). I also have a pair of white metallic drops from PP from a special a while back. those PP drops are the largest and, while pretty, the metallic glow is less dramatic than my POJ pairs. I'm going to see if I can find pictures....

 

[mapo]

ok, here's the white metallic fwp drops from pp. i'm also wearing the baroque ss pendant from poj in this picture.



here's the lavender metallic rounds from poj.



here's the white metallic rounds from poj.



here's the fancy metallic drops from poj



hth!

 

[Fly Girl]

Flygirl- I really like the styling on those! The white and sterling silver drops are right on budget. How does it work with sterling silver and pearl though? It seems like everything you would do to store and clean silver would be bad for pearls? How do you care for them?

Sunshine cloth - Just don't rub the pearls.

http://www.riogrande.com/Search/Sunshine%20Cloth

 

[baby monster]

Thanks for the link to Pearls of Joy. Their pics of metallic drops really show the "intense overtones". Beautiful! The lavender and copper/gold ones are stunning, but I am wondering if even the white ones are more "colourful" than what I have in mind for this first simple white pair? How do the glamour shots translate to RL lighting?

The overtones will come on in some lighting but the body color is white so the drops will look white most of the time. I wear the drops with my other white strands and they go together.

 

[pkinnew]

EvangelineG - I hope these pictures help. The large earrings are the white SS and the smaller ones are white metallic. You definitely get a crisper luster with the metallic but I also love the white SS's because they just glow. Good luck!

 

[EvangelineG]

Mapo- Thank you so much for the pictures! They are incredibly helpful. All of your earrings are beautiful!

Fly girl- Duh, of course, a polishing cloth! Thanks. I have a long multi-strand silver necklace that is beautiful, but I hate the maintenance compared to my WG stuff, so I was definitely prejudiced against silver, and really wondering how the heck you would keep something like a silver tin cup necklace looking nice?! Polishing cloth it is.

Baby monster- Thanks. I think the RL pics in this thread are really helping me to get the difference between body colour and overtone as well. Like with CS, the glam shots can be misleading/confusing.

Pkinnew- Thanks for the photos! They really do help. Now I know I really want both.

I will definitely come back with ear shots and final decisions!

 

[HHPmom]

Welcome EvangelineG. You've received lots of great advice already. Check with PP if they still have pearls from last year's WSS drop lot (July 2013). I'd imagine they are probably OOS now. The luster on those WSS are very sharp. You can ask to put the WSS drops on PP's shopping list the next time they fill their inventory.

mapo, I love those pink metallic FW drop earrings from PoJ. The luster and color are awesome!!!

 

[pinkjewel]

Welcome EvangelineG. You've received lots of great advice already. Check with PP if they still have pearls from last year's WSS drop lot (July 2013). I'd imagine they are probably OOS now. The luster on those WSS are very sharp. You can ask to put the WSS drops on PP's shopping list the next time they fill their inventory.

mapo, I love those pink metallic FW drop earrings from PoJ. The luster and color are awesome!!!

I second HHPmom's advice. I have some of those WSS drops from last year and they are gorgeous!!

 

[EvangelineG]

Thanks for the advice! I got a very prompt reply back from PP, and they directed me towards these:

http://www.pearlparadise.com/p-2245-loose-drop-to-baroque-shape-white-south-sea-pearl.aspx

The sample picture is lovely! At $160 each undrilled and unset, I would assume I am looking at at somewhere in the range of $400 for a 9-10mm dangle earring pair once all is said and done?

Is the quality of these AA+ WSS PP pearls going to be that much great than the AA+ WSS pearl drops from TahitianPearls.biz to justify the greater price?

 

[bsomlo]

Well, probably more than that unless you want the simplest findings. Look through their options for earring findings to see what appeals to you and the cost:

http://www.pearlparadise.com/c-228-pearl-earring-findings.aspx

You had stated your budget was around $200 so metallic drops may be the very thing for you. I own a pair and just love them:

 

[mintea]

I have round white metallic freshwater stud earrings from PP and I LOVE them. I also got my mother a pair of metallic fancy color drop earrings from PoJ, and they are gorgeous too. If you're on a strict budget for these earrings, I would skip the south sea pearls for now and get metallic freshwaters in a finding that appeals to you. They are different enough from South Sea pearls that it will not be redundant to get SS pearl earrings in the future, and the crisp luster and ethereal overtones of metallic freshwater drops is on a whole other level than the widely available cheap freshwaters you're used to seeing.

 

[Frost Me]

I can't believe how much I love these large 10mm metallic studs from PP they are very round, shiny and glowing.
Large metallic drops are on my list too and they will be metallics. For the price it is a lot of look. You can see my poka dot phone cover in this shot

 

[EvangelineG]

Bsomlo- Thank you for the photos! The simple white pearls look so elegant. Exactly the look I am aiming for.

Mintea- I think that's a great idea- getting the metallics now, and then if I love them and still want the WSS drops, spending the money to get exactly what I want. And you are right, I am slightly prejudiced towards FWs because of the poor local offerings, and at $100 a pair this is a very inexpensive way to test out some really good quality FWs.

Frost me- thank you for the photos! They really capture how lustrous these pearls are! Beautiful!

Well, I think it is going to be the PP metallic drops for my gateway pearls...

 

[NacreLover]

Great choice, You will get hooked when you see them in person.

 

[pkinnew]

Great choice, EvangelineG! I know you will love them!

 

[EvangelineG]

I just wanted to follow up on this thread, and thank all of you again for all your help! I did decide to go with the white metallics from PP. They arrived last week, but were almost immediately whisked away because my sons want to give them to me as a birthday present. I was allowed a quick peek...y'know quality control. They are beautiful!!! I am going to wear the heck out of those suckers! When I get them...in almost three months...

 

[bsomlo]

Aww, that's sweet!

Post ear shots after your birthday!

 

[NacreLover]

Great boys you have. Can't wait till the big day!

 

[Frost Me]

How fun and exciting for you and your boys. We will be waiting for the pictures!

 

[EvangelineG]

Thanks Bsomlo, Nacrelover and Frost Me! They are awfully sweet kids. I will post ear shots when I get them.

 

[pkinnew]

Your sons are so cute but how can you wait knowing they're right there to try on??? You are a strong woman!

 

[EvangelineG]

I know! Torture!

But I am getting my other present early, so I have to be good on this one so they have something to present on the day.