Help me choose a blue pearl

[thecat]

Hi ladies,

Which of the following do you think shows blue frequently irl? I'm very bad at reading photos. Or do you think these are all greenish? They appear bluish on my laptop but greenish on my hp, so I'm confused. Which will you pick? Based on shape? Based on color? On based on other criteria? I have no idea of their sizes but they all look about the same size. It is for a pendant. Thank you for your help.

 

[icy_jade]

#4. Blue with rainbow overtones AND pretty drop shape too. I'll take it if you don't. Seriously.

Edit: Oh and #1 n 2 for earrings.

 

[thecat]

Icy Jade, where is the rainbow overtone on #4? Since they're about the same size, if the size is suitable for a pendant, won't #1 and #2 look too big on the ears?

There are streaks on #3. Are the streaks what people refer to as overtones?

 

[icy_jade]

Icy Jade, where is the rainbow overtone on #4? Since they're about the same size, if the size is suitable for a pendant, won't #1 and #2 look too big on the ears?

There are streaks on #3. Are the streaks what people refer to as overtones?

Ok, not sure if I can explain but I'll try.

Say a strand has green body color but peacock overtones. So the overtones will appear under certain lighting conditions e.g diffused light, but the strand will look mostly green under direct lighting irl.

The photos r taken in diffused lighting. So you can see the overtones in the pics. You can try asking for photos under direct sunlight to have a better idea of their color.

This thread has good examples of vendor photos, direct n indirect light:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/tahitian-pearls-vendor-vs-irl-pictures.205879/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/tahitian-pearls-vendor-vs-irl-pictures.205879/[/URL]

I refer to those colorful overtones on 4 as rainbowy, not sure what is the official description.

Re: size... I'm guessing these are all around 10mm? Actually my drop earrings go beyond 12 mm so these would be small to me. And I prefer pendants with presence so pearls above 14mm works better for me as pendants. Just my personal pref. I'm 1.7m tall, so small pearls don't work for me... Oh, for studs I use 10 mm but since my PSS problem is worsening, 10 mm studs r also looking small.

PSS = pearl shrinkage syndrome

 

[dk168]

#4 would be the one I choose for a pendant, as it has a nice drop shape, and the rainbow of colours that I can see is superb. I would consider the pearls as blue-greens and not blues, based on what I can see on my laptop's monitor.

DK

 

[Pearlescence]

None of those look blue to me. They look like green peacocks. There are true blue Tahitian pearls out there. They're not common but there are pearls as blue as the Pricescope banner to be found.

 

[bsomlo]

#4 for the drop shape and rainbow overtones! On my monitor it's green on top and blue on the bottom with golds and coppers in the middle. That's not how the pearl will appear to your eye when you open the box and see it on black velvet! Don't be surprised. It'll look like that in optimal conditions from time-to-time.

Size matters.

You have to decide what size pearl you'd like in a pendant. I tend to go for monster fireballs though every now and then I like a demure drop...

Find out the size and maybe cut out a little piece of paper/cardboard/felt and hold it up where your pearl would fall and look in a mirror to determine if it's the size you'd like.

Length matters.

Figure out your ideal chain length. It's purely personal depending on what you like and what kinds of collars you wear.

Standard is 18".

You can also get an extender or ask for the ability to vary your chain length.

If you are on the fence about a pearl size, always go up (not beyond what you like) because I can almost guarantee your pearls will feel too small very soon. Might as well account for that up front.

Have fun and keep us posted.

 

[Fly Girl]

If you have the funds, I would take pearls 1, 2, and 4 and make it a triple pendant. That would amp up the size and make a lovely piece.

 

[bsomlo]

Hmm, what she said but using #1, #3 and #4! (That way you get graduated size, color and shape.)

 

[thecat]

Fly Girl, Bsomlo, Pearlescene, Dk168, Icy Jade, thank you for weighing in. You have confirmed what I thought I saw about the colors. Initially, I thought it was my screens showing different colors. But it seems these are indeed blue green. I missed out on the following blue pearl and Chenai kindly found me 4 others. She did warn me that blues aren't common. I suppose the really blue ones are all sold since the Tahitian sale ran for an entire month. These 4 are lovely in their own ways. They have mirror like luster and show no blemish. However, I really want a more intense blue one and I don't want to amass so many other pendants on my journey to the blue one. So, Icy Jade, please go ahead to make the drop yours and share photos with us.

 

[Pearlescence]

This pic shows how blue a blue |Tahitian can be. I hope you find one!

 

[thecat]

This pic shows how blue a blue |Tahitian can be. I hope you find one!

Wow, the blue is intense! I think a true blue is elusive. I should have ask someone to find me one in the HK show. I suppose it's too late now. I will keep that in mind before next year's show. Thanks for the photo, Pearlescene.

 

[thecat]

Pearlescence, you got me thinking. Since a true blue is so elusive, I think I am getting #1, 2, and 4 depending on their sizes. I'm hoping they are at least 10mm each.

I'm sorry, Icy Jade.

 

[bsomlo]

thecat -- PP and POJ go to the Hong Kong show every 3 months with our wishlists.

 

[ckrickett]

#4
!!!!!!!

 

[NacreLover]

Blue is rare. I would have them all sent to me for a in person lookie lou. They look great on the glamour shot. It's easier to make decisions on findings and designs after you see the size for yourself. If they are too small, they may make better dangle earrings or part of a design with other color pearls. PP may get more in later in other lots they purchase to match into these pretty things.

 

[thecat]

thecat -- PP and POJ go to the Hong Kong show every 3 months with our wishlists.

I thought it was an annual show. Thanks for the info, Bsomlo.

 

[CRDKeshi]

Nacrelover has good advice about seeing the pearls in person. I have several strands of "blues" akoyas and the other thing to note is at least in my akoyas, the colors change considerably depending on the lighting, skin tones, what you're wearing with the pearls ... I LOVE my "blues" and have seen them change from blue to light grey to intense blue to aqua blue green depending on all the above, and what light does to bring out or suppress the overtones ... all beautiful though. Good luck and have fun with your search no matter where it takes you

 

[4Ranch Girl]

I would get them all sent to see them in person but keep #'s 1, 2 and 4 for sure. Here is a picture of my blue pearl with a green RobertWan Tahitian so you can see size differences.

 

[thecat]

I would get them all sent to see them in person but keep #'s 1, 2 and 4 for sure. Here is a picture of my blue pearl with a green RobertWan Tahitian so you can see size differences.

4RG, that's one of the shades of blue I love. Too bad such blues seem to be all sold.