Any black friday purchases?

[lovedogs]

Anyone buy any pearls for black friday 2024? Show them here!

Ive been watching the PP live show and also contemplating a purchase via ebay.

 

[empliau]

Andrew Moline is torturing me. He is posting specials on Instagram, and they're gorgeous. At least one is less than I paid two years ago!

His blue pearls are to die for, and I've always wanted Tahitian dangle drops. Now I just need a few thousand dollars.

No, I haven't bought anything - but I sit on the shore of Ban Island and weep.

 

[mustangchi]

Have an akoya pair coming from Moline. Been looking for blues for a couple of years and these are a bit of a seafoam color. Looking forward to seeing them in person.

 

[empliau]

Are they the recent Cyber Week blues? Whatever they are, please post pictures when you have them! We love pictures (and I live vicariously, these days, through others' photographs!)

 

[newtojewels]

I also have some blues coming from Moline

I just bought these:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Here's a photo he took next to a traditional Akoya and a silver-blue Akoya for me. I know everyone has said this but I'll just reiterate that he is such a pleasure to work with.

 

[empliau]

I also have some blues coming from Moline

I just bought these:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Here's a photo he took next to a traditional Akoya and a silver-blue Akoya for me. I know everyone has said this but I'll just reiterate that he is such a pleasure to work with.

Ohhhh @newtojewels you bought my dream blues! No real jealousy from the shores of double secret Ban Island, but they are SO beautiful! Please post ear shots if you are comfortable doing so!

And with you on the pleasure to work with - Andrew is just a delight.

 

[newtojewels]

Ohhhh @newtojewels you bought my dream blues! No real jealousy from the shores of double secret Ban Island, but they are SO beautiful! Please post ear shots if you are comfortable doing so!

And with you on the pleasure to work with - Andrew is just a delight.

I'll definitely post ear shots! He's setting them onto cheapy dangles for me while I think about the longer-term plan. I'm just not a studs person!

 

[lovedogs]

I may or may not have snagged one of these

But I'm torn. For the price i could get 2 of the gem quality ~8mm sea of cortez from this year, or 3 of the A+ NS. Thoughts??

 

[vintage diamond]

I picked out a simple akoya pearl pendant to be my Christmas gift from my husband. This is my first pearl necklace. I wanted something that felt classic, to pair with my new Whiteflash lab diamond studs.

Saltwater Pearl 18K Gold Classic Buckle Pendant Necklace

Akoya Style: Akoya saltwater cultured pearl Size: 8.5-9.0mm 18K Gold Chain Length: 45cm (adjustable) Tahitian Style: Tahitian saltwater cultured Pearl Size: 8.0-9.0mm 925 Silver Chain Length: 45cm (adjustable) South Sea Style: South Sea Golden saltwater cultured pearl Size: 11-12mm 18K Gold...

helasjewelry.com

 

[yssie]

I also have some blues coming from Moline

I just bought these:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Here's a photo he took next to a traditional Akoya and a silver-blue Akoya for me. I know everyone has said this but I'll just reiterate that he is such a pleasure to work with.

Holy h*ll.

The colour. The luster. The overtone. On ROUNDS.

@newtojewels You have one of the absolute rarest pairs I've ever even dreamt of coming your way. I'd do silly things to see those pearls in person. I've got Vietnamese babies that I think are about that colour - tiny, off-round, and I never would have imagined that sort of colour would happen in big rounds.

Treasure those. For real. That's a seriously special couple of pearls.

 

[mustangchi]

Are they the recent Cyber Week blues? Whatever they are, please post pictures when you have them! We love pictures (and I live vicariously, these days, through others' photographs!)

Not the ones posted to instagram looks like newtojewels purchased those, he reached out to me as I had been looking at blues for a couple of years. There were a couple of pairs and I chose a different one.

 

[empliau]

Not the ones posted to instagram looks like newtojewels purchased those, he reached out to me as I had been looking at blues for a couple of years. There were a couple of pairs and I chose a different one.

Andrew is wonderful like that. I would love to see your seafoam blues if you are comfortable with sharing!

 

[mustangchi]

Andrew is wonderful like that. I would love to see your seafoam blues if you are comfortable with sharing!

Yes he is great to work with, I had passed on a few pairs over the last couple of years as they just weren't "the one" I guess. If I were him I probably would have just stopped reaching out to me.

I would encourage anyone to shop with him. This is my second purchase.

 

[newtojewels]

Holy h*ll.

The colour. The luster. The overtone. On ROUNDS.

@newtojewels You have one of the absolute rarest pairs I've ever even dreamt of coming your way. I'd do silly things to see those pearls in person. I've got Vietnamese babies that I think are about that colour - tiny, off-round, and I never would have imagined that sort of colour would happen in big rounds.

Treasure those. For real. That's a seriously special couple of pearls.

Thank you so much, @yssie! And do reach out if you're in the bay area because I would do silly things to see anything you own! You have my email address from when I asked you about an Erika Winters bracelet.

He said he had to really, really study them because they're so blue he thought they must have been dyed. I'm trying to figure out their long-term home, as I mentioned, because they are so special. They're going into some basic sterling drops just so I can wear them and not have spent money on a throwaway setting. It'll be some kind of drop, I just don't do studs, but nothing from Konig or Bella or Rio Grande is calling me. Maybe I can add them as dangles from some vintage earrings or something....

Yes he is great to work with, I had passed on a few pairs over the last couple of years as they just weren't "the one" I guess. If I were him I probably would have just stopped reaching out to me.

I would encourage anyone to shop with him. This is my second purchase.

This is my second purchase too. I originally reached out about some blues....over 3 years ago. Never pulled the trigger but did get a natural white pair that he was super kind with despite the low price point. I asked him about blues again 2.5 years ago and then just kind of ghosted him.....until this pair. I was kind of embarrassed to message him, actually, but he was just the best.

Here's a picture on his hand:

 

[lovedogs]

Thank you so much, @yssie! And do reach out if you're in the bay area because I would do silly things to see anything you own! You have my email address from when I asked you about an Erika Winters bracelet.

He said he had to really, really study them because they're so blue he thought they must have been dyed. I'm trying to figure out their long-term home, as I mentioned, because they are so special. They're going into some basic sterling drops just so I can wear them and not have spent money on a throwaway setting. It'll be some kind of drop, I just don't do studs, but nothing from Konig or Bella or Rio Grande is calling me. Maybe I can add them as dangles from some vintage earrings or something....



This is my second purchase too. I originally reached out about some blues....over 3 years ago. Never pulled the trigger but did get a natural white pair that he was super kind with despite the low price point. I asked him about blues again 2.5 years ago and then just kind of ghosted him.....until this pair. I was kind of embarrassed to message him, actually, but he was just the best.

Here's a picture on his hand:

Wowwwwwww

 

[Civnhasy]

Full of envy at your purchases!! I am trying to stay out of the fray lest I buy ... everything! But love all the goodies I'm seeing.

 

[mustangchi]

Thank you so much, @yssie! And do reach out if you're in the bay area because I would do silly things to see anything you own! You have my email address from when I asked you about an Erika Winters bracelet.

He said he had to really, really study them because they're so blue he thought they must have been dyed. I'm trying to figure out their long-term home, as I mentioned, because they are so special. They're going into some basic sterling drops just so I can wear them and not have spent money on a throwaway setting. It'll be some kind of drop, I just don't do studs, but nothing from Konig or Bella or Rio Grande is calling me. Maybe I can add them as dangles from some vintage earrings or something....



This is my second purchase too. I originally reached out about some blues....over 3 years ago. Never pulled the trigger but did get a natural white pair that he was super kind with despite the low price point. I asked him about blues again 2.5 years ago and then just kind of ghosted him.....until this pair. I was kind of embarrassed to message him, actually, but he was just the best.

Here's a picture on his hand:

Sounds like the same way I looked for a couple of years, passed on a few things and then didn't think about it for a while. Yours look great! I don't have any pictures of the ones I bought except for the ones where they are on the card with this pair. Yours look even better in these pictures than they orginally did on the card pics, they look amazing congrats!!

 

[yssie]

Sounds like the same way I looked for a couple of years, passed on a few things and then didn't think about it for a while. Yours look great! I don't have any pictures of the ones I bought except for the ones where they are on the card with this pair. Yours look even better in these pictures than they orginally did on the card pics, they look amazing congrats!!

I may have seen the card with yours? I was chatting with Andrew last night. If I did - yours are beyond glorious as well!! I did mention that maybe he should extra extra check that they weren't Tahitians covered in polyurethane, the colour and luster is just off the charts! (He assured me that no, he'd checked multiple times, no treatments including polyurethane )

 

[newtojewels]

I can't wait to see yours, @mustangchi! Please post photos when you get them!

 

[lovedogs]

I may have seen the card with yours? I was chatting with Andrew last night. If I did - yours are beyond glorious as well!! I did mention that maybe he should extra extra check that they weren't Tahitians covered in polyurethane, the colour and luster is just off the charts! (He assured me that no, he'd checked multiple times, no treatments including polyurethane )

Can i bug you for your opinion?

Torn about keeping vs letting this one go to someone on the waitlist. Its the big single one. But $$ and I could get a few smaller SoC for the price of this one.

 

[mustangchi]

I may have seen the card with yours? I was chatting with Andrew last night. If I did - yours are beyond glorious as well!! I did mention that maybe he should extra extra check that they weren't Tahitians covered in polyurethane, the colour and luster is just off the charts! (He assured me that no, he'd checked multiple times, no treatments including polyurethane )

Thank you! And thank you for asking that I am not educated enough to ask those types of questions myself. I chose the pair I did because they seemed to have such pretty color tones. He said they'd likely be here Tuesday-ish. Mine are just going to be classic studs.

 

[yssie]

Can i bug you for your opinion?

Torn about keeping vs letting this one go to someone on the waitlist. Its the big single one. But $$ and I could get a few smaller SoC for the price of this one.

Oooh that big is the star of the show isn't she

That's a difficult choice! D'you have a plan for either the single big baroque or the Cortez pearls? I'm seeing the big in one of your two Best Of bracelets... We all know I'm always on for bracelets though

I have some vivid blue akoya baroques from Takahashi, from a few years ago. They are honestly stunning, so different from other pearls - the colour and luster is so intense they look foil wrapped. Whereas SoC are usually much more muted - and I know you've got some SoC already. So that makes me lean toward the baroque blue...

The other thing - gem SoC vs NS - definitely the NS! If you go that route! They seem to value roundness and smoothness a TON for the gem grade, and colour gets way demoted in priority, but I want SoC for their colours

 

[lovedogs]

Oooh that big is the star of the show isn't she

That's a difficult choice! D'you have a plan for either the single big baroque or the Cortez pearls? I'm seeing the big in one of your two Best Of bracelets... We all know I'm always on for bracelets though

I have some vivid blue akoya baroques from Takahashi, from a few years ago. They are honestly stunning, so different from other pearls - the colour and luster is so intense they look foil wrapped. Whereas SoC are usually much more muted - and I know you've got some SoC already. So that makes me lean toward the baroque blue...

The other thing - gem SoC vs NS - definitely the NS! If you go that route! They seem to value roundness and smoothness a TON for the gem grade, and colour gets way demoted in priority, but I want SoC for their colours

Agreed! I want colors as #1 for SoC, and definitely notice they pripritize roundness more than I do haha.

I was planning to potentially replace the "center" of my "best of" bracelet with the big blue Akoya. Right now it's a circle tahitian that I was hoping wojld be more vivid than it ended up being IRL. I could do that with an SoC too, but the big blue is soooo hard to resist!

 

[Chasiu]

I managed to claim a natural blue akoya 8-8.5mm pair in the PP livestream in the hopes of somewhat matching the color of my blue strand. Hisano sent me a few additional photos, and I think the color is fascinating (more intense than it looked in the live), but I'll probably need to see it in person to decide.

They aren't quite button shaped but could be set in studs. However, looking at the potential drill hole in the top of the right pearl (directly next to the D), I think it might look better as a dangle? Personally I have been wanting to set some drops in the Dew earring setting but not sure if these are the right shape for it. Another one I like is the Bar studs.

What do you all think?

 

[lovedogs]

I managed to claim a natural blue akoya 8-8.5mm pair in the PP livestream in the hopes of somewhat matching the color of my blue strand. Hisano sent me a few additional photos, and I think the color is fascinating (more intense than it looked in the live), but I'll probably need to see it in person to decide.

They aren't quite button shaped but could be set in studs. However, looking at the potential drill hole in the top of the right pearl (directly next to the D), I think it might look better as a dangle? Personally I have been wanting to set some drops in the Dew earring setting but not sure if these are the right shape for it. Another one I like is the Bar studs.

What do you all think?

They're lovely! I was eyeing those

 

[newtojewels]

I managed to claim a natural blue akoya 8-8.5mm pair in the PP livestream in the hopes of somewhat matching the color of my blue strand. Hisano sent me a few additional photos, and I think the color is fascinating (more intense than it looked in the live), but I'll probably need to see it in person to decide.

They aren't quite button shaped but could be set in studs. However, looking at the potential drill hole in the top of the right pearl (directly next to the D), I think it might look better as a dangle? Personally I have been wanting to set some drops in the Dew earring setting but not sure if these are the right shape for it. Another one I like is the Bar studs.

What do you all think?

I'm biased but dangle dangle dangle. To me they just scream dangle! They're lovely, I was eyeing them too.

I'm trying to find the right home for my Moline pearls. If anyone has any leads on a unique dangle/drop that isn't super dressy, let me know. Ideally it would be some vintage white gold or platinum something with diamonds that could add the pearl on the bottom or some secondhand setting with really crummy throwaway pearls.

 

[clockworkreader]

I managed to claim a natural blue akoya 8-8.5mm pair in the PP livestream in the hopes of somewhat matching the color of my blue strand. Hisano sent me a few additional photos, and I think the color is fascinating (more intense than it looked in the live), but I'll probably need to see it in person to decide.

They aren't quite button shaped but could be set in studs. However, looking at the potential drill hole in the top of the right pearl (directly next to the D), I think it might look better as a dangle? Personally I have been wanting to set some drops in the Dew earring setting but not sure if these are the right shape for it. Another one I like is the Bar studs.

What do you all think?

I think some sort of dangle setting which allows the pearls to have some movement is the way to go! Your pearls have such gorgeous rainbow orient and putting them in a setting which lets them well, dangle around a bit is the best way to highlight that. It looks like the dew earring settings might fulfil this but I’m not sure! Something like this would be lovely:

 

[yssie]

I managed to claim a natural blue akoya 8-8.5mm pair in the PP livestream in the hopes of somewhat matching the color of my blue strand. Hisano sent me a few additional photos, and I think the color is fascinating (more intense than it looked in the live), but I'll probably need to see it in person to decide.

They aren't quite button shaped but could be set in studs. However, looking at the potential drill hole in the top of the right pearl (directly next to the D), I think it might look better as a dangle? Personally I have been wanting to set some drops in the Dew earring setting but not sure if these are the right shape for it. Another one I like is the Bar studs.

What do you all think?

I vote dangles!

Two reasons -
1. I think dangles/drops are always more forgiving of non-traditional shapes and finishes than studs
2. The luster and overtone on these will be spectacular, and dangles or drops would give them a little space and a little movement - to really catch the light and show themselves off

 

[lovedogs]

update: I let the big blue pearl go to the next person on the waitlist. It wasn't the right size in the end.

 

[Chasiu]

@newtojewels @clockworkreader @yssie Thanks for chiming in all, I agree. the more I thought about it, the more I envisioned them as dangles. I am still waiting on my pair of Takahashi gem grade 8-8.5mm akoyas... perhaps I will set those as studs instead (even though I have 7-7.5mm studs lol).

But yes, I think the color will be amazing on these blue akoyas and would love to see them dancing around in the light