Best pearls for skintone?

[kelpie]

Hey y'all,

I am planning my first project with pearls! I want to order the pearls and need some guidance on which overtone to pick. These are the pearls I'm looking at in AA quality:
http://www.pearlparadise.com/ByTheInch-6065-mm-White-Akoya--Partial-Hank199.aspx

The necklace will be a double strand of pearls with an aquamarine colored 6 ct tourmaline in the center. Probably in yellow gold unless someone has an opinion.

Below is inspiration necklace (I'll do scrolling metalwork instead of a halo). Also a pic to show you my skin tone and hair color, I'm mostly pasty and pink. The only pearls I have currently I think would be called rose. I was thinking silver would be appealingly different especially with the icy stone but I have heard silver overtone looks better on tanned skin and that definitely isn't me.

 

[iLander]

What colors do you usually wear? In regular shirts, etc.? Will that help you decide?

Pick whichever color you tend to wear the most.

You know, I must be some kind of dufus, because this overtone stuff is too subtle for me to grasp. In real life, they all just look white to me . . . I have a strand of Mikimoto Akoyas in AA and they just look white to me . . .

 

[kelpie]

Thanks, ILander!

I wear a lot of cream, baby pink, navy and dove gray. I envision wearing these with a little black dress and maybe a business suit if that's not too formal.

 

[iLander]

I think you might like the pink overtone, I think beige might look dull.

Sarahbear and Flygirl (I think it was them ) did bracelets with similar clasps, you might want to look at how those turned out. I think you can search them or maybe they're in show me your pearls.

It will be a spectacular necklace!

 

[kelpie]

Thanks! Theirs are definitely the inspiration for this necklace...was going to do a bracelet but I don't care for the feel of them. My sister had a costume repro of the Diana bracelet when we were little and I was SO jealous. I have a vintage two strand clasp I hope will work.

 

[elle_chris]

Hi Kelpie-
Based on the pic, i think a golden/pink or ivory would look lovely. Silver may get washed out.
Does yellow or white gold look better on you? I have a theory that if it's white, then silver. If it's yellow, then ivory works best.

 

[that_someone_special]

I think Ivory will look "dirty" against your skin tone.. I would do silver or rose.

 

[kelpie]

I think rose gold looks best on me. I wanted something different but it sounds like rose overtone may be the best choice. Ilander says it's a subtle difference anyway.

Now it looks like they are out of stock in all colors of the AA 6-6.5 akoyas by the inch. I can wait, but what to do? I really want akoyas and not fresh.

thanks guys.

 

[Skippy123]

I think rose gold looks best on me. I wanted something different but it sounds like rose overtone may be the best choice. Ilander says it's a subtle difference anyway.

Now it looks like they are out of stock in all colors of the AA 6-6.5 akoyas by the inch. I can wait, but what to do? I really want akoyas and not fresh.

thanks guys.

I think rose would look beautiful on you. can you call them? maybe they have some on the way? I own freshadamas and they are beautiful. I don't have AA's form pp so I can't comment on the difference

 

[NacreLover]

I love Rose`overtones. I saw the Hanadama Rose`overtone akoyas this July at Pearl Paradise and fell in LOVE. Can't get them off my mind.
By the way, there is a huge difference in Pinked freshwaters and Rose`akoyas. I am sure, Jeremy will take photos of both so you can see the difference. Both are beautiful but the floating eye on the Rose` akoyas is different that the subtle pink overtone on the pinked freshwaters.

 

[portoar]

I think there are two questions to answer here:

1) What color pearl will look best next to the tourmaline
2) What color pearl will best compliment your skin tone

I agree that the ivory wouldn't look good against your skin, and I don't think it would compliment tourmaline, either. So, I think either the silver or the pink would be best. I'd lean toward silver, but while you're waiting for the size you want to come in stock, maybe they would send you some samples you can hold against your skin and the aqua to make your choice easier. I'd do the whole thing either in WG or silver - maybe argentium silver to fend off tarnish.

 

[kelpie]

I think there are two questions to answer here:

1) What color pearl will look best next to the tourmaline
2) What color pearl will best compliment your skin tone

I agree that the ivory wouldn't look good against your skin, and I don't think it would compliment tourmaline, either. So, I think either the silver or the pink would be best. I'd lean toward silver, but while you're waiting for the size you want to come in stock, maybe they would send you some samples you can hold against your skin and the aqua to make your choice easier. I'd do the whole thing either in WG or silver - maybe argentium silver to fend off tarnish.

Oh requesting samples is a great idea! Thanks everyone for the feedback!

Anyone know if PP carries natural color white akoyas? People always seem to get goodies that aren't actually on their website. I don't know alot about my current pearls except my husband gave them to me and said he bought them with his gambling winnings. I bet they are fresh water so that's why I want my other set of pearls to be akoya.

 

[NacreLover]

Type on Natural Akoya and there is a selection. Here is one. http://www.pearlparadise.com/7075-mm-Natural-White-Hanadama-Akoya-Pearl-Necklace3122.aspx

 

[kelpie]

Ah gorgeous! Alas too rich for my blood. Thanks for finding them!

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

with your skin tone you'll want to go with a rose overtone for sure.

 

[Tesysoinyjl]

Yeah i too segues Rose ..

 

[kelpie]

Thanks guys! Choice is overwhelmingly rose. With that in mind and a $400 budget, where can I get the best quality 32" Hank of 6-6.5 of akoyas?

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

Hey Kelpie,

Sorry but you're going to need to double your budget to get 32" of AAA 6-6.5mm Akoya pearls, The AA+ version which is still very nice would still be a little over budget. This is the price from a reputable online seller, of course retail is going to be much higher.

 

[kelpie]

Thanks POJ, my budget was based on what Pearl Paradise was charging for 32" of the AA 6-6.5 akoyas. Of course since there is no standard grading it's so hard to compare among sellers. I don't want to pay for the best but I am hoping to find something purdy darn good, a great luster is more important to me than shape or imperfections.

 

[portoar]

Sounds like it's going to be beautiful! Can't wait to see more progress on this project

 

[Black Jade]

Sorry, but photographs are not very useful so far as skintone analysis. Did you ever get your colors done? People who look very similar in skintone superficially may be different 'seasons'. Me and my sister look like we are the same color complexion but I am warm toned and she is cool toned and we have to wear completely different colors. If you can't get your colors done, it can be useful to look at the inside of your wrist or somewhere that veins show. That can at least tell you if you are warm or cool toned. If you are warm (spring and autumn) your veins will show green through your skin. If you are cool (summer or winter) your veins will show as blue.

Other useful hints are if you look better wearing gold or white gold. Warm people look good in yellow or rose gold and cool look better in white gold or silver.

Basically if you are warm, you want to go with the ivory pearls and if you are cool, you want to go with the rose or silver.

The colors you wear sound like cool toned colors, flattering to a summer season (except for the cream, which is flaterring to warm toned skin) but wearing rose gold is more flattering to a warm toned person. But I'm thinking that if you can wear pink (as opposed to coral or peach) you are cool toned and will do better in the rose pearls.

Can't you return the pearls if they don't look good?

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

Thanks POJ, my budget was based on what Pearl Paradise was charging for 32" of the AA 6-6.5 akoyas. Of course since there is no standard grading it's so hard to compare among sellers. I don't want to pay for the best but I am hoping to find something purdy darn good, a great luster is more important to me than shape or imperfections.

Yes I just gave you a heads up on the pricing because you said you wanted "best quality" which would be AAA, but yes you could get a very nice 32" AA/AA+ version for around your budget.

 

[kelpie]

Pearls of Joy, by best I meant best quality for the price, I know that won't buy the best! Is the grading generally consistent though among vendors you think?

Black Jade, thanks for your comments. Now I am so confused. I'm some of those things and not the other, like I look good in green and rose gold but I'm pretty sure I have blue veins. Nearly every makeup I have tried looks orange against my skin. The perfect shade is L'Oreal True Match in ivory neutral so maybe I'm in between?

 

[Black Jade]

Pearls of Joy, by best I meant best quality for the price, I know that won't buy the best! Is the grading generally consistent though among vendors you think?

Black Jade, thanks for your comments. Now I am so confused. I'm some of those things and not the other, like I look good in green and rose gold but I'm pretty sure I have blue veins. Nearly every makeup I have tried looks orange against my skin. The perfect shade is L'Oreal True Match in ivory neutral so maybe I'm in between?

Don't go by what I say, since I can't see you. Ask a trusted friend. Maybe you are in between--that is great, then you can wear both!

In this case, the pearls you choose also might be affected by the tourmaline. It sure looks as if it is going to very pretty, so don't stress too much.

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

I know that won't buy the best! Is the grading generally consistent though among vendors you think?

Well there are a handful of well known, well reviewed vendors online and I'd say they/we all sell high end goods. Pearls are not produced in factories though and every single strand is going to be different. I always suggest to anyone purchasing online(for any goods) with a new company is to email them a few questions about the product and see how they respond, quality and speed.