Big blue beauty arrived today.

[mrs-b]

Well, helloooooo Big Blue!

I recently bought a blue baroque South Sea pearl from Pearlescence and loved it so much, I immediately wanted a bigger one! I sent back the first, bought a second, and it came today! It definitely has grey overtones, but I would also definitely call it blue, if asked. I'm assuming it's from Japan, since - how could I be so lucky as to score a Vietnamese pearl of this size, right? I've contacted wendy from @Pearlescence, and hopefully she'll jog my memory shortly!

It had a sterling silver and CZ bale on it, which did it no justice at all, so I removed it and immediately thought of the setting I've mocked up and attached below.

The heart is 18kt white gold, made around the turn of the 19th century, and bought by me from an antique jewelry store about 20 years ago when I lived in Surrey. The ruby is a gorgeous, clean, saturated little beauty, cushion cut, and will be claw set on the point, the pearl dropping from beneath it. (NB The ruby has tipped forward in the photos since I had it sitting on its point, so you're basically looking at a badly aligned shot of its profile.) I've mocked up a chain, which is obviously not attached, but which gives an idea where I'm heading with this. I'll be looking for a far more interesting chain than this, connected to the heart at its two upper / outer points.

Pearl is my birthstone, so I will wear this will great pleasure.

The entirety of my pearl knowledge would leave room if written on the head of a pin, so we can safely say I have no idea what I'm doing. But I love color and had a vague idea where I was heading with this, and I'm very happy with where I've landed. I hope you all like it.

 

[mrs-b]

@yssie - this is where I landed. Just letting you know.

 

[mrs-b]

A much better photo of the ruby. It's lighter / brighter than this, tho; the sun is setting and it was getting dark when I took the photo.

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

baroque

Gorgeous!!!!!

 

[Tartansparkles]

Yup, that's definitely big, blue and beautiful! Enjoy

 

[sarahb]

That's a gorgeous SSP mrs-b, & I love where you're going with your mock-up. That ruby is perfect--actually, all of it is perfect!!

 

[JPie]

Lovely! The pearl proportions are perfect with the heart, and the little ruby is a great, gemmy color.

 

[lucida818]

Oh mrs-b, that color & lustre of pearl are TDF!
Pearl was my first love & am still deeply in love with it

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you so much, @kipari, @Tartansparkles, @sarahb, @JPie and @lucida818.

I received a short email from Wendy at Pearlescence this evening, and apparently the pearl most likely comes from Australia - which is kinda awesome, given that I'm Australian! She bought it last year at a Hong Kong trade show, and I'm very grateful that it's found its way to me.

I'll post a few photos when it's been set, but I'm currently working on 3 other projects, so it might be a short while. I intend to wear it out to dinner on my birthday next year; for some reason it seems fitting.

 

[lucida818]

What’s the size of pearl in mm?
I hv an Australian baroque of 16x19mm but it isn’t as blue & as thick (nacre) as your beauty.

Damn gorgeous - yours

 

[yssie]

Oh my.

You wanted "big" and "blue" and you most certainly achieved both those objectives @mrs-b!! What a beautiful specimen!! And I love that it is - as far as we know - Australian to match your own heritage

This was obviously Meant To Be. It will be stunning set - I'm looking forward to seeing the chain you choose for it

 

[MaisOuiMadame]

Had yo come back to the thread...so so impressed! The pearl is a beauty, the setting will be glorious as well. Hearts are so tricky. Can be tacky or old fashioned or banal. But if done right, like here, they are so stunning and sentimental!! And that Ruby. Just the right contrast to give it the last push from beautiful to masterpiece!!

 

[strawrose]

What a beauty!! You scared me for a moment. I thought the ruby was drilled through.

 

[amoline]

I hope you enjoy your pendant! Congratulations on your purchase

 

[amti]

Whoa! That's beautiful and definitely an amazing setting!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Lovely! I can't wait to see the pendant completed.

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you @LisaRN, @amti, @amoline, @strawrose and @yssie

I'm completely jazzed about this piece-to-be. I've been spending a ridiculous amount of time looking for a white gold chain that can be used with it - something in the 2mm width range. If anyone has any suggestions of something decorative, detailed, which would go with the heart design and that isn't wider than 2.25mm or thinner than 2mm, please feel free to post it here; I need the help!

 

[mrs-b]

@kipari - I agree with you. Hearts can look beautiful and feminine. Or they can look like something at the farthest point possible from elegant. They can also look very...young. Getting it right is tricky. I like hearts, but don't wear a lot of them. But when I saw this one, many years ago, in an antique shop in Surrey in England, I snavelled it up right away. I've never been sure what to do with it, so have hung onto it for years. But I think. finally, this is its home.

 

[mrs-b]

@lucida818 - I believe it's 21mm long. Maybe 18mm wide at its widest point? It's a big pearl - lots of presence - which is, ideally, what I wanted.

 

[Missy]

Stunning.
Big, blue and beautiful

 

[Mcgregor]

As usual, mrs-b, your creation is divine. I dislike heart shaped jewelry, but love what you did with this necklace. Kudos to you, once again! Wear it in good health!