shape
carat
color
clarity

comparison of high luster strands. What's your favorite?

Which strand is your favorite?

  • 1

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • 2

    Votes: 5 19.2%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • 5

    Votes: 8 30.8%
  • 6

    Votes: 11 42.3%

  • Total voters
    26

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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18,030
I was emailing with a pearl vendor asking about pearls with gem/granpearl luster but with some surface blemishes, as I sadly cant afford a certified granpearl strand.

To me, the #1 most important factor my eyes care about is luster/contrast. Small surface scratches dont bother me, which is good for my wallet haha.

the vendor showed me a few options and I'm curious about which ones PSers eyes prefer. They range in price from USD 2200-5200 and are either 7.5-8mm or 8-8.5mm depending on strand. I'm not labeling price or size to try to avoid bias, and tried to attach pics from similar lighting situations that the vendor sent.

I'd love folks' opinions on their favorite!

1. 20230413_074701.jpg


2. 20230413_074904.jpg

3.
20230413_074755.jpg

4.
20230413_074835.jpg

5. 20230413_075018.jpg

6.
20230413_075050.jpg
 

Rfisher

Ideal_Rock
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Oct 19, 2013
Messages
5,487
I know nothing about pearls.
But I voted based on my impressions for your stated preferences.
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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18,030
Sometimes I think I don’t belong on this forum because I really don’t see much of a difference. Lol. If pressed I’d choose strand 5.

I know nothing about pearls.
But I voted based on my impressions for your stated preferences.

THank you both! @Rhd3 I have a very hard time seeing differences in luster/contrast on these. If I am VERY nitpicky I can see differences between the surface blemishes, but only in the extremes (e.g. 3.5 versus 1).
 

MamaBear

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Messages
1,145
I am no expert, but was drawn to #6
 

dk168

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jul 7, 2013
Messages
12,492
My vote goes to #6 as they look the nicest to my untrained eyes.

DK :))
 

Catmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
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12,414
I was immediately drawn to 5 but 6 made me pause as well. Ultimately went with 5. Keep in mind I'm very much a novice.
 

NY_Resonant

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2023
Messages
368
Are these strands all taken in the same picture? Lighting and orientation play SUCH a big role that you need them in same photos. Ideally you swap the order of strands in a few photos like: 123456, 654321, 456123.
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jul 31, 2014
Messages
18,030
Are these strands all taken in the same picture? Lighting and orientation play SUCH a big role that you need them in same photos. Ideally you swap the order of strands in a few photos like: 123456, 654321, 456123.

I asked the vendor about their thoughts regarding luster/contrast (e.g. which one(s) are the best?) Hopefully they'll share which ones have the most luster IRL and then I can ask for a few pics wiht the strands in different orders.
 

Tartansparkles

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Messages
928
I opted for no.2. because to my eye they have the sharpest lustre and pinkiest colour (which I prefer). 5 and 6 would also be on my list.

(At the end of the process would you mind sharing the vendor? I'd like a bracelet and my preference is similiar to yours - want the lustre, happy with the blemishes :) )
 

NY_Resonant

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2023
Messages
368
I asked the vendor about their thoughts regarding luster/contrast (e.g. which one(s) are the best?) Hopefully they'll share which ones have the most luster IRL and then I can ask for a few pics wiht the strands in different orders.

My favorite is #6 followed by #2 followed by #4 in that picture but need more photos. Note #5 has a DARKER body (Which is supposed to help contrast) and looks to have less contrast than others to me which would make me eliminate it — even if it seems to have the best matching overtone and good gloss. I’d also eliminate 1 and 3 based on some of the surface artifacts being “deep enough” that I think would be visible RL.

Their pictures showed 5 pearls. You are buying a strand with 46-48 pearls right? Or 20ish for a bracelet? Either way, wayyyyyy too small a subset to make a decision. Once you narrow down options a bit, make sure you see all the pearls in the top 2-3 strands.
 
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lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
18,030
My favorite is #6 followed by #2 followed by #4 in that picture but need more photos. Note #5 has a DARKER body (Which is supposed to help contrast) and looks to have less contrast than others to me which would make me eliminate it — even if it seems to have the best matching overtone and good gloss. I’d also eliminate 1 and 3 based on some of the surface artifacts being “deep enough” that I think would be visible RL.

Their pictures showed 5 pearls. You are buying a strand with 46-48 pearls right? Or 20ish for a bracelet? Either way, wayyyyyy too small a subset to make a decision. Once you narrow down options a bit, make sure you see all the pearls in the top 2-3 strands.

Full pic of #6
15.jpg


Full pic of #2
94.jpg

Full pic of 5 (since some of you chose that one)
15-2.jpg
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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18,030
Adding a full pic of #1 because for some reason my eyes like it
76.jpg
 

ShinyPleeease

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 22, 2020
Messages
46
Full pic of #6
15.jpg


Full pic of #2
94.jpg

Full pic of 5 (since some of you chose that one)
15-2.jpg
I voted for strand #6 and still like it the best after seeing the full strand pics. To my eyes that strand has sharper luster and more contrast. It is the most pink strand to my eyes too (which I also like) but color preference is really subjective. At the end of the day, they are all very lovely!
 

NY_Resonant

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2023
Messages
368
Full pic of #6
15.jpg


Full pic of #2
94.jpg

Full pic of 5 (since some of you chose that one)
15-2.jpg

#6 has significantly better luster than the other two but is clearly also smaller (Than #5 at least).

I made a quick comparison hack-job between #6 and #2 that should make the luster difference clearer (This is all from different pictures so not a fair comparison)... but both the gloss AND contrast seems better.

15.jpg
 
Last edited:

dk168

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Jul 7, 2013
Messages
12,492
Still prefer #6.

DK :))
 

NY_Resonant

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2023
Messages
368
Adding a full pic of #1 because for some reason my eyes like it
76.jpg

I can see 8 pearls in the #1 strand that would have surfaces that would bother me (3-4 i'd definitely want to replace if it was my necklace). Unless you have a compelling reason to choose it (Price, etc) --- I'd consider one of the others with fewer flaws.
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
18,030
I can see 8 pearls in the #1 strand that would have surfaces that would bother me (3-4 i'd definitely want to replace if it was my necklace). Unless you have a compelling reason to choose it (Price, etc) --- I'd consider one of the others with fewer flaws.

Thank you--having better eyes than mine on these strands is very helpful. My 2 favorites prior to posting anything were #1 and 6, so it helps to hear from folks here that #6 is a front runner.

I don't have a huge reason to choose 1 vs 6 (price is different, but not by so much that I want to base my decision on it). I *think* that when I look at both of the full strands next to each other in side-by-side tabs I prefer #6, but I'm curious what the vendor says and definitely would like to see some pics of strands next to one another.
 

NY_Resonant

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2023
Messages
368
Thank you--having better eyes than mine on these strands is very helpful. My 2 favorites prior to posting anything were #1 and 6, so it helps to hear from folks here that #6 is a front runner.

I don't have a huge reason to choose 1 vs 6 (price is different, but not by so much that I want to base my decision on it). I *think* that when I look at both of the full strands next to each other in side-by-side tabs I prefer #6, but I'm curious what the vendor says and definitely would like to see some pics of strands next to one another.

Yes, definitely need them next to each other to do a better comparison.

What I see so far:

#6 better surfaces than #1. Lighter BODY color than #1 and gives off a “cooler” warmth than #1 which is my personal preference. WORSE color matching than #1 — It jumps between a blue-overtone and pink-overtone on more pearls than #1 does on light reflections.

When they are next to each other, you may find #1 has a contrast advantage (or not) given what looks to be a darker body.
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
18,030
Yes, definitely need them next to each other to do a better comparison.

What I see so far:

#6 better surfaces than #1. Lighter BODY color than #1 and gives off a “cooler” warmth than #1 which is my personal preference. WORSE color matching than #1 — It jumps between a blue-overtone and pink-overtone on more pearls than #1 does on light reflections.

When they are next to each other, you may find #1 has a contrast advantage (or not) given what looks to be a darker body.

Maybe that's what I like about #1--the darker body color that might give the impression of more contrast (or might actually mean more contrast--won't know until I can compare them in one pic). I coulnd't figure out what drew me to #1, but I think the above explains it.
 

Tartansparkles

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Messages
928
I can see a difference between #2 and #6 but only because they are side by side but I can't put into words what the difference is. They are all mouth watering.
 

HGar

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Messages
317
2 followed very closely by 6 for me.
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,242
Can the vendor put all the strands onto one piece of paper or one mannequin bust and take one single comparison photo for you?

It's really impossible to dissect nuances when you're dealing with comparisons between photos like this. Like - just flat out impossible. Because cameras are tiny computers. Here's an example: In both pics left is a corner of the full pic of #5, right is a corner of the full pic of #1. They're clearly not the same. They're not hugely different, but they're clearly not the same. And none of us can predict precisely how this difference translates into what you're seeing in the pearls themselves (colour, colour match, and contrastiness) in each of these photos, because - tiny computers.

1681429057363.png

1681429418994.png

Having all the strands in one single photo eliminates a ton of this uncertainty.

The one thing you can do with each photo is compare all the pearls within each strand... But even then, because of these small lighting differences and that dratted tiny camera computer, we can't judge whether disparities in colour or overtone strength or contrastiness between pearls are being exaggerated in some strands more than others.

So basically - given the type of subtleties you're looking to decide between - this vendor needs to send you photos that compare all the strands together. They can accomplish this with just two photos on that bust. One nesting #1 inside #2, inside #3, inside #4, inside #5, with #6 on the outside... And then have them switch that order ::)
 

mellowyellowgirl

Ideal_Rock
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May 17, 2014
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6,176
Hehe I went practically cross eyed after looking at the first set of pics but definitely love 6 after seeing the full pictures posted.
 

Calla-lilies

Shiny_Rock
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Mar 13, 2022
Messages
161
I also picked #6 - it seems to be sharper. But I’ll take any of these strands
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
18,030
More pics while I wait for the vendor to reply about taking pics w multiple strands at once.


20230414_084722.jpg


20230414_084543.jpg


20230414_083507.jpg

Didnt have a pic of #1 by the window, but had this one (not apples to apples, I know):
20230414_083424.jpg

The more pics I see of #1 the more I agree with @NY_Resonant that I might be bothered by the visible blemishes on the surface of some pearls.

Edit. The vendor originally suggested strand 1 if I wanted top luster but could deal w some blemishes, and strand 5 if I wanted top luster with less blemishes and could spend more than strand 1
 

LilAlex

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 3, 2018
Messages
3,589
In our house, we would go with the better luster and more scratches/blemishes. They're soft and will accumulate door dings -- and who wants to be ridiculously careful with them forever? I have a sweater that's so nice I have never worn it. :mrgreen2:

I like pearls and, imo, pearl necklaces "in the wild" are meant to be appreciated as a cohesive (or contrasting) whole and not inspected pearl-by-pearl from a few inches away. (I mean I want them to be carefully selected and fairly represented but they needn't be near-perfect like a diamond.) Maybe this is pearl heresy.

If I could save thousands by buying a brand new car with a tiny door ding or two, I would do that in a heartbeat!
 

NY_Resonant

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2023
Messages
368
More pics while I wait for the vendor to reply about taking pics w multiple strands at once.


20230414_084722.jpg


20230414_084543.jpg


20230414_083507.jpg

Didnt have a pic of #1 by the window, but had this one (not apples to apples, I know):
20230414_083424.jpg

The more pics I see of #1 the more I agree with @NY_Resonant that I might be bothered by the visible blemishes on the surface of some pearls.

Edit. The vendor originally suggested strand 1 if I wanted top luster but could deal w some blemishes, and strand 5 if I wanted top luster with less blemishes and could spend more than strand 1

I recognize that window from that vendor. Very curious what you think of them once you get the actual pearls and what “Teri” number they assign to it!
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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18,030
I recognize that window from that vendor. Very curious what you think of them once you get the actual pearls and what “Teri” number they assign to it!

I'd love to hear your impressions of the vendor! Do you think their pieces are good quality? I'm asking Takahashi to see what they have as well, since I've bought from them before and been very happy.

Teri number of all of these is 100
 
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