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Contemplating a project. Difficult...

Arkteia

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So I bought a SS pearl necklace, and then I bought a brooch that I liked, and then, I have a red spinel and I wanted to put it all together but somehow it is all complicated.

I understand why my jeweler was sitting on this project. I have it in my head, but not totally.

The pearls (from PP - they should have sent a better strand tbh, it is AA/AAA, I don’t like the frontal pearl. Sigh 244EE794-6B30-4729-BA35-0C6F3043EC65.jpeg 244EE794-6B30-4729-BA35-0C6F3043EC65.jpeg ).
 

Arkteia

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The spinels I have
 

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Arkteia

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Now, the brooch, and I wanted to place a losenge spinel in it and make a clasp or something on the pearls 4851DD1F-D03D-44AA-9C9E-7F04BD343B09.jpeg
 

Arkteia

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I also have an old MOP, I can mount the spinel into mop and mount it under the brooch but seems too bulky
 

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Arkteia

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Any ideas.
The stones are more red irl it is bad light but I can not get outside
 

Lisa Loves Shiny

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The spinel is so gorgeous. I would email David Klass because he has created some new lovely pieces using brooches. On a side note- I bought a pre-loved PP Tahitian necklace that also had heavily blemished pearls in the front. I was able to replace the pearls with pearls from various Etsy vendors so that is always an option.
 

Arkteia

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So question is, I would like to have either a clasp or a pendant on a bale for the pearls. I would like to use the red spinel and I like the brooch that I bought. Is that a good idea? Can anyone give me an idea? Is it a good idea at all?
 

Arkteia

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The spinel is so gorgeous. I would email David Klass because he has created some new lovely pieces using brooches. On a side note- I bought a pre-loved PP Tahitian necklace that also had heavily blemished pearls in the front. I was able to replace the pearls with pearls from various Etsy vendors so that is always an option.

Thank you! I thought either this (replace the front one), or simply use the brooch as the "clasp" and then I actually get rid of a few front pearls.

(I don't know if AAA pearls are the most desirable ones, or are they like "IF" diamonds - unclear of the treatment, as natural pearls usually would have some blemishes, would they not? The best, most gorgeous, most clean, golden single pearls that I once bought - albeit not from a trusted vendor here - must covered by some varnish, they are horribly difficult to drill. A question for the pearl thread, it seems).

I once tried a project with DK - and initially he answered me, but then I had to travel, and when I got back, he was silent for such a long time, that I thought he did not want to work with me. I shall try again, since you say he does good job with brooches. Thank you for the advise.

Someone just recently mentioned yet one more jeweler who can make "antique" style work. In LA. I forgot what it was, some lovely piece posted here.
 

Arkteia

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I can see lines radiating from the center stone:


Are you super set on pearls? The angular brooch and the round pearls may not mesh well together.

I am set on red spinel and white pearls. I love this combination. Not necessarily the brooch.

Well, the piece you linked is gorgeous! I saw another beautiful brooch on ebay today. With lines radiating...


Lovely, but I don't have the money to spend, sigh. But love the lines.

As to the brooches and pearls. I don't like brooches per se. But I like them in "attached" form. I always try to pin them on something, e.g. a choker, or on the shoulder, epaulette-wise. And with all my hatred of geometry, I like "writing" geometrical figures one into another, a circle into a triangle or a square, etc, etc. I think my original idea was merely writing in a losenge-shaped stone into a "parallelogram with two corners tucked in", for lack of a better term.

But converting brooches to clips, to centerpieces, even to rings - I love it! And these antique or antique-style brooches are lovely.

Here is another one I though I could use for the inspiration, as they use a "drop".



But they are all expensive. But gorgeous...

Regarding the angular brooch. It is probably flatness that may not mesh with the round pearls, but on the other hand, a clasp would not be flat, already. The thickness of a pendant hanging on a bale would not matter either. The pearls that outline the neck are sort of high.

Maybe two small white strings? Each for the corner? But what do I do with this one?


ETA: this shop that you linked is beautiful, I starred it. They have a lovely Keshi string, that is "flat". Among other beauties.

 
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icy_jade

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The pearls (from PP - they should have sent a better strand tbh, it is AA/AAA, I don’t like the frontal pearl. Sigh 244EE794-6B30-4729-BA35-0C6F3043EC65.jpeg 244EE794-6B30-4729-BA35-0C6F3043EC65.jpeg ).

Can you write to them and ask to change to another strand or just that one pearl?
 

icy_jade

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Thank you! I thought either this (replace the front one), or simply use the brooch as the "clasp" and then I actually get rid of a few front pearls.

(I don't know if AAA pearls are the most desirable ones, or are they like "IF" diamonds - unclear of the treatment, as natural pearls usually would have some blemishes, would they not? The best, most gorgeous, most clean, golden single pearls that I once bought - albeit not from a trusted vendor here - must covered by some varnish, they are horribly difficult to drill. A question for the pearl thread, it seems).

I once tried a project with DK - and initially he answered me, but then I had to travel, and when I got back, he was silent for such a long time, that I thought he did not want to work with me. I shall try again, since you say he does good job with brooches. Thank you for the advise.

Someone just recently mentioned yet one more jeweler who can make "antique" style work. In LA. I forgot what it was, some lovely piece posted here.


“Gem” grade is the best, and then within gem grade there are further sub-divisions but they are all still gem grade. This was explained to me by a trusted Japanese vendor when we were discussing the type of pearls I was looking for and whether there is some special name for them.

There is no standard naming/grading convention but from the pics you have posted I think the pearls are usual commercial grade pearls (no offense meant), not gem grade.

I do love your spinels. Such a lovely color. I feel like the spinel will need something around it to occupy the empty space in the brooch, like some nice filigree work. Will be following your progress with interest as I think it will look stunning when completed. Good luck and sending over lotsa lucky PS dust!
 

Arkteia

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Can you write to them and ask to change to another strand or just that one pearl?

It was several years ago. I should have done it immediately, but first I procrastinated, and then my jeweler sat on it.

It is not bad here is how it looked with another red spinel. This is why I am sold on the project but there might be huge variations, too. ))) 15A73E73-9366-42A4-946B-9386D44C4DF4.jpeg
 

Arkteia

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Thank you for your explanation, and no offense taken! You are right, commercial grade. As to gem grade pearls, it would require more investment. ))) Thank you for your kind wishes!
 

prs

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Arkteia 6.jpg
 

Arkteia

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Yin and Yang?

No, if it comes to this, I shall recut the second spinel (I have another one) to another losenge and make huge matching earrings!
 

Arkteia

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I think I can leave spinels alone, think of what to do with the brooch, and mount another brooch on the white strand. I was collecting yellow pearls for a strand (without any knowledge, but now I understand why I was tempted to do it myself); but it seems white will enhance the yellow diamond better. 338DCE60-8DCD-4D87-8CED-3A63911DA1DB.jpeg
 
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Arkteia

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Morning after X-mas party. Always worse so here follows the rant, lol.

About replacing the strand. I have compared it with my yellow necklace today. I did not yet string the necklace. Some pearls I bought on EBay. Some, from Etsy. Some, from PP. But my own strand looks much cleaner than the white strand I bought from PP.

The story with the white necklace is strange. I bought blue akoyas from PP and made a beautiful pendant. I was super happy. But the person who advised me was the owner, and she did a great job explaining things to an uneducated person.

This time, with the white pearls, I spoke with someone else. That sales person told that AAA/AA SS pearls were clean and good for the project. Mind you, I am already a customer with points and three strands and some stuff for gifts, like a pendant, bought from them. But I am not a “pearl necklace-educated person”.

And I got this strand. That it is not so good is very obvious in comparison with the one I collected myself in harsh morning light.

(On the other hand, it was inexpensive, especially if I compare it with the strand of golden Keshi pearls I saw at a jeweler store in a mall and that cost 18 K... ((( So maybe the price drove the quality.)

However, today, I am not happy. Either PP should have chosen a better white strand for me our of the ones for the price as I had bought from them already, or perhaps, explained that a good strand to my liking would cost way more...

Two years down the road, here follows a rant as the customer who had no idea about pearls suddenly realized that what she bought was meh... And I am leaving this project. Thank you everyone who contributed. The spinels and antique brooches still stay. )))
 

MaisOuiMadame

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Sorry about the pearls, but I LOVE THE BROOCH!!So elegant. The first option especially speaks to me . Food luck with your project!
 

strawrose

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I feel like the star brooch meshes better than the geometric one. Of course, I am partial to this style though. ;-)
 

Arkteia

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I feel like the star brooch meshes better than the geometric one. Of course, I am partial to this style though. ;-)

I love star brooches. And this one has faint yellow in the middle. I prefer more saturated yellows but I love this small stone! It probably is old, with its imperfect cut. So thank you!
 
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