Help in finding multicolored Tahitian necklace

[Pinkmartini87]

Dear all,

I would love to purchase a multicolored Tahitian necklace—mm of pearls does not matter, round over baroque, but what I’m really really really looking for is not too “dark” and also most of all a big contrast between the individual colors of each pearl such as the one pricescoper @dmz has; hope she does not mind I’ve included two of her photos below to give an idea of what I’m looking for:



I’ve checked PP, American Pearl, Pure Pearl, Pearls of Joy, Kamoaka, Kohima, etc, and so far here are the two on pearl source and pearl outlet I see that are within my budget (both are around $1800ish. Under $2000 is where I’d prefer to stay if able).

My questions:
1) is the price reasonable?
2) do you think the below vendor photos depict a strand that would come close to @dmz strand pictured above in terms of the vividness and variation of color? I would really love as close to a rainbow strand as I can find. Or do I need a bigger budget to get something of that quality?

Pearl source:
https://www.thepearlsource.com/8-10mm-tahitian-south-sea-multicolor-pearl-necklace.html



Pearl outlet: http://store.thepearloutlet.com/mobile/multicolor-tahitian-pearl-necklace-82-117mm-aa-p521.aspx

 

[pearlsngems]

Of the two strands you linked, the one from The Pearl Outlet looks closer in color to the very colorful and special strand that @dmz got for his wife from Pearl Paradise back in 2014.

But I think even that strand will have a lighter body color than the fantastic multicolor strand from PP, which was made up specially.
Link to the original post: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pp-tahitian-pearls-on-sale.204779/page-24#post-3745744
more photos of that strand: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pp-tahitian-pearls-on-sale.204779/page-14#post-3737885

You might contact PP and see if they can do something similar for you? If the strand doesn't have to be round, you might be able to get a really special strand within your budget.

If you are set on round, I'd go for that TPO strand.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Thanks very much for lending your expertise and your time! That’s a great idea, I’ll reach out to PP and see what happens!

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems

Just found this random strand online, a few hundred dollars, what do you think? I like the colors. Although these days one can’t be sure if it’s glass beads or painted beads instead of pearls, esp at a few hundred dollars seems too good to be true??? Clasp also described as diamond but looks faux/cheap to me.

And is it harder to find good imitation Tahitians than say imitation Akoyas? I remember what a good time you and I had comparing Majorica “pearls”! And your gorgeous Pelosi necklace!)

 

[pearlsngems]

Those are Tahitians. The focus of the photo is soft so you can't really see blemishes, but they are cute. If you like the colors, shapes and size, and the price is right, and seller takes returns, buy!

Oh, and no, those are obviously not diamonds, but if you don't like the clasp, restringing isn't hard.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems thanks for weighing in! They are $250 so perhaps not unreasonable to try them out! My only hesitation is that the vendor is describing the clasp as diamond and silver which obv to you and me look nothing like diamond (more like grubby rhinestones to me!), so not sure if the vendor is trustworthy and if in fact the pearls are fake also...

I seem to have a knack (whether on purpose with the Majoricas or not on purpose—remember the fake glass strand that started this all?) for buying fake pearls lol. My husband finds it hilarious since except for my recent foray into “fake pearls” I’ve never had any costume jewelry before. Hubby has given me some very nice jewelry over the years and he says after seeing me buy the Majoricas that he could’ve saved us a lot of money over the years knowing he didn’t have to give me all the other real stuff after all hehe.

 

[pearlsngems]

Those are real Tahitians! The baroque shapes and imperfect surface (no doubt) help keep the price low. I think they are nice!
If you don't mind a hook and eye clasp with rhinestones or CZs, there is no issue.
If you don't like the clasp and don't want to restring, that is another matter.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Good suggestion—maybe I’ll look up the link you shared with me last time and teach myself how to restring; will be a fun project for me! Learn something new too!

 

[pearlsngems]

I wrote the tutorial so if you have questions, ask-- or join the other pearl forum and ask on there.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Thanks!! I’ll let you know how it turns out!

 

[pearlsngems]

I should have mentioned another vendor located in California, that I've heard nothing but good things about: Tahitianpearls.biz. People say José is easy to work with. They make things to order if you don't see something you like on the website. I'm definitely going to have to buy something from him one of these days!

https://tahitianpearls.biz/tahitian_pearl_necklaces.htm

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Wow, thank you for the link. It's all I've been looking at since coming home from work today! Hope your day was good!

Here are my top picks from the site--sorry to make you have to click the links but the webpages with the option to enlarge shows the pearls the best rather than a poor quality saved photo I can post on here (what do you think? will they give the same vivid color as @dmz strand?):

1st choice: (a bit afraid this might be too dark in body color to really show off the colors well?)
https://www.tahitianpearls.biz/tahitian-pearl-necklace/multi-tahitian-pearl-necklace-tnmd.htm
2nd choice: (I think the photo quality is poor so can't tell for sure what they will look like in real life, may email them to get more photos I think):
https://www.tahitianpearls.biz/tahitian-pearl-necklace/jeweltone-tahitian-pearl-necklace-tnbc.htm
3d choice: on Pure pearls but worried it's a bit too light?
https://www.purepearls.com/collecti...-pearl-necklace-18-inch-8-2-11-5mm-aa-quality
4th choice: This one I have to post a poor quality photo for you (not sure if I can name the vendor since this I got in an email today from the nice vendor offering to make me a strand out of these:

Now to cry over some spilled milk aka sold strands: the two strands that had sold I absolutely love this one and think this is actually closest to @dmz strand (too bad it's sold!!). Let me know if I'm reading/comparing the colors right:
https://www.tahitianpearls.biz/tahitian-pearl-necklace/rainbow_tahitian_pearl_necklace_tnkc.htm
This one, which also sold, is not bad either but not as vivid I think:
https://www.tahitianpearls.biz/tahitian-pearl-necklace/multicolor_tahitian_pearl_necklace_tnmq.htm

 

[pearlsngems]

One of the defining characteristics of the strand made for @dmz is the light/dark pattern. He was specifically looking for this. Are you also looking for a strand that has a light/dark pattern, or just a colorful strand? The light pearls make the more colorful pearls pop more, but I had a strand that was like that and I switched out some pearls for a less contrasty effect, which suited me more.

Of all the strands you posted, I most love the colors of the strand proposed to you by the unnamed vendor. I adjusted the colors of the towel under it so that the towel is white. If you want more of a light/dark pattern you could ask for some more whitish/silvery pearls to be included.


As for the links you posted:
The 1st choice strand is very dark. Maybe too dark to show the overtone colors well.
2nd choice also dark. More photos might help, in normal non/studio lighting.
3rd choice is nice but wow, pricey considering they are not round and only AA+.
"Sold" strand #1 is vivid for sure but does not seem to have the light/dark contrast that @dmz's strand has.
"Sold" strand #2 seems to have more of the light/dark pattern that @dmz's strand has.

I also sometimes feel a bit frustrated at seeing all the "sold" strands on Tahitianpearls.biz but I think they must be there so that people can see what is possible. If you desire a strand like one of the sold ones, you can email the company and ask if they can make up a strand like the one you like. I wouldn't think you'd be under any obligation to buy what they come up with if you don't like it, but I'd ask, to be sure.

 

[pearlsngems]

I just edited my last post to comment on the light/dark pattern more. What are your thoughts on that?

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems I can’t thank you enough! I’ve learned so much from you, and it’s been a blast through and through. My hubby chuckled when I jumped on the big screen monitor just now to look at the photo you so kindly took to edit for me. (iPhone screen way too small!)

You are absolutely right and so clever—I think the light and dark is what really makes each pearl pop the way they do. I used to paint and it’s the concept of chiaroscuro (ie painter Caravaggio was famous for this)—shadow against light to bring out relief and profile.

Ok, I’ll email the vendor right away and ask him to put together some beads (light and dark alternating I think) side by side as though ready to assemble so I can see the contrast better—can’t wait to share with you once I get more photos!

 

[pearlsngems]

I think you are headed in the right direction!

 

[Bailey1856]

You can also contact Cees Van oije (Amsterdam pearls). He has beautiful multicolors as well. He can be found on IG as well as googling amsterdam pearls.

I have a pastel multicolored necklace from ThePearlExchange (ETSY). Maybe they have what you are looking for too.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@Bailey1856 Thanks for the tips! I did send an email to Cees at [email protected] (email on his website) but the email address came back as undeliverable?

 

[pearlsngems]

If you are on Instagram or Facebook you can send Cees a message that way.

https://www.instagram.com/cees_van_oije/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/cees.vanoije

 

[cmd2014]

The other thing I would suggest is to look through the vendor vs IRL photo thread. I have some multicoloured strands that look AMAZING in pictures - but this is only under certain light conditions. Tahitians pop under filtered or indirect light (which is how they are generally photographed, even by those of us here). But they tend to go steel grey in direct light. So what you see in pictures might not be what any of these strands look like on the neck in most lights. It took me a long time to realize this and I was always sad about my strands compared to other people's until I did, so hopefully this helps you.

 

[pearlsngems]

That is true, and the great thing about light/dark Tahitian strands is that they will look light/dark in any light.
But they may not look colorful in any light.

What I found was that although I liked the way my light/dark strand looked on a white background, in actual use it didn't go with my wardrobe so well. I replaced two light gray colored pearls with strongly peacock pearls and I replaced the center dark pearl with one with nice light blue overtones, and now I love it and wear it happily. In bright light it does look more uniform now, but I don't mind.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@cmd2014 just looked at that forum—Wow, big difference! Thanks for the tip!

@cmd2014 and @pearlsngems Should I ask for photos in direct and indirect outside light in addition to vendor indoor photos? Or any other shots under other indoor light conditions I should ask for?

I definitely want to pick a strand that holds its color.

 

[pearlsngems]

The problem is Tahitian strands don't really hold their color in all light conditions, insofar as the colors are overtone colors.
Which is what they mostly are. Overtones.

Yes, there are some Tahitians with other body colors but most have light or dark green or gray body colors and the rest is overtones.

Definitely ask for photos in all kinds of lighting.

 

[pearlsngems]

And following up on that thought, one advantage of mixed strands (Tahitian, white south sea, golden south sea) is that it will still look multicolored in different lighting. White will still be white, gold will still be gold.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems That's a great point re mixed strands! Here's one I found today (south sea and tahitian), around $1100:

What do you think? (I do wish it had more reds and purples though, not just blue white and yellow).

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

This seller has great pics of a long strand that shows how a Tahitian colors change in different lights.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/685373...nd&ref=sr_gallery-5-18&organic_search_click=1

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@LisaRN Thanks very much! I reached out to the seller already to see if he has shorter lengths.

 

[cmd2014]

This seller has great pics of a long strand that shows how a Tahitian colors change in different lights.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/685373...nd&ref=sr_gallery-5-18&organic_search_click=1

Why do they say it’s pearl and shell? Are some of them faux?

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Why do they say it’s pearl and shell? Are some of them faux?

I have noticed a lot of Etsy sellers list their pearls under this catagory- even well known and trusted sellers. It would be better to just list them under pearl.

And now for an eye candy strand that I am not going to buy but love to look at. I especially love the pearl colors on the close-up pics.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/STUNNING-T...8K-GOLD-CLASP-APPRAISAL-INCLUDED/123811339460

 

[pearlsngems]

@Pinkmartini87, Personally I'd like fewer white pearls in a mixed strand, but that's me.