Help me gift a friend awesome pearl buying experience

[worldtraveler101]

Hi All,

I have a friend getting married in November and she suggested she might like pearl earrings as gift for her wedding. She is looking for a pair of 'white' pearls - between 7-8 mms. She wants a yellow gold post - this is all she knows.

I want to gift her a whole experience of pearl shopping. I have seen so many of you discuss how you email pearl experts at Pure Pearls or Pearl Paradise or Pearl Source and they send pictures of pearls that you could choose from and then custom make the earrings for you. That is what I want to gift her. My budget isn't as high as the ones I see here but I am looking at anywhere between $150-$300 for a good pair of pearl studs. I am thinking AA or AAA Akoya pearls (I am no expert either so don't know much beyond this).

Is what I am expecting even realistic or do experts not provide this sort of service for such small budgets? Also, do you think AAA Akoyas the best option I have?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

How excitting
The pearl princess will be along shorty to assist

 

[Pearlescence]

Hi - lovely idea. Is the plan for this to be the 'something given' for her actual nuptial outfit, or just a special present to a friend at a special time?
In any case, much of your decision process will be governed by how much you want to spend. A pair of white pearl earrings that size could cost anything between $100 to $1000 - white freshwater buttons to round akoya. Both assumed to be metallic and flawless.
You would probably do better with top quality AAA metallic freshwaters over AA (and therefore not so great) akoyas for your budget.

 

[worldtraveler101]

Hi - lovely idea. Is the plan for this to be the 'something given' for her actual nuptial outfit, or just a special present to a friend at a special time?
In any case, much of your decision process will be governed by how much you want to spend. A pair of white pearl earrings that size could cost anything between $100 to $1000 - white freshwater buttons to round akoya. Both assumed to be metallic and flawless.
You would probably do better with top quality AAA metallic freshwaters over AA (and therefore not so great) akoyas for your budget.

It's just a gift at a special time - also happens to be something she will be wearing for her wedding.

So AAA freshwaters are what I should be looking for. I will start looking through the usual sites.

 

[pearlsngems]

You can actually get AAA akoya studs for $230 from Pearl Paradise: https://www.pearlparadise.com/colle.../75-80-mm-white-akoya-aaa-pearl-stud-earrings

Akoyas will have higher luster than freshwaters, generally.

 

[Crystal_Dreams]

I’m not sure about the experience necessarily, but you can get lovely akoya from takahashi within that price range. Their shipping is expensive though. Otherwise pearl paradise is a good place to look