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Honora "Ming" Pearls

ckrickett

ckrickett

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
5,346
I am assuming these are Chinese ripple pearls. I have seen a few pieces online and they look beautiful. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them.
 
I own a lovely strand and earrings...and yes they are CFWP. The multi color strand is the Honora Ming necklace, the whites are PP October sale ripples. I purchased the Honora Mings for around $350-$400 when they were a today's special on QVC. I then picked up a pair of ming earrings, which were under $100. The earrings go very well with the PP ripples (which are a bit smaller).

img_5803.jpgimg_5802.jpg
 
And here they are with my Edisons

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Oh no, stay away from the 60" rope!!

I ordered it, and the pearls are lovely, but it's strung too tightly and the darn thing never did straighten out. It looked cheap. I returned it within the allotted time frame, because I didn't want to gamble that it might loosen up in the next eight months.

I sort of think ripples and Mings are an acquired taste, as well.

Btw, the white Mings from QVC tend to look a little chalky. I wanted to love them, but decided my 10mm white freshwaters had better lustre.
 
I ordered two pairs of those ming earrings...one in the yellow gold, the other in sterling. The sterling pearls were supposed to be light peach, but mine are a creamy white which works well with my PP ripples (also a creamier white). The metallic earrings went back to college with my daughter, so I'm on waitlist for another pair. Mine were spectacular, hence why they are now not mine. I haven't tried the other pieces, but I do especially love my necklace.
 
Here are the white ming earrings...which are huge. The tahitians range from 8mm to 11mm.

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Ming is the trade name for pearls produced by a large company in HK ... just like Edisons are produced by another. They are very similar products but I think the Edisons were the first cab off the rank in producing the very shiny extra large bead nucleated freshwaters. Like Edisons the good Mings that are round and have very good surface are very expensive. So Ming is a very well know 'brand' of pearl. I think Honora has the pearl area pretty well sewn up on QVC.
 
I have also gotten some lovely pearls from the Judith Ripka line (both in her stores, and on QVC). Here are photos of a necklace with wonderful pearls from JR. I love this particular strand and I love the toggle. I'm really thinking about buying a second strand, just for the toggle!!
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Wow Pirard that's quite a necklace ! Did that enhancer come with the pearls ? You're right about the clasp .. very cool !
 
Thanks Katbran, that enhancer is a separate piece.
 
Some other pearl friends bought findings from QVC vendors and changed out the pearls. I have photos somewhere.
 
I also love the pearls that came in this Judith Ripka strand...they really are quite nice and certainly worth the $150 or so.
 
NacreLover|1422484671|3823455 said:
Some other pearl friends bought findings from QVC vendors and changed out the pearls. I have photos somewhere.
Click to expand...

I remember someone bought orchid earrings from Ann King and changed the pearls. They were spectacular.

I know someone who bought a 14K Adi Paz pendant and changed the pearl. (*cough*) :wavey: Such a modest little project.

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ennui|1422504483|3823643 said:
NacreLover|1422484671|3823455 said:
Some other pearl friends bought findings from QVC vendors and changed out the pearls. I have photos somewhere.
Click to expand...

I remember someone bought orchid earrings from Ann King and changed the pearls. They were spectacular.

I know someone who bought a 14K Adi Paz pendant and changed the pearl. (*cough*) :wavey: Such a modest little project.
Click to expand...

Love it! :naughty:
 
Ennui. I have the Ann King photos somewhere... ring and something else bracelet clasp perhaps.
 
pregcurious|1424361742|3834878 said:
Does anyone have the yellow "fancy" colored Mings? Do they actually look that nice in person?

http://www.qvc.com/Honora-13.0mm-Ming-Cultured-Pearl-Sterling-Drop-Earrings.product.J293739.html?sc=J293739-SRCH&cm_sp=VIEWPOSITION-_-3-_-J293739&catentryImage=http://images.qvc.com/is/image/j/39/j293739.001?$uslarge$

EDIT: Read the reviews regarding the yellow and they are negative.
Click to expand...

I have the silver and peach (which actually look white and not peach) and they are very nice, especially given how inexpensive they are.
 
I was watching Nick Kwan on Evine channel, and they did a promo for a Ming pearl bracelet on a Toscana show coming up tomorrow (?).

I thought it was interesting that Mings have caught on elsewhere.
 
They are still on that channel? I thought the inventory was about gone?
 
I can't figure out the Kwans and Evine. I'm not seeing any new merchandise, but Nick had the Top Value offering yesterday. And apparently he brought in more of the 80" ropes, they sold around 5,000 of those.

The Ming bracelet they promo'd was not from the Kwans.
 
If anyone is interested, Honora has a Ming pearl strand TSV on QVC today. The earrings are at an event price (I think it's only $6 off, but I'm not certain).
 
Those are beautiful. I ended up getting one of PPs mixed ripple strands from their mothers day sale, and got a few cheapie strands from an easy vendor, so compare to the PP ones. I do love the Honora ones though, I like the bronze tin cups!
 
Pirard|1422332620|3822525 said:
I ordered two pairs of those ming earrings...one in the yellow gold, the other in sterling. The sterling pearls were supposed to be light peach, but mine are a creamy white which works well with my PP ripples (also a creamier white). The metallic earrings went back to college with my daughter, so I'm on waitlist for another pair. Mine were spectacular, hence why they are now not mine. I haven't tried the other pieces, but I do especially love my necklace.
Click to expand...

I keep going back to those earrings. Are you still on a wait list for them?
 
I imagine Pirard received her earrings by now, since they've been restocked at QVC.

I like that Honora offers a choice of lengths. The 24" and 30" both sold out before the 18".
 
I just noticed these on QVC and was wondering what they looked like in person. If you own some from QVC do you like them? I like the look of the basic fish hook earrings they have on the site.
 
Ckrickett,

I purchased the Ming Sterling Pendant that is on the triple beaded chain that is white, black and rose color. I was pleased with the pearl I received, and loved the triple chain because it was different from other pieces I had seen. I would guess that it may be hit or miss in terms of getting the shade of pearl you like. The pearl I received wasn't what I expected in terms of color, but I was still really happy with it. I think that item is still priced under $100, so it may be a way of trying out Honora's Ming pearls without committing to the price of a full strand. Hope that helps!
 
I did get the earrings, but sent them back...they were lovely, but I just didn't need them. I noticed that this time around the strands are strung on nylon with knots...the ones I have are strung on wire with no knots...I still love them, and wear them often!
 
innerkitten|1430176241|3868677 said:
I just noticed these on QVC and was wondering what they looked like in person. If you own some from QVC do you like them? I like the look of the basic fish hook earrings they have on the site.
Click to expand...
My photos are posted on this thread...just scroll up!
 
I ordered Pirard's earrings -- the Honora Ming pearl drops. They are surprisingly well matched for shape and color, but one pearl is larger than the other. I don't have calipers, but one pearl is around 13mm and the other is closer to 15mm. I'm wondering if I notice it because I'm pearl-critical, and maybe no one else will. Thoughts?
 
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