Input requested on blue akoya pearls for studs - selection of 4

[NY_Resonant]

Hi All!

I was able to purchase Yssie’s old pearl paradise bracelet (woohoo) for my mother and am now hunting for some high quality blue akoya pearls for studs to go along with it.

I was given the following 4 pair options from a vendor. Could I please ask the people on this forum to give their opinions on which pearls they like best for studs? Hard to choose!! I think I’ve crossed out the first row 8.5-9mm pair from the list.













Thank you so much, any help would be appreciated!

 

[mamong]

To my eyes the 4th pair got the best lustre but not the best colour match but I don’t think the difference will be noticeable when you wear it. It’s nice size too.
The 2nd pair got the best combo of lustre and colour among the 4 pairs.
Which pair do you like?

 

[dk168]

86756 as in the middle of the three in the first photo as they look the best matched to my untrained eyes.

However, I am not an expert.

DK

 

[lovedogs]

I like the 2nd pair down in the pics with 4 pairs

 

[love_pearls]

From the top of 80756 cardboard , second pair.

Like the lustre, the colour. Of all the pairs, it pops.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

#2- 80756
#3 being the second choice
#4
#1

 

[elizat]

2nd pair on the card would be my pick.

 

[yssie]

My choices, in order -




A little unorthodox, I know. My concern with the middle pair on the 8.5-9 card is that the green arrow pearl is SO much more lustrous than its mate. Better luster and stronger overtone. The difference would drive *me* bonkers... LOL. I think the third 8.5-9 pair is the nicest compromise of good luster, good luster match, and good colour match, and I'll forgive the slight skin texturing on the one pearl. But the middle pair on the 8.5-9 card definitely has the single most impressive pearl of the lot.

But that's me. Y'know.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

My choices, in order -




A little unorthodox, I know. My concern with the middle pair on the 8.5-9 card is that the green arrow pearl is SO much more lustrous than its mate. Better luster and stronger overtone. The difference would drive *me* bonkers... LOL. I think the third 8.5-9 pair is the nicest compromise of good luster, good luster match, and good colour match, and I'll forgive the slight skin texturing on the one pearl. But the middle pair on the 8.5-9 card definitely has the single most impressive pearl of the lot.

But that's me. Y'know.

If they switched the pairing of your 1 and 3 they'd be better pairs, even with the tone mismatch, to me. What say you, @yssie? Am I nuts, or blind?

 

[NY_Resonant]

If they switched the pairing of your 1 and 3 they'd be better pairs, even with the tone mismatch, to me. What say you, @yssie? Am I nuts, or blind?

Which one are you talking about pairing with the row 2-left pearl from row 3?

Funny enough, I had focused in on the row2-left pearl as one that I really liked so happy that my eyes didn’t mislead me on that front. I just don’t know if vendor’s are willing to break up pairs and mix-match? Think it’s worth me asking?

 

[NY_Resonant]

Got two videos from vendor: This should help? Vendor also narrowed down best options to row 2 and row 3 of the 8.5-9mm pearls.

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[NY_Resonant]

I think i’ve watched those video’s a hundred times, including in frame-by-frame analysis. I’m going with the middle pair in the 80756 sheet after all.

I agree with Yssie that the left pearl of the pair outperforms after looking at the videos but not to a degree that bothers me… and if it doesn’t bother me when they are next to each other, it definitely won’t when separated on my mom’s ears.

Thank you everybody for your input. I appreciate it very much!!! I’ll try to get some pictures of them on the ear if mom agrees after mother’s day!

 

[NY_Resonant]

I won’t mention exact pricing here but I figured I should mention this: The 9-9.5mm was priced at 2.9x the price of the 8.5-9mm pearls.

I was told that the akoya deaths has played a huge impact on availability which is causing the larger size premiums to increase… It also makes finding top quality in larger sizes very hard.

My guess is that this is especially true in the rarer pearl types like the blue akoyas.

 

[katbran]

I prefer the middle of the 3 8.5mm but the bottom one is good too (8.5) I feel like the colour might be a teeny bit stronger in the middle... Frankly I don't think you'd notice the difference on your ears between the middle and bottom. I've discounted the 9's completely The bottom one doesn't seem to be a close match in colour

 

[NY_Resonant]

Hard not to keep buying different items from Takahashi Looking a white akoya stud pair now… I’m leaning towards the top-left pair in this 8-8.5mm size. Thoughts?





I asked Yy to put the top left pair next to her recommended pair one size larger in the 8.5-9mm range… I think I still like the 8-8.5mm more?

 

[empliau]

I feel you about the difficulty of not buying *more* from Takahashi, especially since FedEx is quite expensive. I am wont to think, well since I'm spending for the shipping, I might as well ... you get the rest. Are you picking them up in Kobe?

 

[NY_Resonant]

Y

I feel you about the difficulty of not buying *more* from Takahashi, especially since FedEx is quite expensive. I am wont to think, well since I'm spending for the shipping, I might as well ... you get the rest. Are you picking them up in Kobe?

Yes, picking up the order in Kobe. Saved shipping paid for half the hotel that night

 

[NY_Resonant]

Just got PSL results from my blue akoya stud purchase… tum it tum… Madama! 0.6mm Nacre. Woohoo!

Feels nice that it will match Yssie’s Pearl paradise Madama bracelet when I give the gift now… Madama set!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Wahoo! Can’t wait to see the set worn all together!

 

[yssie]

Hard not to keep buying different items from Takahashi Looking a white akoya stud pair now… I’m leaning towards the top-left pair in this 8-8.5mm size. Thoughts?





I asked Yy to put the top left pair next to her recommended pair one size larger in the 8.5-9mm range… I think I still like the 8-8.5mm more?

Which pair did you end up picking?

 

[NY_Resonant]

Which pair did you end up picking?

Hehe, the top left pair from the 8-8.5mm size in initial pictures. It’s the bottom pair in these pictures:

I also got the 8.07/8.05mm pair and the 8.66/8.57mm pair.





I was actually told by Yy that Mr. Seki doesn’t have any other 8.5-9mm pairs in the standard i’m looking for that is a better color match than that 8.66/8.57mm… At least until their newer products come out. So I grabbed it when she told me the pink/peach tone in that pair is not really noticeable in person.

Here is another photo of it — always nice to see fingers!

 

[yssie]

Those look really really nice

You’ll have all the pearls!!! You might need to take an extra suitcase for your trip, for all the pearls I feel like you might be coming back with

 

[NY_Resonant]

Haha, the last time I went to Japan I had to buy a samsonite bag at a tokyo department store! Japan does that to me, so many beautiful products!

Packing a large duffel bag in the luggage that I bring there so i’m prepared this time!