Large Teardrop Pearls like Diana's from Tahitianpearls.biz?

[Jambalaya]

Hi,

According to my royal jewelry books, Princess Diana loved pearls the most, and she certainly had a lot of them. Her second-largest pair of pearl earrings were an amazing BIG teardrop set, and I'd love something similar, without spending a fortune.

This setting from tahitianpearls.biz seems to give a similar overall look. Although the pearl is round, the setting gives the piece an elongated drop look, and I think this would give me the large-pearl look that I've been wanting. I'd choose the 11.9mm AAA pearls, so $1,191, which I don;t think is such a bad price.

What do you think, as an echo of the Diana ones? Do you think the larger pearl would look OK with this setting, and no out of proportion? 10mm is shown.

I'd love some Anne Boleyn style LARGE teardrop shape pearls, 14mm length min, but they seem impossible to find. I've only ever seen them on Anne Boleyn...and BWeaves! So I thought this setting might do a good job of tricking the eye, but it's so hard to tell online. I don't mind if the pearl itself isn't round, as long as the overall look is a definite teardrop with a big ole' pearl, like Princess D's. The Tahitianpearls setting is the closest I've seen anywhere.

http://www.tahitianpearls.biz/south-sea-pearl-earrings/vintage_style_white_south_sea_pearl_earrings_wewc.htm

 

[BWeaves]

Re: Large Teardrop Pearls like Diana's from Tahitianpearls.b

I'm also a huge Princess Diana jewelry fan.

The earrings you found are lovely. I think most of the price is the 18K gold setting and the teeny diamonds.

I got some of my drops by asking some of the online vendors to look for me. Kevin from POJ found some for me. I also found a pair on the Kojima website in the loose pearls section. All my drop pairs cost less than $100 a pair, but I already had the diamond huggies.

I would warn you that every mm size bigger doubles the weight of the pearl. I've discovered that my plump POJ metallic 12mm drops are just about my limit, and I can't really wear them all day. My Kojima drops are 14mm long but much narrower and more of a perfect teardrop shaped, and don't weigh as much. My 9mm grey blue baroque shaped drops are very easy to wear. In future I know that 9-11 mm is probably my best wearable choice for drop. While I love the look of a BIG drop, I also don't want to be feeling my earlobes when I wear them.

 

[Jambalaya]

Re: Large Teardrop Pearls like Diana's from Tahitianpearls.b

BWeaves, thanks for the warning about the weight. I didn't think of that - but I think these would be special occasion earrings. Those $35 pearl oval dangles that I posted which are 14mm and wide - I've noticed how heavy they are, which is a pity because I like wearing them.

If I got the larger pearls, I wonder if they would look out of proportion to the cap, or if the setting is made when you order and therefore in proportion. So you think this setting will give a similar look to Diana's earrings? They're her Collingwood ones, given to her by a jeweler of that name.

I might ask for drops like yours, except I have these Kiki ones now - although they are much smaller than yours.

 

[cmd2014]

Re: Large Teardrop Pearls like Diana's from Tahitianpearls.b

I love those!!! I'm also appreciative when vendor's specify what size of pearl (when there are options) they have pictured with the finding, as it lets you get a sense of what they have thought looks the most proportional to the setting.

If it were me, I'd go with the 10-11mm pictured. They look like they'd be quite substantive given the setting and beautifully proportioned with the setting (per the picture)....but even as I'm typing this, I'm thinking that I'd be tempted to go with the larger size too (so I'm no help!). Or I'd contact Jose to see if he has any fat drops that would work in the setting, as that would be stunning too. My new WSS drop earrings are 11-12 mm and I find I have no problem wearing them. I can't go bigger though. I bought 13 mm Tahitian shepherd hook earrings once and I had to send them back as I couldn't wear them.

Post pics if you get them! I love lots of what he has on his website...I've never bought anything though because for international shipping you have to call, and I'm never organized enough to do that with the time difference. (If you see this Jose, please adjust your website and I swear I will have impulse purchases galore coming my way!!!).

ETA: Oh wait. It does look like I can use paypal. Yay! (or oh no, depending on how you look at it I guess).

 

[pearlsngems]

Re: Large Teardrop Pearls like Diana's from Tahitianpearls.b

How much heavier a 1mm larger pearl is depends on how large the 2 pearls being compared are.

1mm makes much more of a difference when the pearls are small (1mm is 16.66 % of the diameter of a 6mm pearl, but it's only 8.33% of the diameter of a 12mm pearl.)

This will give you an idea of how the increase of 1mm makes less and less of a difference the larger the pearl is:
• A 6mm round pearl is 74% larger (and heavier) than a 5mm pearl.
• An 8mm pearl is 49% larger and heavier than a 7mm pearl.
• A 10mm pearl 37% larger than a 9mm pearl.
• A 12mm pearl is 30% larger than an 11mm pearl.

 

[ennui]

Re: Large Teardrop Pearls like Diana's from Tahitianpearls.b

Please don't hate me, but the Franklin Mint did Diana's earrings in faux pearls and crystals (check eBay). The setting in your real version is much prettier than the original, but I don't know how close you want to get.

 

[Jambalaya]

Re: Large Teardrop Pearls like Diana's from Tahitianpearls.b

Thanks for the comments, everybody! I'm real busy at work so not much time to check in, but I'll keep you posted about this project!