My gemmy studs and a sweet Akoya bracelet

[Sprinkles&Stones]

I am just starting to get into the world of pearls. I have been captivated by so many PSer’s posts. But I knew that I didn’t want to start out with “meh” pearls. I already had a freshwater “potato” set from my mom years ago. They were my first set of pearls and are still loved and worn. But I saw @yssie ’s collection, and I literally dreamed of pearls for a week straight haha.


For Black Friday I saw a AAA Akoya bracelet at Pearl Paradise for 50% off! So I bought it. I was hoping this would “scratch the itch”..

It’s 7 inches and I chose a 14k white gold clasp. It’s beautiful! It’s pinking is really only visible in bright sun. Otherwise they look super white, almost like printer paper. The pearls have quite a few skin blemishes however, but that doesn’t bother me because I’m not “pearl crazy” yet. I’m just dipping my toes into that world… hehe.

BUT…..

I couldn’t stop dreaming about LUSTER. Silver ball, mirror like luster. The PP AAA Akoyas really didn’t satisfy my want for LUSTER. Pretty, yes. Spectacular luster? Nope.

I am lucky to live by a Mikimoto, so I drove over. I was *this* close to buying their AAA reserve 7.5mm studs… but I wasn’t completely happy with their selection.

Their 7.5mm were SO PINK. And I mean, like, PINK. So I asked to see their 8mm, and they had a very odd green hue to them. The green hue was not flattering to my biracial skin.
I also asked if I could get the settings in yellow gold, and was told no? So that was a bit disappointing. I don’t want white gold for this project.

Anyhoos I contacted Andrew Moline, who is an absolute doll to work with. He was running a sale for the holidays on his Gem quality 7.5mm Akoya studs, and I bit! I asked him to send me his least pinked pair, and preferably nothing with a green hue.

They arrived and my jaw just dropped. They are GORGEOUS! I can honestly say that his pearls are identical to the ones I saw at Miki as far as luster and pure clean skins. Not a blemish to be found, perfect symmetry, and a mirror like luster. I was so afraid to touch them that I wrapped Kleenex around my hands to put them in haha. Plus they seem bigger than the 7.5mms I saw at Miki! Like, noticeably bigger! Maybe that’s just my brain but the ones at Miki seemed a little small.

After seeing the quality of Andrew Moline’s pearls and how they looked absolutely indistinguishable from Miki’s, and I was saving
$800….. well there’s really no competition.

I still love my PP AAA bracelet, don’t get me wrong! And I’m kind of rough so it’s perfect for me now. But I NEED a gem quality necklace now….. next project?

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

flash evening

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Andrew Moline Gem quality studs next to my PP AAA Akoya bracelet

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Potato studs from mom vs my gemmies

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

My AAA PP bracelet. I forgot to mention that these are 6.5mm-7mm. Love it paired with mh daily watch.

 

[BrownGinger]

Oh man, they are beautiful! And it is NOT helping the “I wants” that I’ve been having for high luster studs!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Big thank you @molinePDG !!! If anyone is wanting gem quality Akoyas without the Miki price tag…. Contact Andrew.
I always “test the water” before I buy from a vendor. I can have the $$$ on hand, but I *always* start off with a inquisitive email. How a vendor responds to that email is the determining factor on if I will buy from them or not. Andrew emailed me back on a holiday at like 10pm to answer my questions, even though I said in my email I was “just thinking” about pearls and not necessarily ready to buy. He is super responsive and extremely helpful. Some vendors have great products, but their “bed side manners” are lacking, and that’s a no-go for me. Andrew is the nicest, seriously. thank you Andrew!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Oh man, they are beautiful! And it is NOT helping the “I wants” that I’ve been having for high luster studs!

Thank you! Hehehe PS did the same to me! I said “I really don’t need high luster pearls, now isn’t a good time… I seriously don’t need them..” but the heart wants what it wants right?! Ha!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

My hubby came over and made a grumpy face. I said, “WHAT!! These are the most beautiful pearls I’ve ever seen!” And he said “obviously, but the pearls are so nice they make your diamond earrings look bad. Now you have to get new diamond studs to go with your pearls!” HA!

 

[SparklieBug]

My hubby came over and made a grumpy face. I said, “WHAT!! These are the most beautiful pearls I’ve ever seen!” And he said “obviously, but the pearls are so nice they make your diamond earrings look bad. Now you have to get new diamond studs to go with your pearls!” HA!

Haha! That's really funny! Just agree, and race off for new diamonds studs for Christmas, maybe?

Your new pearls are beautiful, although the Moline pearls are really head and shoulders more lustrous. The good thing is that the bracelet and your earrings, when worn, are a long distance apart so the difference is likely less noticeable. Congrats on some beautiful pearls!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Haha! That's really funny! Just agree, and race off for new diamonds studs for Christmas, maybe?

Your new pearls are beautiful, although the Moline pearls are really head and shoulders more lustrous. The good thing is that the bracelet and your earrings, when worn, are a long distance apart so the difference is likely less noticeable. Congrats on some beautiful pearls!

I agree heheh!

thank you so much! <3

 

[lovedogs]

Omg gorgeous!!!!! Andrew is so nice and lovely. Top notch

 

[Cerulean]

Wow these are stellar! Beautiful beautiful pearls! They look fabulous on you, really! That luster is to die for! Once you’ve had pearls like that…it’ll be hard to go back haha!

 

[LLJsmom]

Absolutely gorgeous!!! Congratulations! They are lovely and look wonderful on you.

 

[yssie]

Both your new pieces are beautiful!!

The Moline studs are glorious!! Andrew sent me a pair for a friend’s daughter that also beat same-size Miki AAA in a direct comparison - he’s the only vendor I can think of who could manage that! They glow on you. Beautiful. And a wonderful size for your petite earlobes, colour me envious on that front!

And your bracelet is just perfect for stacking, it looks fabulous with your watch I’ve got a few bracelets and to be honest I love having mind-clean options to pair with other bracelets - there’s no way in h*ll I’m doing that at the gemmy pricepoint!!

Welcome down the rabbit hole…

 

[mustangchi]

Congrats they are super pretty! I went for that special too and got them this past Thursday, they are gorgeous. I asked for super pink though as that's what I wanted. Enjoy!!

Also I am totally like you, haven't put them in yet but would consider using a kleenex

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Omg gorgeous!!!!! Andrew is so nice and lovely. Top notch

Thank you so much! He is, I completely agree!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Wow these are stellar! Beautiful beautiful pearls! They look fabulous on you, really! That luster is to die for! Once you’ve had pearls like that…it’ll be hard to go back haha!

Thank you! I saw your studs from him, and many other PSers and I just HAD to have some too haha! I think they’re gonna be addicting…

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Absolutely gorgeous!!! Congratulations! They are lovely and look wonderful on you.

Thank you so much! <3

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Both your new pieces are beautiful!!

The Moline studs are glorious!! Andrew sent me a pair for a friend’s daughter that also beat same-size Miki AAA in a direct comparison - he’s the only vendor I can think of who could manage that! They glow on you. Beautiful. And a wonderful size for your petite earlobes, colour me envious on that front!

And your bracelet is just perfect for stacking, it looks fabulous with your watch I’ve got a few bracelets and to be honest I love having mind-clean options to pair with other bracelets - there’s no way in h*ll I’m doing that at the gemmy pricepoint!!

Welcome down the rabbit hole…

Thank you so much! I super appreciate all your informative posts on pearls… it really helped a newbie like me decide what the best fit for me would be. And you introduced me to Andrew, who I now consider “my pearl guy for all future purchases”. <3 I love Ps!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Congrats they are super pretty! I went for that special too and got them this past Thursday, they are gorgeous. I asked for super pink though as that's what I wanted. Enjoy!!

Also I am totally like you, haven't put them in yet but would consider using a kleenex

Oooo you did?! I wanna see! Wasn’t that a great deal?! Congrats and post a pic when you can

 

[Rhd3]

Omg...I wish your husband could go out for a beer with mine.

Oh my, those earrings are especially beautiful! PP had some nice offerings this year and your bracelet is a such a wonderful classic. So pretty!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Omg...I wish your husband could go out for a beer with mine.

Oh my, those earrings are especially beautiful! PP had some nice offerings this year and your bracelet is a such a wonderful classic. So pretty!

Haha thank you so much! <3

 

[elizat]

Very pretty! Nice choices and I hope you get a lot of enjoyment from them.

 

[ittypea]

Love both of the new pearly things!! The studs - OMG!! wowzers! Congrats on them!!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

flash evening

stunning !

and has been said the bracleet is far enough away from the ears to also be very very very nice !

 

[molinePDG]

I just managed to sit down and catch this thread here on a small Sunday morning break! First of all, you all crack me up, lol. I've been called many names before, but doll might be new, heh.

Congrats on all of your new pieces @Sprinkles&Stones . Whenever I see any thread on PS that has something proudly shown off that I had a small part in, I really feel humbled and honored that we are all drawn in by the common love of things that sparkle. And PriceScope is such a tiny niche of "all jewelry" that it really is testament to anyone who posts here, prosumer or vendor alike, of the standard that PS as a whole demands.

This is me being tangential (sorry in advance), but I'm apart of a lot of general jewelry social media groups, and - gosh, the things I see posted/asked for on the wholesale end would be like a collective nightmare for PriceScopers to see ("I don't exist to educate the customer... sell them the best I2 you can find and cash in on the margin..." etc. - yikes!).

It's sad that the general philosophy across the industry so often amounts to "you can't be nice and have business," because I firmly believe that if you trust treat people well whatever else will follow. And I think it's not too out there to say that any trusted vendor of any stone, diamond, pearl, whatever on PS probably thinks along those lines.

One comment for education purposes on sizes for pearls, especially Mikimoto -- So, once upon a time in the dream land of Akoya pearls, one used to be able to specify size in quarter mm increments - there was enough of the good production (or maybe this and a combination of not as much demand for it) that pearls could often be bought and sold in 7-7.25mm, 7.25-7.5mm, etc.

This isn't really done on the wholesale side anymore, but I believe that Mikimoto DOES still price studs in this way in some of their boutiques... don't quote me 100% certain on that though. Anyway, food for thought.

I love jewelry because I get to be involved -- even in a small way -- with the happiest and most celebratory occasions of peoples' lives: weddings, splurge gifts, gifts to friends, family, whatever. There are few things in life that allow us to be in work that more or less guarantees we always see folks at their very happiest, but jewelry is one of those things. And I certainly never take that for granted.