Sprinkles&Stones
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- May 19, 2020
- Messages
- 1,993
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?
For Black Friday I saw a AAA Akoya bracelet at Pearl Paradise for 50% off! So I bought it.
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?