Need help. Pearl Paradise vs Museum Way bracelet?

[baby monster]

Looking for opinions on pearl quality sold by Pearl Paradise and Museum Way. I'm looking to buy a bracelet and not sure which one is better.

MW is AA+ quality 8-9mm pearls for $139 with a ball clasp.
http://www.museumwaypearls.com/8-9mm-7-5-white-freshwater-pearl-bracelet.html

PP is freshadama quality 7.5-8mm pears for $149.50 with fish hook clasp, which I hate. It'll be extra 15 to get a lobster clasp or 20 for ball clasp.
http://www.pearlparadise.com/7580-mm-White-Freshadama-Pearl-Bracelet-2148.aspx

How is PP's freshadama compared to MW's AA+? If they are equal, then PP price is much higher as the pearl size is smaller and it'll be extra for the clasp. Any help is appreciated

 

[4Ranch Girl]

The difference in price is because of the grade you are buying. You are comparing apples and oranges. Lower quality costs less

Copied from Museum's website:


Grading Freshwater Pearls

AAA Grade – A pearl with outstanding luster and a 95% imperfection free surface. To the naked eye most AAA freshwater pearls appear round.

AA+ Grade – A pearl that may have a slightly lower luster than the AAA grade and has a surface that is 90% blemish-free. AA+ freshwater pearls appear near-round to round to the naked eye.

Copied from Pearl Paradise website:

Pearl Grade Description
Freshadama™ Freshadama-grade pearls are loose-grade pearls, or pearls that have been selected individually prior to drilling and polishing for their exceptional quality characteristics. These pearls are typically sold wholesale as single pearls and pairs, undrilled. Freshadama™ strands are composed of these pearls; drilled and matched by us.



Highest grade of freshwater pearl
Exhibit intense luster and deeply reflective orient
Round to the eye
Virtually clean surface
Top .01% of freshwater pearls produced today
Excellent matching

AAA Highest grade of necklace-quality freshwater pearl
Exhibit excellent luster
Round to near round to the eye
Virtually clean surface of 95% or better
Top 1% of freshwater pearls produced today
Excellent matching

AA+ Highest grade of freshwater pearl
Near round, appear perfect round from a yard away
Clean surface of 90% or better
Top 5% of freshwater pearls produced today
Excellent to good

 

[PearlsOfJoy]

yup gotta compare apples to apples to find the best value

 

[baby monster]

Thanks for the reply 4Ranch Girl. I guess the uncertainty for me is that there seems to be no industry defined standards similar to diamond grading by GIA or AGS. How do I know that one vendor's AAA is another vendor's AAA? The grading appears to be fairly subjective to a newbie like me. That's why I'm looking for help from others who have purchased from these vendors and have an idea of their grading criteria. There was a recent thread comparing quality and it does seem to differ in the same grade. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/pearls-new/american-pearl-vs-pearl-paradise-t149718.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/pearls-new/american-pearl-vs-pearl-paradise-t149718.html[/URL]

 

[that_someone_special]

Since you really can't tell... you need to find a place with an EXCELLENT return policy.

FWIW, I have shopped with pearl paradise many many times and I've found that they hold themselves to a very high standard. I would recommend them first. That doesn't mean that other companies are bad, I just haven't worked with them yet and can only vouch for PP.

 

[4Ranch Girl]

I would also recomend Pearl Paradise. The last lime I was there I saw them doing quality control on newly recieved strands and they have 2 people look at each strand and mark pearls to change out from strands they have paid a premimum for AAA+. They are that particular. Many of my strands have have been purchased from them and you can view them on a thread I started "I thought I would share"

The reason I did a cut and paste of the two sites grading was to see if they graded in the same manner which they seem to. But with that being said I have not bought from the other site and cannot speak to their pearls. I can say that PP stands by their pearls and has a generous return policy if you are not pleased.

Other sites I like in addition to Pearl Paradise are kojimapearl.com, tahitianpearls.biz, catherinecardellinipearls.com. It just depends on what kind of pearls I am shopping for but these are my go tos.

Happy pearl shopping

 

[4Ranch Girl]

Just a little more education for you... Necklace quality pearls are different than earring and pendant pearls. Necklace usually always say near round because they are drilled and strung together. Earrings should be what is called 8 way rollers - perfectly round pearls. There is quite a price difference between earring and necklace pearls in shape grade but the luster and nacre thickness contribute to the AA, AA+ and AAA.