Pearl studs around 10mm

[valmanin]

I am looking to buy my first pair of real pearl studs pretty soon. I have been wearing 10mm fake ones and love the size so that I am sure on. I have been all over the pearl threads, but seem to just confuse myself. I would love a little guidance.

I'm sure these questions have been asked a gazillion times on here...so sorry in advance.

1. What do most of you like better for white pearls...freshadama, south sea, metallic, or akoya??? I am still struggling after reading LOTS to truly understand what the differences IRL are.

2. What color tone would be the best (assuming you can even pick that) for someone with my coloring? Blonde, blueish-greenish-grayish eyes, skin color is so hard. I swear I never know how to describe it. Fair, but can tan. Can get red (not my favorite look). I will attach a pic for better reference because I'm hopeless in the description. I notice sometimes I don't like my diamond studs H color right next to my face because they are too which if my skin looks ruddy. So, I imagine I will be picky with the pearl tone.



Ok...weird picture, but this show how my skin can get kinda pinkish.



I think this pic, albeit a strange angle, is the best real life look of my skin tone. Obsessing much? I don't wanna clash with my pearls!!!


Thank you all in advance!!!

 

[pearlsngems]

Are you certain you want white pearls? Have you considered golden south sea? I think they could look amazing with your skin and hair.

 

[valmanin]

I have a feeling this will be the first of many, but yes I want the classic white first.

 

[lambskin]

Go for the akoya first. It will be your standard. Then have fun with the others with different settings, colors and shapes.

 

[seaurchin]

I think they're all nice, first of all. If you get high quality studs, you'll probably really like any of them. I would, anyway.

Metallic whites and akoyas would tend to be the highest luster, I think. However, both might be hard to find in 10mm size. Also, sometimes the metallics are a bit off-round (there's no bead in the middle of many freshwaters like there is with akoyas and South Sea) so you might want to specify if you want them to be perfectly round. You might want to ask at Pearl Paradise or Pearls of Joy if they can get you some when they go to the big Hong Kong yearly show. If so, do it quickly though because they're going soon. You might ask them about the respective prices and availablility of the two types in the size you want to help narrow down your request.

Freshadamas (Pearl Paradise top of the line freshwaters) or another company's top of the line freshwaters are nice, too. These and the South Seas usually have a bit softer luster than the metallic whites or akoyas.

And then there are the price comparisons... Top of the line freshwaters and metallic freshwaters would usually be less than the South sea and akoyas.

I have similar coloring as yours and don't see a huge difference between overtones on my ears or have a huge preference. Maybe hedge your bets and get the ever-popular silver and rose overtones.

Another idea is to order a couple or a few pairs that you're considering, then try them on and decide which ones to keep. Careful, though. I've done this more than once where I ended up keeping all of them! If you don't like that idea, the good vendors all have generous return policies so don't be afraid to just order a likely pair and see, especially if you're in the US and won't have to pay whatever that extra import tax is called.

Please post pics!

 

[seaurchin]

I just googled "pearl overtone and ruddy skin" and what came up said that silver overtone is best for that, not rose. But of course personal preference trumps all.

http://pearlparadisefaq.blogspot.com/2007/04/pearl-overtone.html

 

[Pirard]

Your coloring is very similar to mine...here is a shot with my ear looking particularly red...this is a light blue tahitian pearl

 

[valmanin]

I think they're all nice, first of all. If you get high quality studs, you'll probably really like any of them. I would, anyway.

Metallic whites and akoyas would tend to be the highest luster, I think. However, both might be hard to find in 10mm size. Also, sometimes the metallics are a bit off-round (there's no bead in the middle of many freshwaters like there is with akoyas and South Sea) so you might want to specify if you want them to be perfectly round. You might want to ask at Pearl Paradise or Pearls of Joy if they can get you some when they go to the big Hong Kong yearly show. If so, do it quickly though because they're going soon. You might ask them about the respective prices and availablility of the two types in the size you want to help narrow down your request.

Freshadamas (Pearl Paradise top of the line freshwaters) or another company's top of the line freshwaters are nice, too. These and the South Seas usually have a bit softer luster than the metallic whites or akoyas.

And then there are the price comparisons... Top of the line freshwaters and metallic freshwaters would usually be less than the South sea and akoyas.

I have similar coloring as yours and don't see a huge difference between overtones on my ears or have a huge preference. Maybe hedge your bets and get the ever-popular silver and rose overtones.

Another idea is to order a couple or a few pairs that you're considering, then try them on and decide which ones to keep. Careful, though. I've done this more than once where I ended up keeping all of them! If you don't like that idea, the good vendors all have generous return policies so don't be afraid to just order a likely pair and see, especially if you're in the US and won't have to pay whatever that extra import tax is called.

Please post pics!

Thank you so much, seaurchin! Great info! Yes, I'm seeing that there aren't many options for 10mm...may have to do the freshadamas.

Yes, I'm familiar with the old "I'll just order a few and pick" from my OEC searches. My husband had to literally pry an alternate pair of OECs from my hands when I was deciding between two different pairs. I had convinced myself one pair would be for studs and the other to make a three stone with my e-ring. I think I should probably only have them ship me one pair of pearls at a time.

 

[valmanin]

I just googled "pearl overtone and ruddy skin" and what came up said that silver overtone is best for that, not rose. But of course personal preference trumps all.

http://pearlparadisefaq.blogspot.com/2007/04/pearl-overtone.html

Interesting! See I would have thought silver overtone would be a no no for me since I don't even like white metals all that much on my skin. Huh. Maybe the silver with rose.

It look like you don't pick the overtones with the freshadamas. Is that correct or am I missing something?

 

[seaurchin]

Huh, you're right. I don't see a choice of overtone. Now I'm wondering if that was somewhere else or if they changed it. In any case, I'm sure you can request whatever you prefer or just don't worry about it and leave it to fate! I'm the same with silver/white gold. It just doesn't look good on me.

 

[pearlsngems]

The choice of tone has always been there on the website for akoyas but not for freshwaters-- but you can request a specific overtone when you order.

 

[NacreLover]

My coloring is similar to yours. I would look for Akoya's with Rose` overtones.

 

[valmanin]

Your coloring is very similar to mine...here is a shot with my ear looking particularly red...this is a light blue tahitian pearl

Those look beautiful on you! I can see how this could become a problem pretty quickly. So many colors, sizes, styles...

 

[valmanin]

My coloring is similar to yours. I would look for Akoya's with Rose` overtones.

ok...silver/rose or just rose? Thanks!

 

[ennui]

My skin gets ruddy in hot weather. Are you looking for contrast, or homogeneity? I prefer a bright white pearl with silver overtones ... anything pink tends to blend with my skin. Golden SS definitely blend with my skin, as does rose gold. So, it really depends on the look you desire.

My best advice would be ... stop obsessing. Life is short. Wear what you love. No one else is going to notice.

ETA What kind of lustre are you seeking? White South Seas tend to satin; white Akoyas are crisp and have the best feel to the touch; white freshwaters are in the middle.

 

[valmanin]

My skin gets ruddy in hot weather. Are you looking for contrast, or homogeneity? I prefer a bright white pearl with silver overtones ... anything pink tends to blend with my skin. Golden SS definitely blend with my skin, as does rose gold. So, it really depends on the look you desire.

My best advice would be ... stop obsessing. Life is short. Wear what you love. No one else is going to notice.

ETA What kind of lustre are you seeking? White South Seas tend to satin; white Akoyas are crisp and have the best feel to the touch; white freshwaters are in the middle.

I guess I'm looking for contrast. I guess. It's funny because my E-ring and wedding band are both 18K RG. I love the look on my hands. I prefer YG up on my ears though. RG blends in and brings out the pink in my face.

I think I would prefer the pop of the akoyas (at least how I hear them described), but the largest I am seeing is is 8.5-9mm so I may have to go with the freshadamas to get the size I want. Although 9mm may be big enough...not sure.

 

[valmanin]

Also, I noticed that PP has a lot of items out of stock. Is there a time of year that they stock up?

 

[innerkitten]

I would go with white freshwater metallic or freshadama for your first pearl studs and then experiment later. Also I would go for a rose overtone with your skin. Of course they have a very good return policy so if you get rose and then decide it's not for you it's okay to exchange them.

I have 9mm to10mm freshadama studs and 7mm metallic studs. Love both.

 

[pearlsngems]

Yes, they are headed to the March Hong Kong show where they stock up. See the February 25th blog post on the PearlParadise Blog.
You can email Jeremy with what you would like him to find for you. [email protected]

 

[NacreLover]

Yes, they flew out yesterday. I hope they find some great things.

 

[seaurchin]

Yes, they flew out yesterday. I hope they find some great things.

I hope they don't! That way maybe I can stay off pearl parole for a change!

Valmanin, btw that's a delicious e-ring you've got there!

 

[valmanin]

Yes, they flew out yesterday. I hope they find some great things.

I hope they don't! That way maybe I can stay off pearl parole for a change!

Valmanin, btw that's a delicious e-ring you've got there!

Thank you so much!!!

 

[valmanin]

So, I ordered a pair of metallic freshwater studs 9-10mm (requested they be as close to 10mm as possible). Now the wait......

 

[Siameseroo]

So, I ordered a pair of metallic freshwater studs 9-10mm (requested they be as close to 10mm as possible). Now the wait......

Exciting! I love my 9-10mm metallics, I hope you'll love yours too!

 

[valmanin]

Well. Hmmm. They are here and I'm not sure what I think. That seems to be the case a lot with pearls though from what I have read on these boards. Here are my thoughts/concerns:

-I have a pair of 10mm fake pearls that I have been wearing for a while now. I swear these metallics are not as lustrous as the fakies. Can that even be possible. I just assumed real pearls would wow me more than my fake ones.
-They have a very blue overtone/undertone...almost an iridescent quality...don't know what you call it by they are blueish. Pretty, but not sure if that's what I want for everyday.
-When I first opened the black box they looked dead with almost a matte finish. They look better out of the box but not as shiny/lustrous as I had expected.
-They seem to look a little better in pictures which is strange.

I would love your thoughts and opinions. These are my first real pearls so I admittedly have nothing to compare them to.

These next 2 pics are a good representation of what I'm seeing in general:

 

[valmanin]

 

[pearlsngems]

What do they look like on your ears?

Pearls look dull against a black background. I think the black velvet boxes result in a lot of disappointment when people first open them. That negative first impression is usually replaced by better feelings when people wear their pearls for a few days. See how you feel about them in a couple of days.

Are your fake studs Majorica by any chance? They make really nice fakes (I have a bunch!) Fake pearls have lots of surface shine, that is true, and Majorica adds some sort of color to the final layer of coatings that creates a faux-orient effect. I don't have anything against nice fake pearls. If you like them, wear them!

If you still dislike the metallic whites after wearing them for a while, maybe you could consider looking at SSP. Jeremy had some high luster Burmese pearls last fall; maybe he still has them?

 

[valmanin]

What do they look like on your ears?

Pearls look dull against a black background. I think the black velvet boxes result in a lot of disappointment when people first open them. That negative first impression is usually replaced by better feelings when people wear their pearls for a few days. See how you feel about them in a couple of days.

Are your fake studs Majorica by any chance? They make really nice fakes (I have a bunch!) Fake pearls have lots of surface shine, that is true, and Majorica adds some sort of color to the final layer of coatings that creates a faux-orient effect. I don't have anything against nice fake pearls. If you like them, wear them!

If you still dislike the metallic whites after wearing them for a while, maybe you could consider looking at SSP. Jeremy had some high luster Burmese pearls last fall; maybe he still has them?

They have a very pale blue look on my ears this morning. I will wear them today and see if it changes and varies with the changing light. Also, my 10mm fakies don't sag, but these do...I wasn't accounting for the extra weight of the real thing. I need to try them with my jumbo backs.

I don't think they are Majorica. They were Target special...lol! I got 3 pairs in various sizes to try out size.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[icy_jade]

They look good from pics but it's always hard to 'read' white pearls from pics. Maybe the color isn't suited for you? From what you've described, I think akoyas may be a better bet for you. They are usually more lustrous and the pinked tones may suit you better.