Royal Jewels from Berry's Jewellers, UK
- Thread starter Jambalaya
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Finally, I got around to ordering the Kiki McDonough peridot halo studs from the Grace that I've been wanting for a couple of years. The reason is that Berry's had a 5% discount on Kiki McDonough, and it was going to expire (did so the other day). Kiki is like Tiffany - never discounted. They occasionally have a few items on sale, but the core collection like Grace is never discounted.
I'm afraid it will be another ten days or so before they arrive, since they travel from London to Berry's in the north, and then over to me.
I also considered getting the bee custom-made in white gold with a white topaz body, but I think if I had that one, I wouldn't wear the citrine bee, so I'm not going to do it.
I also like some lavender amethyst drops that they have, but even with the discount, they'd be almost $1,700 and as much as I like them, it's just too expensive for a semi-precious stone, for me, personally.
I think that Kiki's prices in general are outrageous, but the Grace collection isn't too crazy.
I think the peridot studs will probably be my last Kiki piece, given my mixed feelings about the prices. But hey, I will have six Kiki pieces, so I can hardly complain! (The sixth, not shown here, is the Kiki detachable pearl drops, which are in the Pearls form.)
I'm afraid it will be another ten days or so before they arrive, since they travel from London to Berry's in the north, and then over to me.
I also considered getting the bee custom-made in white gold with a white topaz body, but I think if I had that one, I wouldn't wear the citrine bee, so I'm not going to do it.
I also like some lavender amethyst drops that they have, but even with the discount, they'd be almost $1,700 and as much as I like them, it's just too expensive for a semi-precious stone, for me, personally.
I think that Kiki's prices in general are outrageous, but the Grace collection isn't too crazy.
I think the peridot studs will probably be my last Kiki piece, given my mixed feelings about the prices. But hey, I will have six Kiki pieces, so I can hardly complain! (The sixth, not shown here, is the Kiki detachable pearl drops, which are in the Pearls form.)
Thanks, GearGirly! Yes, it's one of my favorite pieces. Kiki will customize, so I've long considered getting the bee in white. But since I like white metals and diamonds the best, if I had the bee in those colors I probably wouldn't want to wear the citrine one, which would be a terrible waste.
Well, since there was a 5% discount at Berry's, I got the peridot studs I've been wanting forever. Disaster - I hate them.
I saw some of the studs in person at Neiman Marcus a few months ago and they were a very different green. They were a cool, deep, emerald green. I thought I didn't like peridot because I really hate that yellow-green, so I was stunned to see that peridot can be a cool green. I thought they were amazing.
So I get these ones with high hopes, and they are my hated shade of green - bright, light yellow-green.
I'm sending them back but thought you'd like to see.
I saw some of the studs in person at Neiman Marcus a few months ago and they were a very different green. They were a cool, deep, emerald green. I thought I didn't like peridot because I really hate that yellow-green, so I was stunned to see that peridot can be a cool green. I thought they were amazing.
So I get these ones with high hopes, and they are my hated shade of green - bright, light yellow-green.
I'm sending them back but thought you'd like to see.
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Lol, funny you should ask 
I had initially wrote that I like the color and then deleted, because it doesn't really matter what I think, you're the one that has to love them! I'm not seeing any yellow in the first pic, a little yellow in the second. They do look like very well cut and sparkly stones.
I had initially wrote that I like the color and then deleted, because it doesn't really matter what I think, you're the one that has to love them! I'm not seeing any yellow in the first pic, a little yellow in the second. They do look like very well cut and sparkly stones.I'm torn between green amethyst and lavender amethyst. Opinions? I think the green amethyst is extremely tasteful, but I do have green amethyst pear-shaped drops from Kiki already. I think the lavender amethyst is extremely pretty but maybe the color is kind of little-girl-ish? I also think the blue topaz ones look stunning, but I have issues with blue topaz. I think it's a cheap stone which isn't really a gemstone, it's been through so much treatment, with irradiation as well as heat. The problem is that I KNOW blue topaz sells for pennies on the dollar, so it's hard to spend this money on blue topaz. Having said that, the blue suits me best. I'm a Winter in terms of coloring palette, so the saturated blue is very flattering, unlike the paler blue of aquamarine.
I'm torn, and it's a lot of money for semi-precous stones, so any help is gratefully received!
I'm torn, and it's a lot of money for semi-precous stones, so any help is gratefully received!
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I'm back! Was having technical difficulties with my iPad but I'm back in business -
Not sure about the green amethyst, pretty color but kind of muted and a little cloudy looking. I love the purple amethysts, love the soft color and they look lively. I hear you on the blue topaz, you made some good points. But that said, the color is really pretty and if you like blue you might get more use out of them in the long run. But if you're struggling with the blue topaz, I think you should go with the purple. They're really pretty!
Not sure about the green amethyst, pretty color but kind of muted and a little cloudy looking. I love the purple amethysts, love the soft color and they look lively. I hear you on the blue topaz, you made some good points. But that said, the color is really pretty and if you like blue you might get more use out of them in the long run. But if you're struggling with the blue topaz, I think you should go with the purple. They're really pretty!
Thanks, Junebug!
It's difficult. I don't think blue topaz is really mind-clean for me - I just see it as a cheap and nasty stone - but the color definitely suits me the best, by far. I was veering toward the lavender amethyst, but I hear what you say about perhaps getting more wear out of the blue. And although I think of it as so highly treated that it's not really a stone, the earrings themselves do look beautiful. (I tried on the topaz ones in a Neiman Marcus.)
It's annoying the way that this has turned out because I felt OK about the high price for peridot, since peridot is never treated. All the other options are treated, but I've already invested two sets of postage which have cost $78, which cancels out the 5%, and if I'm ever going to get a pair of these Grace earrings, it should be now due to the sunk costs.
But I really wanted the emerald-green peridot; I can't believe how different the ones I received were. I emailed Kiki twice to ask if they had the studs in another color and they just ignored me. I am going to send them a pissy email. I am buying goods form them and there is no need to ignore me.
It's difficult. I don't think blue topaz is really mind-clean for me - I just see it as a cheap and nasty stone - but the color definitely suits me the best, by far. I was veering toward the lavender amethyst, but I hear what you say about perhaps getting more wear out of the blue. And although I think of it as so highly treated that it's not really a stone, the earrings themselves do look beautiful. (I tried on the topaz ones in a Neiman Marcus.)
It's annoying the way that this has turned out because I felt OK about the high price for peridot, since peridot is never treated. All the other options are treated, but I've already invested two sets of postage which have cost $78, which cancels out the 5%, and if I'm ever going to get a pair of these Grace earrings, it should be now due to the sunk costs.
But I really wanted the emerald-green peridot; I can't believe how different the ones I received were. I emailed Kiki twice to ask if they had the studs in another color and they just ignored me. I am going to send them a pissy email. I am buying goods form them and there is no need to ignore me.
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Jambalaya if you ever happen to want to sell the citrine bee I'm interested!
Thanks, Asscherlover! I'm keeping dat baby right now, though! I recently asked about customizing the bee and getting it made in all white metals, but they refused because it's being discontinued. Still available in the citrine on their website though, if you wanted to order one...https://kiki.co.uk/product/eve-large-single-citrine-bee-necklace/
Beware, the chain is short.
Beware, the chain is short.
OK, I decided on the lavender amethyst studs in yellow gold, as above. I think this is the safest color to order online, since blue topaz can vary a lot, too, from a garish bright blue to a soft aquamarine. I might get the peridot or the blue at a later date, but I think I will have to choose them in person at Neiman's. I think the lavender amethyst is a safer color to order online, and they are so pretty. They suit me much better than yellow-green, I think.
I won't have them for a while since the package has to travel back to Berry's, then Berry's has to inspect them, then order the lavender ones from Kiki, then send them to me. So I probably won't get them for another 2-3 weeks. Which is fine.
I think I made the right decision. The lavender color is so soft and pretty! Yay!
I won't have them for a while since the package has to travel back to Berry's, then Berry's has to inspect them, then order the lavender ones from Kiki, then send them to me. So I probably won't get them for another 2-3 weeks. Which is fine.
I think I made the right decision. The lavender color is so soft and pretty! Yay!
I got the lavender amethyst studs and I don't really like them - they're insipid and much paler than shown on the website. Wish I'd never effing started this. I am NEVER buying this stuff online again. If I send them back I'll be out $116 in shipping.
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Jambalaya, so sorry to hear that it didnt work out for you. This really is my biggest concern when buying colored stones online.
ETA, it would probably be a good advice to only order colored stones online with a better return policy.
ETA, it would probably be a good advice to only order colored stones online with a better return policy.
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Ugh, I'm sorry Jambalaya! It can be hit or miss with colored stones I guess, you never know what you'll get - an option is to buy the loose stones from a CS vendor and have them set, this way at least you can get the color you want. It's more work though!
Thanks, Acaw! The vendor does have a good return policy but they are on another continent - no PS vendor would pay return shipping from that distance - I don't think ANY pay return shipping, period.
Junebug, thank you too.
I've decided to keep the earrings after all. They might disappear a little against my skin but they are a very pretty blush/peach/champagne shade. Once I'd gotten over my initial disappointment that they were not the saturated pink/purple shade on the website, I realized that they are indeed beautiful earrings. It seems so hard to photograph amethyst - it's always a different color than shown when I buy online.
I will take some photos of the earrings soon.
J x
Junebug, thank you too.
I've decided to keep the earrings after all. They might disappear a little against my skin but they are a very pretty blush/peach/champagne shade. Once I'd gotten over my initial disappointment that they were not the saturated pink/purple shade on the website, I realized that they are indeed beautiful earrings. It seems so hard to photograph amethyst - it's always a different color than shown when I buy online.
I will take some photos of the earrings soon.
J x
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@Jambalaya im sorry that you've had to buy and return pieces. It's annoying when the item you receive Does not look like the item you saw on line. Your early pieces are so cute though. The bee and the butterfly are so sweet. A bummer the return mail is expensive. Will you stick to buying IRL at NM?
Hi, LLJsmom, I've decided to keep the pink studs that are actually more champagne/blush - they're still very pretty, and extremely well-made. So I'm only out $48 shipping, but it did cut into the 5% discount.
The reason I've been avoiding buying at Neiman's is because it's much, much cheaper to buy from Berry's in the UK, and also Berry's has many more pieces to choose from.
My current pink studs cost $924 including the Berry's 5% discount, the shipping over to me, shipping the peridot ones back, and a 3% forex bank charge. At Neiman's they would have cost $1,265 incl. sales tax.
Usually I wouldn't have return shipping to pay, and I would use my other bank card which has a 1% forex fee - I didn't realize before. I might get a blue topaz pair, which will cost $864 including the Berry's 5% discount, plus the shipping and the bank fee. That's still $400 less than getting them at Neiman's. This is why I go through the Berry's hassle!
The reason I've been avoiding buying at Neiman's is because it's much, much cheaper to buy from Berry's in the UK, and also Berry's has many more pieces to choose from.
My current pink studs cost $924 including the Berry's 5% discount, the shipping over to me, shipping the peridot ones back, and a 3% forex bank charge. At Neiman's they would have cost $1,265 incl. sales tax.
Usually I wouldn't have return shipping to pay, and I would use my other bank card which has a 1% forex fee - I didn't realize before. I might get a blue topaz pair, which will cost $864 including the Berry's 5% discount, plus the shipping and the bank fee. That's still $400 less than getting them at Neiman's. This is why I go through the Berry's hassle!
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