Show me your Pearls!

[mynattk]

I really didn't think I'd have the opportunity to post again to this thread any time soon, but today I was out shopping at an antique store and one vendor had a table piled with vintage costume jewelry. This little bauble caught my eye and I took a closer squint at the back of it and saw a 14k stamp. Since the price was only 9 dollars I snapped it up. It's only about 6.5mm if I had to guess, but I sure got my money's worth and had fun finding it!

 

[movie zombie]

a very lovely deal, indeed!

 

[minigirl]

you are lucky dog. i have no pearls.

 

[Travelngal]

Excellent quality Sea of Cortez red/purple 6mm keshi. My first collector pearls. I was extremely fortunate to get these. And now I'm having fun sketching ring designs. Can't decide if a two pearl ring would look right on my hand or if I should wait and find a matching center pearl or a contrasting center pearl.

 

[bluebirrrd]

Wow, that red/purple pair is really beautiful. I'm kind of sad I that found this part of the forum because I've now read all 20 pages of show me your pearls and now I must get some

Here is a necklace that was passed down to me by my great grandmother. She didn't speak English and I don't speak Korean, but we always had a connection even though I was just a child when she died. It's 18in and the pearls range from about 3.5mm - 7.5mm. I don't think white (not exactly white, not sure what color that is considered) pearls look good on my skin and I don't prefer graduated either, but I think it's very pretty. The bracelet was purchased in China at one of those government sponsored factory tours, if you've ever been. It was a cheapie and I wear it often. On the tour, the sales rep advised dark pearls for dark hair. She then held a gorgeous outrageously expensive dark strand up to my neck and everyone was literally oohing and aahhing in agreement. Must.get.a.dark.strand...

 

[gregchang35]

Necklace is 15mm Broome Pearl (my husbands)
Bangle 12mm Broome Pearl and 12mm Tahitian pearl. Mine.

 

[movie zombie]

loving the simplicity of your husband's pearl setup.

when are you getting your darker pearl necklace?!

 

[bluebirrrd]

MZ, are you asking me? I looked around and didn't see one I liked so I went for that lavender metallic strand on Catherine's site. I'm quite excited about them actually. I really didn't realize how far pearls have come so to speak. There are so many more exciting choices and amazing natural colors that I didn't know about before.

 

[Travelngal]

What is Catherine's website?

 

[movie zombie]

http://catherinecardellinipearls.com/

love to enable, TG!

 

[Enchante]

Hello all,

long time lurker and also long time jewellery fan. I love them all - diamonds, gemstones, and especially pearls!
Been acquiring for only a few years, so the collection is still very modest compared to many of the other ps members' extraordinary sparklies!

I really enjoy the designing process - working with a jeweller, and getting it set according to wishes, so I tend to purchase more undrilled pearls and loose stones, before deciding what to with them.

here is my favourite white south sea 'baby': 15.8mm, round, unblemished.

OK, talked too much already, pictures!

When it was undrilled



and subsequently set into a right hand ring. Took me a while to decide, kept the baby in the jewel box for a whole year before deciding to just keep it simple.

 

[movie zombie]

nicely done! i can completely understand letting that pearl sit until you could decide. i too am not one to rush into setting things....and i'm glad to see another poster that is not afraid of high sitting stones/pearls!

off topic: i'm very curious about the red cab in your other ring....

 

[Enchante]

Hi movie zombie, thank you.
The other ring is a Rubelite cab - it's about 12.50ct ( can't remember exact weight), with about 0.50ct side diamonds.
It was a celebration ring when I hit one of my career goals 1.5 years ago, so it has nice memories to it

Let me see if I can get a better picture and post it later.

 

[Enchante]

Off-topic: oops, got the specs wrong, Rubelite is only 12.07cts.
here is a better picture of it in daylight.

 

[Enchante]

Back to topic: more pearls!

These are the earrings I made to complete the set to match the previous white south sea ring.
They are an homage to one of the mikimoto classical designs.

All together:


Shot on the ears

 

[Enchante]

The first south sea pearls I bought: 12.3mm white South seas on a small diamond hoop.

I wear them very often because they are so versatile and wow enough without being OTT, so subsequently I added another pair of 11.2mm very pale goldens that I could change about with.

Together:


On the ears:



Taking pictures, editing them to right size, and getting them uploaded is tiring!

Maybe we'll have to wait till tomorrow to get started on my Tahitians.....

 

[movie zombie]

i love huggies and wear a set of pearls off mine as well....but i'd like to get another set of pearls to change on/off with the set i have now.

i love that rubelite! may i ask where you sourced the stone? the ring as a whole is a statement piece. i love the look.

i also adore the pearl earrings that go with the ring. what a lovely set. i really like the posts with a bit of bling....which is unusual for me as i'm not usually into diamonds. i like the look of these because i can see them as being worn casual or dressy.

awaiting more pictures!

 

[Enchante]

Happy monday!

Movie zombie: YES you must get another pair of pearls for your huggies, you won't regret it,maybe consider some Tahitians?

If you do, must send the candidates for professional vetting on this forum first......


on the Tahitians note, lets make this a Tahitians day, and let my Tahitians out to play!

Lets begin on a simple and cheerful note with these danglies. The gold hoop can be shared and interchanged with 13ct London Blue Topaz drops.



Staying with danglies, this 14.75mm X 17.80mm teardrop was a tad too big for a normal cap, so I had it set into a more 'fun' design, with little diamond dangles which are mobile so they can dance a little when I wear it.



These are the fun ones, lets continue with more formal ones below.

 

[Enchante]

This was my first baroque strand, 18 inches, pearls are graduated in size from 12.30mm-14.40mm. I love the different colours on this strand.


Baroque strand on the neck


For more formal occasions, I wear my round strand, 17.5 inches, pearls are graduated from 11.10mm-13.60mm, and they have a beautiful silver tone.


Round silver strand on the neck.

 

[Enchante]

With the round strand for more formal occasions, I had to get some matching earrings, so I got this pair of 12.60mm pearls to match it. I have to admit, I was shameless. When my jeweller asked me how I wanted them set, I directed him to the Cartier webpages...

 

[bluebirrrd]

Enchante, WOW, you have an amazing and beautiful collection! Great choice on the setting for the earrings. I bet a lot of heads turn when you wear them together with the necklace.

 

[Enchante]

Thank you bluebirrrd, I do love these Tahitians together because it has a really lovely and uniformed silver tones in the daytime, and yes, I have attended several client meetings with them, never fails to capture some glances.

Funny incident: one of my ex-bosses, who is a fashionista himself, took the round strand from me and he wore it around the office for an entire morning!

So men can appreciate pearls too!

 

[Anzu]

Black tahitian pearl studs that bought from Spain

 

[Enchante]

Anzu, these studs are very pretty! Love the peacock tones, what size are they?

 

[Anzu]

Thanks. It's 11-12mm.

 

[seaurchin]

Here are my white pearls. From the left:

10-11mm A grade freshwater, 36 inch, silver clasp. From Overstock.com. Look very nice from a couple of feet away, lots of bang for the buck, I believe they were like $80. Next to them are earrings from Overstock, 11-12mm buttons, silver posts.

In the middle back are my hanadamas. 7.2mm, from Pearl Paradise. This pic does not show how gleamy dreamy they really are. Pink-green iridescence.

The next pair of post earrings are 9mm AAA freshwater, gold posts, screwbacks (uncomfortable, don't like). They are my "classic set" with the 8-9mm AAA freshwater strand, 36 inch.

Front middle are coin pearls and gold.

In the very front, 6-7mm AAA double row freshwater bracelet with pearl flower clasp. Also very gleamy, look like akoyas. These are from The Pearl Outlet.

 

[seaurchin]

 

[seaurchin]

 

[seaurchin]

 

[seaurchin]