SS pearl necklace - white or mixed with golden?

[Phoenix]

Hello fellow pearl lovers!

Well, I haven't been round this neck of the woods lately, but glad to see that you all have gotten beautiful pearls!!

The pearl-holic in me has been wanting a SS pearl necklace. So, recently I went to have a look at some. There're some really beautiful and large SS - both white and golden. The golden ones seem a bit less expensive (the white ones - esp those with intense lustre, and silver overtones - are quite pricey) but don't seem to go so nicely with my skin-tone (sallow pale olive/yellowy Asian skin tone

). I'd still like to have some golden ones though, so I was thinking that perhaps I can do a mixed strand, alternating every white one with a golden one, or I could alternate every two white ones with a golden one. I mean I could do the all -white, but 1) they're more expensive (they run into thousands, if not tens of thousands, of USD's, depending on the roundness, lustre, lack of blemishes, overtones etc); 2)I'd hate to spend all that money and have other people think they're freshies (nothing wrong with freshies per se - I have some myself and love 'em - just don't want to spend the money to end up having a similar look, iykwim?).

What do y'all think?

Eta: ARRRGGGHHH!! I created a poll and for some reason it didn't work!!

Hope you can all chime in with your suggestions. Thanks.

 

[tag singer]

Hi Phoenix,

I had the same dilemma, although it was after (like many pearl newbies) I had already purchased a wonderful Golden strand from a trustworthy ebay seller. How could such GORgeous pearls look absolutely blah humbug on me? And worse, why did it take 6 months for me to realize it?! Ah, well. Live and learn.

But what to do? What a shame to let glorious pearls languish, lonely and unworn!

I sent my Golden necklace to the good people at Pearl Paradise, and they found a White SSP baroque/semi-round strand that would mix seamlessly with the Goldens into a beautiful (and wearable!) multicolored necklace. The extra pearls went into a baroque Pelosi rope.

Hope this helps. I''ll also post a photo of my White/Golden baroque rope (doubled around the neck) to give you some additional ideas.

Cheers!

 

[tag singer]

My 9.2 - 11.2mm AA+/AAA White/Golden baroque SSP rope. No mistaking these for freshwaters! Not that I don''t love freshies, too.

 

[cushioncutnut]

Hi Phoenix!! Good to see you back here! Love your avatar! After seeing Tags gorgeous strand -I think that is a great idea to mix the white and the golden SS together! The best of both worlds and I bet they would be gorgeous on you!
Tag.... PP did a great job putting that together with your golden SS necklace. I didn''t know they could do that!

 

[that_someone_special]

I think that sounds gorgeous!!!!

And welcome back

 

[Kay]

I love your necklaces, Tag! I don''t personally care for just goldens alone, but having the whites mixed in adds balance and lets the goldens really shine due to the contrast.

 

[Indylady]

Tag, I love your necklaces!

I think mixed strands are lovely. If your pearl collection already has a larger, all white necklace, then I''d go for the mixed SS. If not, then I''d save up for an all white SS, because I love the look of a larger all white strand.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 5/7/2010 9:53:06 AM
Author: tag singer
My 9.2 - 11.2mm AA+/AAA White/Golden baroque SSP rope. No mistaking these for freshwaters! Not that I don''t love freshies, too.

GOOOOOOD LORD, Tag!!! I LURVE your pearls!! What an awesome collection!!!

Please please please start your own thread!!

I love the mixed look too. Thank you for responding and for showing us your beauties.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 5/7/2010 10:16:08 AM
Author: cushioncutnut
Hi Phoenix!! Good to see you back here! Love your avatar! After seeing Tags gorgeous strand -I think that is a great idea to mix the white and the golden SS together! The best of both worlds and I bet they would be gorgeous on you!
Tag.... PP did a great job putting that together with your golden SS necklace. I didn't know they could do that!

Hey there cushioncutnut!

Good to be back. I see I've missed some amaaaaazing beauties on here - should have come back and visit often [slap own wrist!!

).

Yes, I agree that Tag's mixed strands are really gorgeous and look very versatile.

 

[LGK]

IMO the really big SS pearls look totally different than freshwaters- freshwater pearls tend to max out at around 11mm it seems like... I could be wrong of course, but I just don''t remember seeing bigger than that. If the SS white strand is bigger than 11mm, I''d never think freshwater.

That being said, I like the mix of the golden & white ones a lot better than just golden. But I am just not an enormous fan of golden and I think an all white would be a bit more versatile. But I just don''t like yellow in much of any form so I''m not a big help there

 

[tag singer]

Glad to help, Phoenix! I think you''d enjoy a mixed necklace. PP sent a pearl-stringing needle and silk along with the white SSPs so that I could experiment with different pearl configurations.

Here''s a photo that does the pearls on the larger strand better justice - the lustre and orient didn''t come through on the neck shot.

 

[HHPmom]

Date: 5/8/2010 4:11:17 PM
Author: tag singer

Here's a photo that does the pearls on the larger strand better justice - the lustre and orient didn't come through on the neck shot.

Wow, you are right about that. This photo is drenched with color and luster. Did you knot the strand yourself? I see the part near the clasp has bali-looking gold beads. That's an unsual clasp. Do you mind sharing where you got it? This makes me want to get a white and gold strand.

 

[collectingmore]

For what it is worth, my two cents are to get an all white huge freshwater strand if you do not already have a large white strand. They are not cheap though, but definitely less than a south sea. I have a 13mm strand and it is mistaken for south sea all the time. My white south sea strand is 14mm and has a more satiny white look, but they are very close.

Here is a pic comparing the two. The one on the left is the freshwater. The one on the right is my south sea.

 

[collectingmore]

For comparison with the all whites, here is a pic of my white south sea and golden south sea mix necklace.

 

[tag singer]

collectingmore,

Wow! Now those are pearls! Your W/G multicolor is especially eye catching. Yummy!

HHP,

No, I didn''t knot the strand myself (I wish!) The orignal Golden necklace was from Care Ehret - her 22k gold work is very distinctive. The clasp on my Cortez bracelet is very similar. Glad you like the strand!

 

[belgian_mussels]

Wow, this pearl necklace has a mirror shine!

 

[collectingmore]

Date: 5/9/2010 2:14:54 AM
Author: tag singer
collectingmore,


Wow! Now those are pearls! Your W/G multicolor is especially eye catching. Yummy!


HHP,


No, I didn''t knot the strand myself (I wish!) The orignal Golden necklace was from Care Ehret - her 22k gold work is very distinctive. The clasp on my Cortez bracelet is very similar. Glad you like the strand!

Thanks! I thought I had replied to your pics that your mixed strand was gorgeous, but can''t find it. They are lovely!

I love Care''s pearls too. I have one of her cook island strands and Sea of Cortez mabe set. I want a full sea of cortez strand, but that has to wait.

 

[Phoenix]

Thank you very much, everyone, for responding - particularly to Tag and Collectingmore for sharing pics of your gorgeous strands!

Well, I went to look at the pearls some more today and tried some strands on too. Unfortunately, the golden strands, as beautiful as they are only serve to accentuate my yellow skin tone. I tried both colours on together and the effect was more or less the same, meh!

I think you need to be rosy-skinned (like in being Causasian) for the golden ones to work!

So, looks like the white SS's won! I tried on a strand of very large ones (largest is 18mm) with silver overtone and that looked the best. Unfortunately, it was quite expensive (approx USD20k)!!

AND it wasn't even blemish-free!

I said I'd think about it. When I went home, I found two gorgeous strands on PP and on FF, the former is absolutely unbelievably GORGEOUS!!

but it has a price tag to match (about USD40k!!

). The FF (at USD24k) may be worth thinking about but I'd better start saving for it - for a loooooong time!!

I also found some single large SS's at the shop that may be more suitable - pricewise. I'll start a new thread on them.

Thanks again.

 

[cushioncutnut]

Date: 5/11/2010 5:53:47 AM
Author: Phoenix
Thank you very much, everyone, for responding - particularly to Tag and Collectingmore for sharing pics of your gorgeous strands!

Well, I went to look at the pearls some more today and tried some strands on too. Unfortunately, the golden strands, as beautiful as they are only serve to accentuate my yellow skin tone. I tried both colours on together and the effect was more or less the same, meh!

I think you need to be rosy-skinned (like in being Causasian) for the golden ones to work!

So, looks like the white SS''s won! I tried on a strand of very large ones (largest is 18mm) with silver overtone and that looked the best. Unfortunately, it was quite expensive (approx USD20k)!!

AND it wasn''t even blemish-free!

I said I''d think about it. When I went home, I found two gorgeous strands on PP and on FF, the former is absolutely unbelievably GORGEOUS!!

but it has a price tag to match (about USD40k!!

). The FF (at USD24k) may be worth thinking about but I''d better start saving for it - for a loooooong time!!

I also found some single large SS''s at the shop that may be more suitable - pricewise. I''ll start a new thread on them.

Thanks again.

Sounds like you have some fun but expensive decisions to make! It is hard to believe at times how expensive pearls can be...even more costly than some diamonds!! But I come to love how they come from a living organism and how precious and unique they all can be.

Collectingmore and Tagsinger.... OY those are just some beautiful pieces that you both have! Tag, you can really see the lustre in your strand...

Collectingmore, I just am drooling at the metallic lustre on your mixed strand. I am also impressed how your Freshwater strand gives your SS strand a good run for it''s money!!

 

[gardengloves]

Tag, that is outstanding- the golden mixed with south seas. Next on my wish list!

what a great solution to pick up skin tones... I also have similiar skin tones.. the south seas really brighten it up

 

[marcy]

Beautiful pearls! I can''t wait to see what you get Phoenix.

 

[oranges]

ditto to what marcy said! i reallyyyyy can't wait to see what you get--- your collection makes my heart sing

 

[iLander]

I thought I'd revive this thread since I saw some interesting variations on SS over on Jose's site and thought we could all enjoy a little eye candy:

http://www.tahitianpearls.biz/golden_south_sea_pearl_necklaces.htm

If you remember I had good luck with him, and I thought these were pretty usual strands.

How often do you see blue Tahitians mixed with SS?

And the first one is a little Wilma Flintstone (up to 16mm!) for me, but somewhere out there somebody is wearing this one.

And BAROQUE SS? Wild! Jose also has KESHI SS!

I thought these were all a good price and I found his pix to be really accurate to the RL strand.

 

[cushioncutnut]

I thought I'd revive this thread since I saw some interesting variations on SS over on Jose's site and thought we could all enjoy a little eye candy:

http://www.tahitianpearls.biz/golden_south_sea_pearl_necklaces.htm

If you remember I had good luck with him, and I thought these were pretty usual strands.

How often do you see blue Tahitians mixed with SS?

And the first one is a little Wilma Flintstone (up to 16mm!) for me, but somewhere out there somebody is wearing this one.

And BAROQUE SS? Wild! Jose also has KESHI SS!

I thought these were all a good price and I found his pix to be really accurate to the RL strand.

ilander you are going to get me in trouble with that website. The website caters to all budgets and he really has some nice values on his merchandise.....of course, everything I want is sold! I love that last strand! YUM!

 

[iLander]

I thought I'd revive this thread since I saw some interesting variations on SS over on Jose's site and thought we could all enjoy a little eye candy:

http://www.tahitianpearls.biz/golden_south_sea_pearl_necklaces.htm

If you remember I had good luck with him, and I thought these were pretty usual strands.

How often do you see blue Tahitians mixed with SS?

And the first one is a little Wilma Flintstone (up to 16mm!) for me, but somewhere out there somebody is wearing this one.

And BAROQUE SS? Wild! Jose also has KESHI SS!

I thought these were all a good price and I found his pix to be really accurate to the RL strand.

ilander you are going to get me in trouble with that website. The website caters to all budgets and he really has some nice values on his merchandise.....of course, everything I want is sold! I love that last strand! YUM!

I KNOW! Isn't it terrible? He has a bunch of new stuff since I bought my strand (and went broke) which I think is very mean of him!

I am considering giving these earrings as a holiday gift, because where else can I get tahitian earrings for $92? They are very funky and she loves funky. One thing about a jewelry gift is that it usually is kept for many years. Unlike yet another pair of fancy jeans!