A comparison between American Pearl and Moline!!

[uwodahikamama]

Ok so! Here’s the real deal, a somewhat critical comparison between American Pearl and Moline, with pictures!

I requested American Pearl to send me the best stud earrings they have, “collection quality”, with aurora/orient. I want the best and I have been looking for something that is equal to Mikimoto AAA but without the price tag. Is that a tall ask? Yes, it is. Especially now.

I waited a couple weeks for AP to get a new shipment in from Japan. They sent me a pair on the house because of a review I made about their TERRIBLE customer service. (I’ve honestly never had such abysmal customer service.)



First picture I’m attaching is a single pearl stud from AP. It’s very round, super clear, good luster. I am going to be critical and nit picky and I’d say it’s an AA. (Using the Mikimoto grading)
It’s nice but I wouldn’t say it’s “collection quality” at least according to my standards. ‍ Solid AA.




Next 2 pictures are an AP stud and a moline “gem quality” stud. Moline is the smaller stud. I think it’s clear which one is nicer. The Moline has a sharper reflection and more of a rose overtone as well as more iridescence. It glows!!

Moline is on par with Mikimoto AAA imo, but American Pearl is not. The “customer service” from AP is also insanely bad. Their chat just refers you to an email, they only sometimes respond to emails, and if you call in you always have to leave a message with some receptionist who passes along the message and they may or may not contact you. By email. (Usually not)

Moline has amazing customer service. Super responsive, honest, awesome upgrade program. I really could not ask for better customer service.

Presentation: AP was decent. However I do prefer Moline for presentation. His bags and boxes are higher quality imo and nicer. ‍

If you’re ok with AA quality and willing to pay their “collection pricing”, run around with their customer service/inventory issues, etc then AP could be a good fit for you.

If you want the best out there Moline is the only way to go. You may have to be patient. But he won’t oversell or lead you on. He delivers what he promises. Not to even mention his upgrade option, which I love, and better clasps on his AAA and above jewelry.

That sums it up, sorry it was so long! A picture is worth 1,000 words. Honestly if I hadn’t seen these pearls in person I wouldn’t know any better and would have thought AP had AAA or better quality. Only after evaluating in person am I able to make an accurate comparison/evaluation.

 

[yssie]

Have you compared directly with AAA and AA from Mikimoto? Would love to see any photos or hear your thoughts on that comparison.

 

[uwodahikamama]

Have you compared directly with AAA and AA from Mikimoto? Would love to see any photos or hear your thoughts on that comparison.

I haven’t bought from them, only seen pictures from Andrew next to a AAA MM strand - I’d love to go do a comparison myself!

 

[yssie]

I would recommend against making judgments on Mikimoto equivalent without direct comparison - if you got a direct comparison from Andrew on AAA equivalence that is of course valid, but I would be shocked if the AP matched Mikimoto AA. Mikimoto AAA and AA is not a large differential, the differential in your photos is much larger…

 

[lovedogs]

I would recommend against making judgments on Mikimoto equivalent without direct comparison - if you got a direct comparison from Andrew on AAA equivalence that is of course valid, but I would be shocked if the AP matched Mikimoto AA. Mikimoto AAA and AA is not a large differential, the differential in your photos is much larger…

Yeah, my guess is that AP is worse than Miki AA by a long shot. Likely not even as good as Miki A

 

[lovedogs]

Not trying to be rude, but the quality of the AP is honestly just bad. Not sure how much they charged, but they just aren't good. Nowhere near what I'd expect from "the best" of any high quality brand. Moline wins by 10000000x

 

[uwodahikamama]

I would recommend against making judgments on Mikimoto equivalent without direct comparison - if you got a direct comparison from Andrew on AAA equivalence that is of course valid, but I would be shocked if the AP matched Mikimoto AA. Mikimoto AAA and AA is not a large differential, the differential in your photos is much larger…

Oooooohh good point! I compared my AP studs to my AA necklace from Moline, but you’re right, that’s probably not a proper comparison.

I’d love to track down some MM AA studs and AAA and compare that way as well!

 

[uwodahikamama]

Not trying to be rude, but the quality of the AP is honestly just bad. Not sure how much they charged, but they just aren't good. Nowhere near what I'd expect from "the best" of any high quality brand. Moline wins by 10000000x

Yeah when I saw them in person it was clear they don’t have access to MM quality pearls, if they ever did! They do have very good marketing though. I was so disappointed that it was just misleading marketing. I really believed them weeks ago when I first started searching. I really thought I was onto something!

 

[lovedogs]

I feel like there should be a PSA about American pearl. The fact that some of their listings say that they compare to "mikimoto AAA" is insane, and a clear lie to anyone who has seen high quality pearls.

 

[lovedogs]

Yeah when I saw them in person it was clear they don’t have access to MM quality pearls, if they ever did! They do have very good marketing though. I was so disappointed that it was just misleading marketing. I really believed them weeks ago when I first started searching. I really thought I was onto something!

I'm sooooo glad you came here and found a better option!

 

[uwodahikamama]

I feel like there should be a PSA about American pearl. The fact that some of their listings say that they compare to "mikimoto AAA" is insane, and a clear lie to anyone who has seen high quality pearls.

Absolutely. I totally believed them when I started looking for pearls (before I found this forum). It is 100% a lie.
Some of their reviews and even on their website said that people looked at their pearls, went to Mikimoto and looked at those pearls, then came back and purchased from AP, claiming they were just as good?!
It sounds like nonsense to me, and I wonder if they got free pearls for saying that

 

[uwodahikamama]

I'm sooooo glad you came here and found a better option!

I’ve told Andrew more than once I’m sooo glad I found this forum and saw the recommended sellers and checked out his stuff before buying anywhere else!!

 

[lovedogs]

Absolutely. I totally believed them when I started looking for pearls (before I found this forum). It is 100% a lie.
Some of their reviews and even on their website said that people looked at their pearls, went to Mikimoto and looked at those pearls, then came back and purchased from AP, claiming they were just as good?!
It sounds like nonsense to me, and I wonder if they got free pearls for saying that

Lol either they're fake reviews, or it's people who are convincing themselves that they got something great for "a bargain" when they didn't.

 

[uwodahikamama]

I just showed my husband both and he immediately picked the smaller one
He knows nothing about pearls!

 

[molinePDG]

Just for full disclosure's sake I wanted to log in here and say that @yssie's philosophy of comparison is echoed. - you, no matter who you are, should try and do in person comparisons where you can. If you can't, ask for lots of pictures and it's a plus if there are comparisons available next to things like Mikimoto, Paspaley, Assael - probably the "Big 3"

Since it's my stuff, I of course don't want to seem biased, but I think it's good practice when you can to try and see how grades measure against each other.

What I do (and am honest about) with folks is I say, look, I have these Miki pieces that were bought fair and square retail, nothing sneaky, and they grade them AAA, AA, and A+ (I have examples of all of their grades), and here's how this compares to the particular XYZ. But that's still a very small sample size overall, and I don't have insider knowledge of their exact grading chart. But I feel like A) Miki is certainly the biggest and strictest authority on Akoya. And b) it would behoove us all pearl folk to try and grade strictly like they do. Just as an example, Mikimoto tends to consider color FAR more heavily weighted in their grading scheme than most anyone else does. So none of us truly know how they or any vendor looks at things without serious insider knowledge.

And none of this is infallible. When I first began in pearls, I would notice/not notice certain things that have changed the way I describe and consider things now. Over the years, I've made plenty of errors- none of them malicious of course, but in the end this shapes how humans all consider things within a human-created system that has no universal standard.

I'm rambling again, aren't I? well, I'll be off-- but it is always truly so nice to see some of you all familiar faces here when I get the chance to log in.

Andrew

 

[uwodahikamama]

It is my hope to find someplace close by soon to do some in person comparisons!
I’m confident the Moline will hold up to the Mikimoto grading, though it’s quite likely y’all are correct that I was too generous with my assessment of the American Pearl studs

 

[NY_Resonant]

It is my hope to find someplace close by soon to do some in person comparisons!
I’m confident the Moline will hold up to the Mikimoto grading, though it’s quite likely y’all are correct that I was too generous with my assessment of the American Pearl studs

You should definitely do in-person comparisons.

Looking at that AP/Moline differential, there is no way in my mind that the AP would get a AA Mikimoto grade.

AA Mikimoto is beautiful and people sometimes have a hard time telling AA and AAA apart in person (Especially if it's a "Good" AA vs a "Bad" AA).

I've never had the pleasure to buy from Moline but every picture i've seen from his customers show me that his Gem Quality is truly beautiful. Whether that means AA or AAA Mikimoto level, I don't know.

 

[uwodahikamama]

You should definitely do in-person comparisons.

Looking at that AP/Moline differential, there is no way in my mind that the AP would get a AA Mikimoto grade.

AA Mikimoto is beautiful and people sometimes have a hard time telling AA and AAA apart in person (Especially if it's a "Good" AA vs a "Bad" AA).

I've never had the pleasure to buy from Moline but every picture i've seen from his customers show me that his Gem Quality is truly beautiful. Whether that means AA or AAA Mikimoto level, I don't know.

You’re right, I had no idea the AA and AAA were so similar! AP isn’t even AA then. Curious to see if it’s like the regular Mikimoto stuff then
I live out in the sticks so most of my comparisons have been done via pictures, but I may be able to do some in person in a couple weeks.

 

[NY_Resonant]

You’re right, I had no idea the AA and AAA were so similar! AP isn’t even AA then. Curious to see if it’s like the regular Mikimoto stuff then
I live out in the sticks so most of my comparisons have been done via pictures, but I may be able to do some in person in a couple weeks.

Here are a few AAA vs AA mikimoto pictures for comparison of their difference:

 

[uwodahikamama]

Here are a few AAA vs AA mikimoto pictures for comparison of their difference:

WOAH that’s so close!!! I have often wondered what EXACTLY they use to determine their higher grading like AA and AAA.
They both look completely surface clean to me! And the luster!! what else did you notice about these 2? Maybe the orient?

 

[NY_Resonant]

WOAH that’s so close!!! I have often wondered what EXACTLY they use to determine their higher grading like AA and AAA.
They both look completely surface clean to me! And the luster!! what else did you notice about these 2? Maybe the orient?

The color matching and surfaces on both AA and AAA strands were top notch to my eyes.

The AAA had a small edge in luster. The AA strand in the second picture was a good AA.

On that visit I also saw a AAA stud pair that was visibly nicer than another AAA stud or that AAA strand… I still think I should have bought that superb AAA pair that day!!!

 

[yssie]

WOAH that’s so close!!! I have often wondered what EXACTLY they use to determine their higher grading like AA and AAA.
They both look completely surface clean to me! And the luster!! what else did you notice about these 2? Maybe the orient?

If you’re able to make a trip to a Mikimoto boutique happen definitely call ahead, let them know when you’re coming and what you’d like to see so they can arrange to have those pieces available. (They’ll be happy to! But inventory isn’t plentiful so they may need to have certain pieces sent out).

A lot of the differences that we all discuss here - it took ALL of us some time to learn to “see” them. And even longer to figure out how we personally prioritize what we see. None of us just #Knew from the start. @NY_Resonant #Knew quicker than most, granted But you’re in good company here.

 

[uwodahikamama]

If you’re able to make a trip to a Mikimoto boutique happen definitely call ahead, let them know when you’re coming and what you’d like to see so they can arrange to have those pieces available. (They’ll be happy to! But inventory isn’t plentiful so they may need to have certain pieces sent out).

A lot of the differences that we all discuss here - it took ALL of us some time to learn to “see” them. And even longer to figure out how we personally prioritize what we see. None of us just #Knew from the start. @NY_Resonant #Knew quicker than most, granted But you’re in good company here.

Oh that’s a good idea to call ahead! I don’t have any actual mikimoto stores, but there are a couple jewelry stores that are allowed to carry their things. I’ll call in advance and see what they have.

You guys are all so knowledgeable, I’m so glad I found you. Thank you guys for the help and info.

Personally I just want it as clean and shiny as possible, and those 2 strands definitely fit the bill! I have seen some variation in what they consider AA and AAA just in pictures online. I guess that’s what made it so confusing to me!

 

[yssie]

Here are a few AAA vs AA mikimoto pictures for comparison of their difference:

Love these pics so much. I think I say that every time I see them LOL. They are such GOOD illustrations of the topic!!

 

[lovedogs]

I've seen mikimoto grades in person, and the AP aren't even close to Miki A.

 

[NY_Resonant]

Love these pics so much. I think I say that every time I see them LOL. They are such GOOD illustrations of the topic!!

I'm still surprised the SA let me take that many pictures that day, LOL. It was a slow day and he was the only one on the floor...

 

[yssie]

I'm still surprised the SA let me take that many pictures that day, LOL. It was a slow day and he was the only one on the floor...

Probably the same SA! I work with one of his coworkers but he's helped me a few times