35-36" white round strand decisions

[diamondseeker2006]

Hi, I haven't been over here in a really long time! I have a few pearls but rarely wear them because of my extremely casual lifestyle! But I really enjoy wearing long necklaces around 36" or so, and I think a long white strand would be a perfect addition and something I'd wear. Years ago I had a 30" strand of akoyas, but I gave it to a daughter because I wanted better quality. Now I am at a crossroads because I want my pearls to be pretty white, and my Freshadama studs don't look really white to me. I want probably the 7.5-8mm in that length. They don't have a 35-36" Freshadama necklace listed, but I would guess they'd just match two 18" strands to combine?

I would guess hamadamas are likely whiter, but I am not sure those would be the best for my purpose, either, and they would be quite expensive in that length. It also kind of bothers me how thin the nacre is on Akoyas for that kind of price.

Should I go with Freshadamas or wait to see if they get metallic Freshadamas again? Or do POJ or PurePearls have something as good as or better than Freshadamas? The one linked below costs less than Freshadamas, but I have no idea if these are as good.

https://www.purepearls.com/freshwater-elite-collection-pearl-necklace-18-inch-7-0-8-0-mm-white.html

Thanks for your help!



I'd like to buy when there's a sale, so maybe near Mother's Day. If you have something made that's not on the site, will it be discounted?

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! I'm a big pearl fan! I went to the link you posted and I assume that is around your price point.
Have you looked at Pearl Paradise? They carry freshwater pearls in addition to akoyas. They also sell 35-36" lengths so you will not need to custom order. Here is a link I just pulled so you can see but you can surf and look at all choices: https://www.pearlparadise.com/colle...h-75-80-mm-aa-white-freshwater-pearl-necklace

I purchased an Akoya bracelet for my mother-in-law one year for Christmas from Pearl Paradise, and the pearls looked good. I must add though, they are not the same quality as Mikimotos which to me, are top notch and just glow and have luster like glass.

A few thoughts if I may:

- For strands that sit mid-waist, I prefer 8.0mm-8.5mm or even 9.0-9.5mm. I know you mentioned 7.5mm-8.0mm, but if you have not officially decided, you may want to test out a few sizes. I received my first strand from my parents (30", 7.-7.5mm) when I was younger. They were not the highest quality, but I loved them and I wore them to death. While I loved them when I was younger, I found the size a bit small as I got older. Hence the pearls I have purchased for myself are the larger sizes I mentioned above. You mentioned you had a daughter, so my guess is you are not a millenial! I think larger pearls on ladies look wonderful, so just my thoughts.
- For luster, to me, you cannot beat the luster of an akoya. No other pearl compares. I have looked at South Seas and other pearl types, and I keep coming back to akoyas for that glow. Maybe consider spending a little more on akoyas if luster matters to you (Pearl Paradise has good prices on akoyas). Or maybe consider Mikimotos?
- One final thought... how about getting a pair of akoya pearl stud earrings. Stud earrings are so simple, yet they light up your face and make your face glow. Can you tell I love pearls?

I hope that helps. Good luck to you! I am sure whatever you choose they will look gorgeous on you!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thank you, Miki! See, you made me think about a long strand from that other thread!

I have bought a couple of pairs of earrings from Pearl Paradise before, and I do have a pair of Tiffany Akoya earrings around 8+mm. My thought is either to get the best freshwater strand (Freshadama) if they look good enough, otherwise, I'd probably go with the hanadama Akoya's which I have read should be equal to Mikimoto quality. But I am feeling like those aren't so casual looking, but obviously I have not seen them. I just don't know how good PP's AAA Akoya's are. I prefer high quality regardless of which kind of pearl I choose. I am just afraid I won't think the Freshadamas are white enough. Maybe someone here has strands of PP's AAA Akoyas and can comment.

Oh, and as to size of pearls, I was just kind of guessing. I am not 100% sure on the size of the pearls I have. I do have calipers, so maybe I can check and see what size might be best.

 

[sarahb]

DS, Miki Moto gave you solid advice.

I too, would consider going larger in pearl size for a 35" strand--which is the same strand length I prefer also. Must of mine are within the range of 9.0/95--or larger. Some of my tahtion strands may have a few smaller pearl, but on average, anything less than a 9.0 would be small, especially for a 35" length. I have a few shorter 18", 20" lengths, but the 35"/plus is the length I prefer. The pearl collections of some of the ladies on PG are drool worthy though--ooo la la, I'm still a beginner compared to their collections!

Have fun on your search!

 

[mtsapphirelovingannie]

diamondseeker2006, the only white pearls I own are metallic freshwaters. Unfortunately, I can't offer much advice on the specific types you are considering. However, I think overtone makes a difference. I think silver overtone makes white pearls look "whiter". This is just my impression.

I have quite a few opera length necklaces and pearl size certainly impacts the weight of the necklace. Keep this in mind when you consider size. It looks like the PurePearls link included and option of a 35 inch necklace so it wouldn't be a special order. I'd contact Ashley at PurePearls. She was very helpful when I picked out my white pearls.

 

[pearlsngems]

Ashley also has a white pearls sale in the summer....that's when I bought my WSS from her.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

DS, Miki Moto gave you solid advice.

I too, would consider going larger in pearl size for a 35" strand--which is the same strand length I prefer also. Must of mine are within the range of 9.0/95--or larger. Some of my tahtion strands may have a few smaller pearl, but on average, anything less than a 9.0 would be small, especially for a 35" length. I have a few shorter 18", 20" lengths, but the 35"/plus is the length I prefer. The pearl collections of some of the ladies on PG are drool worthy though--ooo la la, I'm still a beginner compared to their collections!

Have fun on your search!

Ohhh, I'd love to see some pics of your long strands, Sarah! That's interesting about the size because I think of larger pearls for shorter strands and smaller for the long ones! But naturally Tahitian and SS will be larger than the ones I am considering anyway. I have a couple of pearl pendants (SS and Tahitian), but I wear long necklaces (of any kind) most, too. I never wear my 17" strand. I've been looking through PG, but @BWeaves is about the only one I've seen model her beautiful 36" strand of 8mm white pearls. I'll have to try to find more pictures of long strands with different size pearls. Thank you!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

diamondseeker2006, the only white pearls I own are metallic freshwaters. Unfortunately, I can't offer much advice on the specific types you are considering. However, I think overtone makes a difference. I think silver overtone makes white pearls look "whiter". This is just my impression.

I have quite a few opera length necklaces and pearl size certainly impacts the weight of the necklace. Keep this in mind when you consider size. It looks like the PurePearls link included and option of a 35 inch necklace so it wouldn't be a special order. I'd contact Ashley at PurePearls. She was very helpful when I picked out my white pearls.

I agree and would request silver overtone and not pink. If you have any 35-36" necklaces I'd love to see pictures, too! And please tell me the size of the pearls! Thank you for your suggestions!

 

[mtsapphirelovingannie]

I agree and would request silver overtone and not pink. If you have any 35-36" necklaces I'd love to see pictures, too! And please tell me the size of the pearls! Thank you for your suggestions!

I took a few pictures of my metallic white freshwater necklace with my Vietnamese round to near round Akoya multi-color necklace. The pictures were taken on a cloudy day and I was wearing dark blue. The pearls are in a Pearl Paradise box.

The metallic was sold to me as 6.0 to 6.5 mm but I really think the front pearls are closer to 8mm. The necklace is about 52 inches long.

The Akoya is 36 inches long and the pearls were sold as 5 to 6 mm.

I hope these pictures are useful to you.

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! On your question of PP’s Hanadama, it’s funny you asked because I actually compared.

I’m a big Mikimoto fan. I was looking at a 10mm, 38” strand of Mikimotos, AAA. To me, that would be the ultimate. Well, they were also the ultimate in price too! I heard about PP hanadama which Jeremy says is comparable to Mikimoto’s AAA. Well, they are not quite the same to my eyes. The PP hanadama’s are more like Mikimotto’s A+ and maybe a low AA. Mikimoto AAA’s glow and look like glass. They are just incredible.

I would say if you are okay with Mikimoto A+ or AA, the PP hanadama should work out great. They are very nice. They will be a lot cheaper too if price is a consideration.

I have four strands, and the grades are A, A+ and AA. Honestly though, you should look at each as my A+ strand I think glows more than my AA.

I also think the overtone makes a difference. I first thought I liked silver overtone but I find I like the pink overtone more and they seem to glow more and the silver overtone has a tint of gray.

Also, I wanted to share this from the other thread where we first started talking Pearls... I am on a business trip and I am in NY this weekend. Well, I popped in to purchase the 20-motif WG MOP. And guess what... geez... I didn’t do it. I was so sure, but in the end, those few MOP motifs did not have the same effect as a true long strand of pearls. This will be my 3rd time trying to love the 20-motif MOP but no, I think pearls make a better statement. I just wanted to share that as we talked about it in the other thread.

So, maybe consider a strand of Mikimotos? To me, they are such a classic but I know many people don’t care about a brand name and think it’s a waste of money. If not, the PP akoyas are very nice as I have seen those too. They are very pretty.

Good luck! You can’t go wrong with any pearls!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I took a few pictures of my metallic white freshwater necklace with my Vietnamese round to near round Akoya multi-color necklace. The pictures were taken on a cloudy day and I was wearing dark blue. The pearls are in a Pearl Paradise box.

The metallic was sold to me as 6.0 to 6.5 mm but I really think the front pearls are closer to 8mm. The necklace is about 52 inches long.

The Akoya is 36 inches long and the pearls were sold as 5 to 6 mm.

I hope these pictures are useful to you.

Those are beautiful!!! Thank you! I’d love to get some metallic whites!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@Miki Moto Wow, what great information! Thank you so much! This does really help me a lot. I pretty much also decided that pearls would serve the same purpose as the long MOP Alhambra, and I wouldn’t want everything in that line anyway. So it is good to hear you confirm that.

The comparison of the PP hanadamas to Mikimoto is extremely helpful, as well as your choices in Mikimoto pearls. Off hand, I think the only MM piece I have is a Tahitian pendant, but I certainly have always admired and desired the brand. I think pearls and diamonds are similar in that one has to decide if the brand premium is worth it. Part of my thinking is that if I started with a freshwater long strand, I could determine if I’d wear it enough to make the investment in a MM strand worthwhile. I have two daughters so I can always give them pieces I no longer wear! I’ve only been in MM once or twice when I’ve been in NYC or Las Vegas, and I do think it would help me to go there and really examine the pearls for educational purposes. But you have given me essential information that will at least help me compare what I can see online! Thanks again! (If you have any photos of your long strands, especially wearing them, I’d love to see them!)

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! I’m a bit photo shy for modeling but my favorite look for summer a long strand (or two) with white jeans and a loose silky shirt... ballet flats. Very casual.

Good idea to test out a strand! Since you are not sure if you will wear them often, may I suggest going with a 8.0-8.5mm? That to me is the perfect size for akoyas if I could only have one strand. My love though are my 9.0-9.5mm akoyas but yo might find them a bit too large.

Yes, I am happy to post some photos for you to compare! I happen to have two of my strands here with me in NY and here is what I mean by grade. Both of these are graded silver/white. The smaller 8.0-8.5mm ones on the right are 34” and the grade is AA. The larger 9.0-8.5mm ones on the left are 38” and is also silver/white but the grade is A. I honestly think the larger ones on the left that are graded lower have more luster! Mikimoto also has a silver/pink color that is really nice. I actually like that combo the best. Those are my 52” but I don’t have them with me to show you for a comparison.

It’s great to go to the store and try them on but honestly, I mix and match and the color difference is not significant. Pricing is by size, length and grade so color does not affect pricing. Pricing jumps as you get to bigger sizes. 8.0mm starts creeping up and akoya pearls max out at 10mm which is very expensive (to me at least).

I am a super super big fan of pearls (can you tell?). It’s chic, always in fashion, and for lack of a better word, a long strand gives a person “presence”, even when worn with a pair of jeans. I am sure you will look fabulous and love them.

Hope this helps.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@Miki Moto Oh my goodness, those are magnificent! It looks like you chose the yellow gold clasp and initial. So beautiful! I was thinking silver-white just because I thought they might be whiter and work with everything as opposed to the silver-pink, but I guess it is so subtle it wouldn't matter. My 17" strand has pink and I do like the color on me, but the long strand will be more against my clothes rather than my skin. You are likely right about the 8-8.5mm being best for someone getting one strand. I'll just have to see how the pricing is to help me decide! Although, I probably should just order both sizes from PP just to see how they really look wearing them. I need to see what their return policy is. I want to have them to wear this summer, so I need to figure out what I want! It would be a dream to have a MM strand, so I will certainly consider it! Yours are just gorgeous and I can see why you love them so much!

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! Thanks for the comments. On the clasp, it's a hodge podge but since you noticed (good observation), here is my story so you can decide what you prefer...

I am white metal/platinum person. I bought my strands at different times, and the first three strands were YG. At the time, it seemed YG looked better with pearls and my earrings were YG so my rationale was stay with the classic look as the clasp goes in the back anyway. With my last strand, the 38" I did get smart and bought WG. However, I wear the 34" and 38" together often, and one WG and one YG clasps looked goofy. Well, the next time I had them restrung, I asked Mikimoto to swap the 38" WG clasp with another strand that had YG. Now at least these two strands that I wear together have matching metal, albeit YG. I was going to swap all of them to WG, but guess what.. Mikimoto keeps your clasp and the M! This is for fraud to avoid someone using the clasp and M to string a non-Mikimoto set of pearls and trying to sell them as Mikimoto. Apparently these little clasps and Ms are hot on the black market. Who would have known? So I didn't want to bother buying three new sets clasps and Ms. That's my story why I'm stuck with YG clasps! Given the choice today, I would choose WG and ask they swap out the clasp (they will do it at no charge when you purchase).

With the bracelets, it did matter to me as you can see the clasps. I was also wiser and ordered them with the WG clasps. I would not have liked platinum rings with YG bracelets clasps. Whew!

On Mikimoto grade, honestly, knowing what I know now, I would go for the lowest grade. I have one more strand I would like to purchase and I will most likely go for the A. They are all gorgeous, and to me, the big jump is to AAA. Less than that, it's slightly better but not for the price difference. Any Mikimoto is supposedly already in the top 5% of pearls (if you care about that kind of stuff).

Yes I think you will like silver/white and I think it will go great with how you plan to wear it.

Okay.. another idea... how about getting two cheap strands of different size and lengths and play with them. You can also wear them together and see them "swing" to see if you like wearing two strands. If I may suggest a 30" (or 32") 7.0-7.5mm strand. And then a 34" (or 35" since PP has that as a standard length) 8.0-8.5mm strand. I say 34" (or 35") because I personally like the gap in the different lengths. But if you like a smaller gap, a 30" pairs nicely with a 32" for a long "double-strand" look. However, for me, I find when the gap is too close together (e.g. 30" and 32"), it looks more formal as if it's truly meant to be a "double-strand" (hope that made sense). Hence I prefer the 4" gap. With those two strands, you can then see which size you prefer and what length. Oh... depending on how tall and booby a person is, for me... I prefer long strands to land around my waist area (not the chest area) since the focus becomes the pearls swinging around the waist area. Or said another way, if a person is really tall or really booby, I think it looks goofy if the strand lands right underneath the boobs where the bra underwire is. I am pretty non-booby (aka flat-chested), so no problem for me on this front but it's from observation. This of course is all my opinion and I know everyone has their own preferences.

Well, I better stop now... I am sure I am driving you crazy (on the edge of annoying you I bet!) about pearls but I have literally spent hours on the sizes and lengths. I even made mock-up necklaces and drove my husband crazy with the exact lengths before buying them! So... I wanted to share some of my thoughts.

I recall PP has a great return policy as I ordered their hanadamas to test out against the Mikimoto AAAs and I returned them without any problems at all. Shipping was free too.

Sorry for these long posts! I am sure your pearls will be lovely! I can't wait to hear what you decided and your thoughts!

 

[cmd2014]

I found American Pearl’s AAA Akoya very similar in quality to Mikimoto AAA on direct comparison. They are more expensive than Pearl Paradise though. You’d probably be looking at $6K USD for a 36 inch 8-8.5 mm strand and $9K for an 8.5-9mm strand. They’re having a 15% off sale right now though. Mikimoto pearls are top quality, but few can afford an AAA strand - some of the larger sized ones cost more than my car.

Freshwater pearls do have a more yellow/creamy undertone than Akoya pearls, so if the body color of your pearl strand matters, I’d suggest not going that route. Baroque white south sea pearls might be another interesting option. They’d be a bit more casual than a white round Akoya strand (which always read as formal to me).

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@Miki Moto I'll reply to you in just a minute!

I found American Pearl’s AAA Akoya very similar in quality to Mikimoto AAA on direct comparison. They are more expensive than Pearl Paradise though. You’d probably be looking at $6K USD for a 36 inch 8-8.5 mm strand and $9K for an 8.5-9mm strand. They’re having a 15% off sale right now though. Mikimoto pearls are top quality, but few can afford an AAA strand - some of the larger sized ones cost more than my car.

Freshwater pearls do have a more yellow/creamy undertone than Akoya pearls, so if the body color of your pearl strand matters, I’d suggest not going that route. Baroque white south sea pearls might be another interesting option. They’d be a bit more casual than a white round Akoya strand (which always read as formal to me).

I think the pearl quality topic is enough to drive anyone insane, so I am very thankful to have people with experience comparing reporting on what they have seen!

So are you saying you think American Pearl's AAA Akoya would be as good or better than the PP Hamadama? Miki Moto said she thought the Hamadama's are not as good as MM AAA. Judging from what she has said, I likely would be happy with the quality of MM AA or even A if I end up with Akoya.

But you have just hit the nail on the head with your last paragraph. I want white. I don't want creamy color pearls. I have been looking at my few pearls today measuring sizes and comparing color. The Freshadama studs are so cream color compared to my Tiffany Akoya studs which appear silver-white to me. I have an Akoya strand that is more creamy with pink. But for my summer wear especially, I want as white as possible. I have dark hair that will eventually be silver-gray when I decide to stop coloring it (!lol), and I just have to have white. I do have a daughter with dark blong hair and blue-green eyes and she has two little girls with beautiful red hair and blue eyes and I can see them all in the ivory cream color. But not me. That's very disappointing because I did like the idea of solid nacre and the price. Thank you!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just looked and American Pearl's Hanadama strands are a good bit less than PP. I can't understand that, but it's good if they are equal quality. Then they have their Collection quality pearls that seem to be the very best with thicker nacre than Hamadama. Looking at the $6k range for those at 7.5-8mm and 36" before the sale discount which seems pretty good. I am not sure about the price jump to 8-8.5, but I am just trying to figure out the right pearls first. I do think 8-8.5 might be the best size.

Anyone else with American Pearl experience?

Well, I read elsewhere that AP Hamadama isn't the quality of PP. But that site may be owned by vendors promoted there.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Hi! Thanks for the comments. On the clasp, it's a hodge podge but since you noticed (good observation), here is my story so you can decide what you prefer...

I am white metal/platinum person. I bought my strands at different times, and the first three strands were YG. At the time, it seemed YG looked better with pearls and my earrings were YG so my rationale was stay with the classic look as the clasp goes in the back anyway. With my last strand, the 38" I did get smart and bought WG. However, I wear the 34" and 38" together often, and one WG and one YG clasps looked goofy. Well, the next time I had them restrung, I asked Mikimoto to swap the 38" WG clasp with another strand that had YG. Now at least these two strands that I wear together have matching metal, albeit YG. I was going to swap all of them to WG, but guess what.. Mikimoto keeps your clasp and the M! This is for fraud to avoid someone using the clasp and M to string a non-Mikimoto set of pearls and trying to sell them as Mikimoto. Apparently these little clasps and Ms are hot on the black market. Who would have known? So I didn't want to bother buying three new sets clasps and Ms. That's my story why I'm stuck with YG clasps! Given the choice today, I would choose WG and ask they swap out the clasp (they will do it at no charge when you purchase).

With the bracelets, it did matter to me as you can see the clasps. I was also wiser and ordered them with the WG clasps. I would not have liked platinum rings with YG bracelets clasps. Whew!

On Mikimoto grade, honestly, knowing what I know now, I would go for the lowest grade. I have one more strand I would like to purchase and I will most likely go for the A. They are all gorgeous, and to me, the big jump is to AAA. Less than that, it's slightly better but not for the price difference. Any Mikimoto is supposedly already in the top 5% of pearls (if you care about that kind of stuff).

Yes I think you will like silver/white and I think it will go great with how you plan to wear it.

Okay.. another idea... how about getting two cheap strands of different size and lengths and play with them. You can also wear them together and see them "swing" to see if you like wearing two strands. If I may suggest a 30" (or 32") 7.0-7.5mm strand. And then a 34" (or 35" since PP has that as a standard length) 8.0-8.5mm strand. I say 34" (or 35") because I personally like the gap in the different lengths. But if you like a smaller gap, a 30" pairs nicely with a 32" for a long "double-strand" look. However, for me, I find when the gap is too close together (e.g. 30" and 32"), it looks more formal as if it's truly meant to be a "double-strand" (hope that made sense). Hence I prefer the 4" gap. With those two strands, you can then see which size you prefer and what length. Oh... depending on how tall and booby a person is, for me... I prefer long strands to land around my waist area (not the chest area) since the focus becomes the pearls swinging around the waist area. Or said another way, if a person is really tall or really booby, I think it looks goofy if the strand lands right underneath the boobs where the bra underwire is. I am pretty non-booby (aka flat-chested), so no problem for me on this front but it's from observation. This of course is all my opinion and I know everyone has their own preferences.

Well, I better stop now... I am sure I am driving you crazy (on the edge of annoying you I bet!) about pearls but I have literally spent hours on the sizes and lengths. I even made mock-up necklaces and drove my husband crazy with the exact lengths before buying them! So... I wanted to share some of my thoughts.

I recall PP has a great return policy as I ordered their hanadamas to test out against the Mikimoto AAAs and I returned them without any problems at all. Shipping was free too.

Sorry for these long posts! I am sure your pearls will be lovely! I can't wait to hear what you decided and your thoughts!

Oh no, you are not driving me crazy! I am just like you... I am researching all this until I drive myself crazy! lol!

As I stated above, if all freshwater pearls like Freshadama are going to be cream/ivory, I am just not going to be able to use those. I wanted to try some for awhile and I guess I still could since one of my daughters has coloring that could wear them, but I still wish they were white.

Thanks for explaining the clasps! I love the MM clasps more than any others, but I am not sure I can justify the extra cost. I am just attempting to find what the equivalents are to their A-AA. But I think I will also go with white gold clasps because I also have all platinum rings and wear white metals the most (with the exception of a few sets such as the VCA, etc).

I saw a gorgeous MM long necklace second hand, but I am so afraid of the scams using the genuine clasps on non-MM pearls. It didn't have paperwork, either.

I am about 5'6" and I think I might like 38", but 36 is fine if that's what I have to do to have two 18" strands combined. I am not sure I'd ever wear two at a time, however I am open to the idea of pearl addiction and the possiblity of me changing my mind! lol!

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! I did not realize you were looking at American Pearls for $6K-$9K. I thought you were looking at a much lower price point, my bad. If that is your price point... for me, I would rather sacrifice length and grade to get a Mikimoto strand. You can get a 30", 8.0-8.5mm, Grade A strand for $13K. It's not that much more than $9K and you have a Mikimoto (if one cares about that).

For me, for pearls, I would go for broke and get Mikimoto but I would get it in the lowest grade. If I wanted no-name pearls, I would go with super cheap akoyas; I would not invest in no-name hanadamas. But that's my me and everyone has their preferences.

Here is a website that I use often to eyeball prices as the Mikimoto website has a very limited selection. Here are two strands which you may like:

30", 8.0mm-8.5mm, Grade A, Silver, $12,990.00
https://jrdunn.com/mikimoto-akoya-pearl-yellow-gold-30-quot-opera-strand-necklace-8-5-x-8mm-a.html

32", 8.0mm-8.5mm, Grade A, White, $15,730.00
https://jrdunn.com/mikimoto-akoya-pearl-yellow-gold-32-quot-opera-strand-necklace-8-5-x-8mm-a.html

This is to show you pricing as the color choice does not affect price.
If you want to add a few inches, Mikimoto can do that for you. You just buy the strand you want, tell them how many inches (they will actually measure you there at the boutique if you are not sure) and they will match the strand. It may take a while depending on what you purchase. When I added to my 8.0-8.5mm strand, it only took 3 weeks. But when I added to my 9.0-9.5mm strand, it took 3 months as those are larger akoyas and a bit harder to find. But you can custom later... get a standard length now and enjoy it!!!

Think of this as the 20-motif WG MOP which I totally agree with you on. I'd rather have a Mikimoto strand than the Alhambra necklace, and it is nearly the exact same price point as the 32" strand.

So much to think about it! But it's fun. Half the fun is the research to me and then enjoying the fihal purchase knowing I did all my research.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@Miki Moto I have focused on everything related to diamonds for the last 12 years, so I know exactly what you mean about enjoying the research and eventually the end product. I have focused on purchasing quality, although, I am happy when I can find good prices as a bonus!

I really went into this with no ideas about prices. I had looked at pearls a few years ago, but I honestly just put the whole idea aside, because I felt I needed to do a lot more research before buying. I bought a Mikimoto Tahitian pendant and a Kailis SS pendant, and I stopped there (aside from the few pieces I had before.) I guess it recently came to mind again because I do like long necklaces, and I decided white pearls would be my best choice for spring and summer, especially. So I am back to the research phase, and hopefully I can figure out what I really want and the right price range. I actually had a tab open with the JR Dunn site looking at the MM strands! It would really help if I could see some of the different kinds of pearls in person, too, since pictures really don't do justice to the high quality pearls. Thanks again for all your help!

 

[cmd2014]

Hanadama certed pearls can vary considerably in quality as it represents a minimum quality standard only. Many vendors’ Hanadama pearls don’t compare well with Pearl Paradise’s options. And American Pearl disagrees with the grade completely, so their limited offerings will not compare well (they say they are about an A+ on their grading scale and they discourage people from buying them). Ive never compared my Akoya strand to Hanadama strands from PP, but I have compared them to Mikimoto AAA and they were very comparable (I was in NYC when I bought them, so I took them to the Mikimoto store to see while I was still in the return window). They are also higher quality than the Hanadama strands I have seen in person in high end retail stores where I live.

AP has a good return policy, as does PP, so unless you are shipping internationally, there’s little risk. I’ve bought from both and have been happy with both. AP seems to sell higher quality pearls (everything I have bought from them has turned out to be gem quality so long as it’s labeled “true AAA”) but they sell their product at a much higher price point too. PP offers fantastic value for the price. I have bought Tahitians, Akoyas, and freshwater pearls from AP, and Tahitians, white south sea, and freshwater pearls from PP. I’ve also had good experiences with Pearls of Joy and Pure Pearls, so look around before you buy.

.Just as a FYI, Mikimoto won’t take returns except for store credit, so be sure if you go that route.

I would not go low grade, even in Mikimoto. The luster is noticeably lower and the surface quality is more blemished. Inexpensive Akoya have very thin nacre, and it shows. And freshwater pearls will always look like freshwater pearls (for good or bad) to an experienced eye. White south sea pearls give you the pure bright white, and PP has some relatively inexpensive baroque strands (if you like baroque that is). But sadly, even with pearls you really do get what you pay for.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Hanadama certed pearls can vary considerably in quality as it represents a minimum quality standard only. Many vendors’ Hanadama pearls don’t compare well with Pearl Paradise’s options. And American Pearl disagrees with the grade completely, so their limited offerings will not compare well (they say they are about an A+ on their grading scale and they discourage people from buying them). Ive never compared my Akoya strand to Hanadama strands from PP, but I have compared them to Mikimoto AAA and they were very comparable (I was in NYC when I bought them, so I took them to the Mikimoto store to see while I was still in the return window). They are also higher quality than the Hanadama strands I have seen in person in high end retail stores where I live.

AP has a good return policy, as does PP, so unless you are shipping internationally, there’s little risk. I’ve bought from both and have been happy with both. AP seems to sell higher quality pearls (everything I have bought from them has turned out to be gem quality so long as it’s labeled “true AAA”) but they sell their product at a much higher price point too. PP offers fantastic value for the price. I have bought Tahitians, Akoyas, and freshwater pearls from AP, and Tahitians, white south sea, and freshwater pearls from PP. I’ve also had good experiences with Pearls of Joy and Pure Pearls, so look around before you buy.

.Just as a FYI, Mikimoto won’t take returns except for store credit, so be sure if you go that route.

I would not go low grade, even in Mikimoto. The luster is noticeably lower and the surface quality is more blemished. Inexpensive Akoya have very thin nacre, and it shows. And freshwater pearls will always look like freshwater pearls (for good or bad) to an experienced eye. White south sea pearls give you the pure bright white, and PP has some relatively inexpensive baroque strands (if you like baroque that is). But sadly, even with pearls you really do get what you pay for.

This is great information, thank you! It surely does help to have advice from those who have already researched and bought from various places!

AP must be calling their AAA Collection Quality now. I actually looked on a google map to see where AP and Mikimoto stores are in NYC and they are only a half mile from each other on 5th Ave! It would help so much to see the different Mikimoto grades for educational purposes and then I'd have more confidence when shopping elsewhere.

If I want to start with a freshwater strand, AP's Elite costs less than PP Freshadama at this time. Do you think one is better than the other? I want the best of whatever I buy, but also the whitest. I can always wait for a sale. I only have the one SS pendant, but I think it is gorgeous. I am just not sure if I'd wear a short strand much, but it's tempting because I do like the pearls! I am sure I'll end up with Tahitians because I wear a lot of black and I could use some that are dark with silver overtone, if that makes any sense. lol! But I do know that I'd wear long strands the most, and that is why I am starting with that. If I see that I am wearing the freshwater one a good bit, then I can decide on the top quality Akoyas.

Is there a thread anywhere with your pearls? I'd love to see them! I've looked some on that other place where pearls are posted and there's an endless amount of pictures! I think I will be happy with a few classic pieces. But I need to focus on one at a time (unless there is a sale on something I want!).

 

[dk168]

DS,
For my money, I would put my name down with PP for some metallic Freshadamas.
They are like hen's teeth, however I did managed to get some when I was in LA in 2016 for the Ruckus.
I bought their last 2 full strands to make a double-strand necklace, and had to make up the short fall with other CFWPs. The lady who made the necklace for me did a great job with matching, however, I could pick out the stray pearls due to their shapes alone.
Due to my age (50s) and stature (5'2" and plus size), I would need 8-9mm for a long strand as a minimum, would prefer 10mm for certain. Good job long strands do not suit me due to my large chest!
It is possible to request for "silver" rather than "rose" tone pearls, which is what I prefer.
The team at PP is very helpful, and I would advise contacting them for advice. It is a lot easier if one already knows what one wants and have the fund ready, as they go to the Far East regularly for shopping trips, and can try and hunt down the items on their clients' wish list.
Good luck with your search. One thing for certain, the best Freshadamas will cost less than one of your rings!

DK

 

[dk168]

Just a thought, how about baby South Seas?

DK

 

[missy]

I'm with @Miki Moto, if you have the budget go for a Mikimoto strand. You like name brands and you appreciate quality and the Mikimoto name is all that. I dont think you can go wrong with Mikimotos. And I would do at least 38" @diamondseeker2006. I think it would fall at a better length on you. Can you post a pic of you wearing a long necklace so we can see if it falls right where you want it to...

So excited for you. I love white silver pearls and how breathtaking would a Mikimoto strand be.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

DS,
For my money, I would put my name down with PP for some metallic Freshadamas.
They are like hen's teeth, however I did managed to get some when I was in LA in 2016 for the Ruckus.
I bought their last 2 full strands to make a double-strand necklace, and had to make up the short fall with other CFWPs. The lady who made the necklace for me did a great job with matching, however, I could pick out the stray pearls due to their shapes alone.
Due to my age (50s) and stature (5'2" and plus size), I would need 8-9mm for a long strand as a minimum, would prefer 10mm for certain. Good job long strands do not suit me due to my large chest!
It is possible to request for "silver" rather than "rose" tone pearls, which is what I prefer.
The team at PP is very helpful, and I would advise contacting them for advice. It is a lot easier if one already knows what one wants and have the fund ready, as they go to the Far East regularly for shopping trips, and can try and hunt down the items on their clients' wish list.
Good luck with your search. One thing for certain, the best Freshadamas will cost less than one of your rings!

DK

Okay, I think you're right. That's probably the best of the freshwaters and something I'd be happy to own even if I later get an akoya (or baby SS!!!!) strand! For things like travel, I'd not want to worry about taking really expensive jewelry. Approximately what percentage more are the metallic Freshadama's over the regular ones? I will call them and see what they say. I would ask for silver overtone, also. Are there pictures of your metallic Freshama's? I'd love to see them!!! Thanks for your help!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I'm with @Miki Moto, if you have the budget go for a Mikimoto strand. You like name brands and you appreciate quality and the Mikimoto name is all that. I dont think you can go wrong with Mikimotos. And I would do at least 38" @diamondseeker2006. I think it would fall at a better length on you. Can you post a pic of you wearing a long necklace so we can see if it falls right where you want it to...

So excited for you. I love white silver pearls and how breathtaking would a Mikimoto strand be.

I think you are right that I need 38", Missy. I don't have a helpful picture, but I will post a picture of my 36" DBTY with another necklace that is 40-something. I don't wear them together without an extender on the shorter one. I'd like to have a couple of inches removed from the longer one, but I just don't have a good jeweler near me.



Yes, a Mikimoto strand would be a dream! I'd love finding a mint condition one second hand. I am going to be watching and see what comes up. Realistically, a shorter MM strand would be easier to find and more affordable, but I need to really evaluate what length I might actually wear aside from a long one. Thanks for your advice, Missy!

 

[Miki Moto]

Hi! Thanks for posting the photos. The necklaces look great on you! So... I have an idea (oh no... another idea from me... I promise, my last idea and then I will stop...)

First... a comment on the baby South Seas. Akoyas and South Seas are completely different pearls. Akoyas are know for their glow and luster, but the downside is they are smaller and max out at 10mm where the 10mm is very expensive. South Seas are larger but they are more satiny and do not have the glow of an akoya. If you want high luster, akoyas have the highest luster of all pearls.

Okay.. on to my idea...
Your DBTY necklace looks great on you! You can definitely wear long necklaces... you have a nice neck and it hangs great on you. You said earlier you were worried about pearls being too large. How about considering a Mikimoto 7.0-7.5mm strand and I think they would be fine on you. You could get a standard 32". Then, if you really love pearls, you could add a longer 8.0-8.5mm. For akoyas, the 7.0mm-7.5mm is a great price point. Akoyas that are 8.0mm or larger really start to creep up in price and every mm creeps up exponentially due to their rarity with 10mm being insane.

To give you and idea of how size impacts pricing...
My 38" 9.0-9.5mm strand was more than double the price of my 34" 8.0-8.5mm strand. The difference in length is only 4", but it's the size that make the price jump. Likewise, a 7.0-7.5mm strand will be cheaper (probably not by half though). For example, I also have a 52" 7.0-7.5mm strand and it is the cheapest of all four strands I have; yet it is the longest. So the size of the pearl greatly impacts the price, especially at 8.0mm and higher. My guess is the 7.0-7.5mm will put you i your price point.

One other thought when purchasing pearls... no two pearls are exactly alike, so when you purchase a strand the sizing is always a range (two numbers) and a matched strand should be within 0.5mm in size... as in 8.0-8.5mm or 9.0-9.5mm. If someone sells you as 8.0mm strand, it is very important to find out if it's 7.5-8.0mm or 8.0-8.5mm. That makes a difference in price because with the first, your largest pearl will be the 8.0mm vs. with the latter, your largest pearl will be the 8.5mm.

One day, I would love to hear your thoughts on diamonds... 12 years! Wow.. you are the diamond expert!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@Miki Moto Please do let me return the favor if you ever look for new diamonds! That is definitely my area!

It's interesting that you mention 7.0-7.5mm, because I got out my 17" strand last night and it is 7.0-7.5mm! So that gives me a reference point. I know smaller is too small. But I can see the possibility of 7.0-7.5 or maybe 7.5-8.0 would be at least one nice step up. I have definitely noticed the large jump in price in fine pearls at 8mm and larger. That's pretty significant when a strands of 9.0-9.5 are about double the price of the 8.0-8.5!