Confused: $5k moonstone earrings?!?! (Blue vs white moonstone)

[Pinkmartini87]

I see this listing below for a pair of $5k blue moonstone earrings, and have to ask, are these true blue moonstones (description says blue moonstone), because to me they just look like milky white moonstones with maybe a slight blue sheen? I’m a newbie to moonstones so I may be wrong here, but I thought the most expensive moonstones are those with a clear body and blue translucent sheen, and I don’t see that here…Why are these so expensive? (And I mean no disrespect to the vendor—I really admire their design/style in general, hence not naming the vendor, but just learning for me, am I missing something here? Since I joined PS I’ve started to more closely scrutinize the actual stones found in designer pieces…)



Case in point, I actually recently purchased a pair of white moonstone earrings from a different vendor than the one above, and they are a fraction of the above price, and to me felt like a price commensurate with the type/quality of moonstone (not top quality, but not advertised as such in this second case), and I’ve certainly enjoyed wearing them as an every day pair (and the Etsy seller was wonderful and it felt good supporting small business). Here’s the vendor’s listing for the pair I purchased for way less than 5k:



I honestly don’t see a big diff between the stones in the pair I purchased and the ones for sale for 5k—is the well known designer name to account for the mark up? (Again, no judgment!)

 

[icy_jade]

Clearly overpriced, and not top quality moonstones too

 

[JackTrick]

+1 to them being wildly overpriced.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Haha I thought you were posting the same earrings!!!

That's crazy prices!

Are they a super famous designer?

I've been noticing a trend of various wannabes who charge and arm and a leg for jewelry. These wannabes seem to be positioning themselves as a "brand". But they're not really. Craaaaaazy prices for stuff that doesn't seem particularly impressive (to me). Some of the prices make me think: Well at that price I might as well cough up more money for a proper brand like Harry Winston (I looooooove HW! Can't afford it but I do love it!!!)

 

[Crimson]

@Pinkmartini87 The designer moonstones have nice proportions and shape, and perhaps their texture may be better or they might be larger. However, 5K is too much, as @icy_jade @JackTrick and @mellowyellowgirl have pointed out. If the stones are truly blue sheen there should be photos and videos to back up the claim.
I agree with @mellowyellowgirl about the “wannabe” brands.
Here is my blue sheen moonstone.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@icy_jade @JackTrick @mellowyellowgirl @Crimson

Thanks new and old friends for confirming my own thoughts. I’ve recently hopped on the moonstone bandwagon so wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing something here. @Crimson now that’s a beautiful blue!

The, um, more pricey designer vendor has been a celebrated “small-batch” artisan for the last few decades. I first heard of him from a piece in the New Yorker, he’s supposedly favored by stars like Jennifer Aniston. I’m quite enamored with the elegant simplicity of his designs but turned off somewhat by his prices for what his website touts as one of a kind, hand cut pieces, the above piece being one of such. To be fair, he does make other “none one of a kind” earrings in the $200-500 range, so there’s something for everyone I suppose, from Jennifer Aniston to ordinary folks like myself.

I’ve sent emails in the past to this vendor re certain stones in his pieces and have to date never heard back (ie if the emeralds in another piece is treated, etc, etc).

PS has opened my eyes up to the world of colored stones, taught me to question and comparison shop since I haven’t the wallet depth of Jennifer Aniston Most of all, it’s been sheer joy learning more about gemstones. So thank you all as always for the education.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

Haha I thought you were posting the same earrings!!!

That's crazy prices!

Are they a super famous designer?

I've been noticing a trend of various wannabes who charge and arm and a leg for jewelry. These wannabes seem to be positioning themselves as a "brand". But they're not really. Craaaaaazy prices for stuff that doesn't seem particularly impressive (to me). Some of the prices make me think: Well at that price I might as well cough up more money for a proper brand like Harry Winston (I looooooove HW! Can't afford it but I do love it!!!)

You and me both, girl! Before the pandemic I went just once to HW just to look. Absolute rock heaven…

 

[ShinyPink]

Please don't post earrings on a photo. I thought the lady in the photo was wearing them. I was SO confused, until I realized I'm just ... confused.

OK. Carry on!

 

[dk168]

Way overpriced IMHO, even at "designer" prices, and there is no design to speak of, IMHO.

DK