ISO White Pearl Strand for Work

[Bravissimo]

My beloved antique store strand of cream pearls just broke for no reason other than it was old and I wore it to death. I get dressed up for work daily in downtown Washington D.C. and wear them all the time. I feel naked.

Looking for white freshies, Edison’s or Akoya for work. If you have a strand at least 18 inches or more that you just never wear and have been thinking about selling, I’m looking.

Me: 5’4, 112lbs and old enough to have some big nice pearls but not paid well enough. I am pale and blond-ish and 55. My go to work look is a business suit and button up blouse or shell or a dress & blazer. Pastels or jewel tones mostly.

Please post if you have a luster-y preloved white strand you want to re-home. I promise they’ll get used. $2000 is my limit. Graduated is ok. I know I could get something for that online new but Not very big and I don’t have time to buy a bunch and try them and return them.

PS I have a Tahitian black chocker but it just doesn’t go with my pastel vibe.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Do you still have all the loose pearls off the strand that broke ?
Silk doesn't last for ever and pearls need to be restrung anyway when the silk stretched especially on a strand that's worn often

Why don't you just get it restrung ?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

My beloved antique store strand of cream pearls just broke for no reason other than it was old and I wore it to death. I get dressed up for work daily in downtown Washington D.C. and wear them all the time. I feel naked.

Looking for white freshies, Edison’s or Akoya for work. If you have a strand at least 18 inches or more that you just never wear and have been thinking about selling, I’m looking.

Me: 5’4, 112lbs and old enough to have some big nice pearls but not paid well enough. I am pale and blond-ish and 55. My go to work look is a business suit and button up blouse or shell or a dress & blazer. Pastels or jewel tones mostly.

Please post if you have a luster-y preloved white strand you want to re-home. I promise they’ll get used. $2000 is my limit. Graduated is ok. I know I could get something for that online new but Not very big and I don’t have time to buy a bunch and try them and return them.

PS I have a Tahitian black chocker but it just doesn’t go with my pastel vibe.

Honestly if your budget is US$2K you should be able to get amazing pearls

Ask for your thread to be moved to the pearl forum so all the pearl lovers see your thread and can help

just report your own post to do this bottom LHS of your post in blue text

 

[Bravissimo]

Do you still have all the loose pearls off the strand that broke ?
Silk doesn't last for ever and pearls need to be restrung anyway when the silk stretched especially on a strand that's worn often

Why don't you just get it restrung ?

I am. But everyone is quoting me 30+ days. Does anyone know local restringers in DC? All I can find is NYV companies.

 

[Bravissimo]

I am. But everyone is quoting me 30+ days. Does anyone know local restringers in DC? All I can find is NYV companies.

Nyc

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I am. But everyone is quoting me 30+ days. Does anyone know local restringers in DC? All I can find is NYV companies.

There has to be someone local in DC

Like i live in a small provincial city in the middle of nowhere and the main street family jewler had someone local do mine

i bet in 30 days you could leaen to do it yourself and by then be pretty darn good at it

 

[elizat]

I would get yours restrung.

If you cannot find local, try this:

Pearl Jewelry Repair - Pearl Necklace Repair | The Pearl Girls

See step by step instructions for getting your pearl necklaces, rings and other jewelry repaired by The Pearl Girls. Get started on your pearl repair here!

thepearlgirls.com

Or:

PatriciaSaabDesigns - Etsy

Shop Premier Thread, Supplies, Gems and Pearls to Cherish by PatriciaSaabDesigns located in Portland, Oregon. Smooth shipping! Has a history of shipping on time with tracking. Speedy replies! Has a history of replying to messages quickly. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher

www.etsy.com

Some nice reviews on the pearl forum section. If you are happy with your stand as is, I would restring.

Patty offers restringing service. You can contact her on Etsy.

If you want a new strand, great, but if you are happy with what you have and just need a repair, save your pennies!

 

[lilmosun]

Not sure if its too far but Eden Center, in Falls Church VA, has a bunch of jewelers...some are quite affordable and do Pearl stringing on-site. I had mine done there years ago (one of the shops I know but don't have the name so you might need to stop at a few to get a sense of their pricing/expertise). As an aside. having a relationship with a couple of the benches there has saved me tons over the year.

 

[Bravissimo]

Not sure if its too far but Eden Center, in Falls Church VA, has a bunch of jewelers...some are quite affordable and do Pearl stringing on-site. I had mine done there years ago (one of the shops I know but don't have the name so you might need to stop at a few to get a sense of their pricing/expertise). As an aside. having a relationship with a couple of the benches there has saved me tons over the year.

Thank you! This is a great recommendation! My graduation pearls are in a similar state. Also really small white akoyas. They may need to go to my cousin for her HS graduation. I will take both to Falls church.

But honestly a whiter, bigger strand with more nacre/luster than what I have would be good.

I am still shopping preloved in the hopes a PSer is bored with theirs. Not a lot of opportunities these days to wear them if you’ve scaled back fancy socializing for the pandemic and I know people are out there doing spring cleaning or maybe they wear their Tahitians a lot more and would like the $ for a diamond project.

I’m leaving this here for now….

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thank you! This is a great recommendation! My graduation pearls are in a similar state. Also really small white akoyas. They may need to go to my cousin for her HS graduation. I will take both to Falls church.

But honestly a whiter, bigger strand with more nacre/luster than what I have would be good.

I am still shopping preloved in the hopes a PSer is bored with theirs. Not a lot of opportunities these days to wear them if you’ve scaled back fancy socializing for the pandemic and I know people are out there doing spring cleaning or maybe they wear their Tahitians a lot more and would like the $ for a diamond project.

I’m leaving this here for now….

Around here (PS pearl ladies) we even wear our pearls to put out the rubbish

 

[Bravissimo]

There has to be someone local in DC

Like i live in a small provincial city in the middle of nowhere and the main street family jewler had someone local do mine

i bet in 30 days you could leaen to do it yourself and by then be pretty darn good at it

DIY. Lol! I have a mom in the hospital with end stage emphysema who cannot live alone anymore, a 60 hour a week job that should be 40 & taxes due for us both. Maybe I can learn Pearl stringing but not til I retire.

 

[Bravissimo]

Around here (PS pearl ladies) we even wear our pearls to put out the rubbish

Yeah I am pretty sure that’s how I broke mine. I was hoping some diamond girls might want to relinquish their pearls to have money for a diamond project.

 

[mayaINaU]

Not sure if its too far but Eden Center, in Falls Church VA, has a bunch of jewelers...some are quite affordable and do Pearl stringing on-site. I had mine done there years ago (one of the shops I know but don't have the name so you might need to stop at a few to get a sense of their pricing/expertise). As an aside. having a relationship with a couple of the benches there has saved me tons over the year.

Can you recommend a jeweler there?

 

[Grymera]

I would get yours restrung.

If you cannot find local, try this:

Pearl Jewelry Repair - Pearl Necklace Repair | The Pearl Girls

See step by step instructions for getting your pearl necklaces, rings and other jewelry repaired by The Pearl Girls. Get started on your pearl repair here!

thepearlgirls.com

Or:

PatriciaSaabDesigns - Etsy

Shop Premier Thread, Supplies, Gems and Pearls to Cherish by PatriciaSaabDesigns located in Portland, Oregon. Smooth shipping! Has a history of shipping on time with tracking. Speedy replies! Has a history of replying to messages quickly. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher

www.etsy.com

Some nice reviews on the pearl forum section. If you are happy with your stand as is, I would restring.

Patty offers restringing service. You can contact her on Etsy.

If you want a new strand, great, but if you are happy with what you have and just need a repair, save your pennies!

I second Patricia Saab. She had mine done in a day and shipped back out to me.

 

[MelloYello8]

DIY. Lol! I have a mom in the hospital with end stage emphysema who cannot live alone anymore, a 60 hour a week job that should be 40 & taxes due for us both. Maybe I can learn Pearl stringing but not til I retire.

Hi! I’ve gone to Cara at https://carascreationsdc.com/ for my Pearl restringing. She lives in Georgetown. Good luck!

 

[Crystal_Dreams]

Can you give us an idea of what size pearls you might be looking for? Pattye is great to work with, but I can understand if you’re also after new pearls! I have a strand or two that don’t get worn, but not sure if they’re what you’re after.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

DIY. Lol! I have a mom in the hospital with end stage emphysema who cannot live alone anymore, a 60 hour a week job that should be 40 & taxes due for us both. Maybe I can learn Pearl stringing but not til I retire.

Oh dear
your poor mom

And Ouch the taxes

if you don't have the time we can help you find awsome new pearls - we'll get our @yssie and friends on the job

 

[Snowdrop13]

How about a mixed strand? This is lovely and well within budget.

For Sale - Custom Pearl Paradise South Sea harvest strand pearl necklace

Here is my loupetroop link :) https://loupetroop.com/listings/necklaces-and-pendants/pearl-paradise-one-of-a-kind-south-sea-harvest-strand-pearl-necklace

www.pricescope.com

 

[Bravissimo]

How about a mixed strand? This is lovely and well within budget.

For Sale - Custom Pearl Paradise South Sea harvest strand pearl necklace

Here is my loupetroop link :) https://loupetroop.com/listings/necklaces-and-pendants/pearl-paradise-one-of-a-kind-south-sea-harvest-strand-pearl-necklace

www.pricescope.com

That is beautiful! And I am still stuck in my white classic round ways. Lol.

And Yay! I called the first jeweler in Eden Center’s directory and they will restring my strands this week. (Seriously I called so many local places! Eden center was something I never would have thought of even though it’s just down the street from the Target I like so to the Pricescoper who thought of it.

So my new plan is to keep lusting after a gorgeous white strand and save my pennys until we can go to Japan. The giver of the splendid e-ring in my avatar spent 5 years there and used to speak enough Japanese to function. There I can hopefully snag some really pretty white akoya. I have been studying Yssie’s posts on certification etc and can see the advantage of buying there (although I do wonder about inflation and duty/import taxes.)

Does Takahashi allow in person shoppers? Is there a Japanese Pearl district like NYC’s diamond district.

I’ll start a thread in the Pearl forum for all these questions.

 

[lilmosun]

Can you recommend a jeweler there?

Hard to recommend as I think finding a good jeweler is one you can establish/have a relationship with. I also have no idea if what they charge me is what they will charge someone off the street.

In recent years, my go to has been Ngoc Linh Jewelry. Very affordable and and the owner will tell you if she thinks something won't look good or work they don't do. No hard sell (she knows my likes and will be the first to talk me out of things). I use them for all my basic bench work...her bench made these two rings for me...but they don't do CADs. engraving or anything that requires fine details. I also think they only work in gold.




I've used a couple of others in the past for purchases and/or bench work without issue. In fact, my pearls were strung at another shop before Linh opened. I'd be happy to recommend but I know them only by location not name.

One thing to know is that many assume cash when giving prices and will charge more for credit cards.

One thing I find unusual is the inventory - they carry high-end jade and D-E-F diamonds set in 18K+. Then they have lower end jade and CZs set in 14K. It's like it has to be high end in high carat gold -or- low end in 14K. Nothing in between lol. Before the cost of gold sky rocketed, I got a lot of affordable settings for my colored stones by shopping their CZ cases.

@Bravissimo let us know how it works out and if you have a new place to recommend!

And a trip to Eden's isn't complete without a stop at TeaDM for a ice cold drink

 

[mayaINaU]

Hard to recommend as I think finding a good jeweler is one you can establish/have a relationship with. I also have no idea if what they charge me is what they will charge someone off the street.

In recent years, my go to has been Ngoc Linh Jewelry. Very affordable and and the owner will tell you if she thinks something won't look good or work they don't do. No hard sell (she knows my likes and will be the first to talk me out of things). I use them for all my basic bench work...her bench made these two rings for me...but they don't do CADs. engraving or anything that requires fine details. I also think they only work in gold.




I've used a couple of others in the past for purchases and/or bench work without issue. In fact, my pearls were strung at another shop before Linh opened. I'd be happy to recommend but I know them only by location not name.

One thing to know is that many assume cash when giving prices and will charge more for credit cards.

One thing I find unusual is the inventory - they carry high-end jade and D-E-F diamonds set in 18K+. Then they have lower end jade and CZs set in 14K. It's like it has to be high end in high carat gold -or- low end in 14K. Nothing in between lol. Before the cost of gold sky rocketed, I got a lot of affordable settings for my colored stones by shopping their CZ cases.

@Bravissimo let us know how it works out and if you have a new place to recommend!

And a trip to Eden's isn't complete without a stop at TeaDM for a ice cold drink

Thank you for the tips! I always get bubble tea or iced coffee when I go… often have to stop in just for that. I’m interested in looking at some good quality jade so I will have to stop by and browse. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

What length are you looking for? I have a really nice strand white of gem grade freshwaters that I have never worn, but it's a long strand..like 36" maybe. I think you are wanting a shorter strand.

 

[Meg4]

@diamondseeker2006 if the OP isn’t interested, I might be!! I’d love to know what you are asking for them.