Show Us Your Mother's Day Pearls

[Genkibird]

Just a notice that if you missed the PP "giants" a strand should be coming available soon. However, be aware I think this was a return already before I bought it this week on a whim while shopping for a last minute gift for the mother in law. I was able to pick the strand the yesterday and although I believe this would have been fun to wear there is a long scratch along the face of one of the pearls near the front. A serpentine pin point like track that is better seen with a loupe. It is really not noticeable from a distance so it may not be an issue for everyone... I buy vintage jewelry usually on a weekly basis so I am usually fairly tolerant of flaws and items that may need minor repairs. For items like this natural flaws are to be expected but I do think this is not one of those. Anyway, from what I have read so far from others there may not be replacements available to switch this out. Today, as usual, the website has an infuriating endless loop when trying to sign in to send a message back about the order to verify this when they reopen. So back it goes. On the bright side the mother in law liked her earrings

Hi,is it the strand that clocks at 12.7-13.7?
Thanks (I have the opportunity to buy one that is available and want to make sure it is good , I think this would bug me).
Steph

Sorry I have not looked at this in a few days. No it was FBDN-16-WP 11.5-14.6 mm. You should be fine.

I have some difficulty showing in pictures how the "flaw" appears especially when using a loupe. Further complicated, I am guessing, by needing to reduce the size of the image for posting. Given that it is on 12th pearl down from the snap/tongue end of the clasp. Anyway in areas it was very regular pinpoints almost like the track made by a sewing machine needle and not seemingly fracture like. Although I could be completely wrong as I definitely am not an expert in this

 

[cmd2014]

I got one last minute purchase with the PP discount code, and they unexpectedly arrived today!

You all probably knew that I wasn't going to be able to resist getting earrings to match my new strand, right? (yeah, DH called it too...the day after the strand arrived he said "so are the earrings on their way too?" Busted!)

So, there was only one small complication in getting the earrings...Erin was too good at finding beautiful options to for me! She found me a gorgeous set of drops AND a set of off-rounds that would both work well with my strand.



It was too good to pass up, so I decided to get drop earrings on leverbacks and a pair of studs made.



and here are the ear shots! (please forgive my red ears...they always do that when I first put them in)

 

[cmd2014]

And if anyone is wondering about the difference between freshwater metallics and WSS pearls, I happened to be wearing my metallic freshwater drops today and my metallic white rope (both from PP). You can see how much more *white* the WSS pearls are. Even though the metallic freshwater drops are white with a rose overtone (and on their own look very rosy-white), they do have a creamy quality next to the blinding white of the WSS (I can see what BabyNurse meant by them being really *white*, and how they wouldn't look great on people who need a bit more warmth with their skintone).

The luster is also a smidge more metallic, although it is close. If the Chinese Edison producers are able to get the colours a bit brighter white, it will be really hard to tell the difference between the two.

You can see the difference when I had the strand on my neck while taking an ear shot:



And in the box on the black background:



On white paper it's a bit more pronounced:



And all together on the white paper:



So I have BabyNurse to thank for not keeping my strand, because otherwise I wouldn't be in WSS pearl nirvana right now! I LOVE these!

 

[cmd2014]

Oh, I am also curious to hear about whether anyone else's biggie pearls came in??? Icy??? Anyone? So many went out, and we've only seen a few pictures here! I've been hoping to see more!

 

[ClassyRocks]

cmd, those are really helpful comparison photos! Your new earrings are awesome . . . sort of making want wss too!

 

[icy_jade]

Oh, I am also curious to hear about whether anyone else's biggie pearls came in??? Icy??? Anyone? So many went out, and we've only seen a few pictures here! I've been hoping to see more!

Mine are still with pp awaiting the special order clasps... Will post pics when I get mine.
Can those who got theirs post more pics in the meantime? Neckshots etc...

Well done on those earrings cmd. Think it's a good call to get them when there is a code. Btw I have seen fwp as white as ssp so there is still hope for fwp.

White button fwp n poj metallics above my ssp. The buttons are a close match to the ssp but you can see the metallics are noticeably creamier. The photo is creamier than irl. The ssps are not creamy since I can't wear cream tones. Background is the pp cardboard box cover.

 

[ClassyRocks]

The PP cardboard is a great background reference! I am going to try to sneak some photos of my giant pearls with the local jewelers'
South Sea pearls this week. I am curious, since I was told my strand has a silver body color as opposed to cream.

 

[kalmen22]

Thank you for the pics. Very useful for me trying to understand the white white of ssp vs the more cream of freshwater.
CmD those ssp looks smashing on you.
Icy - the button do look like a good match for ssp necklace.

 

[ennui]

Thank you for the pics. Very useful for me trying to understand the white white of ssp vs the more cream of freshwater.
CmD those ssp looks smashing on you.
Icy - the button do look like a good match for ssp necklace.

I think the difference between wSS and freshwater is more than just degrees of white.

I only have a few wSS, and in a side-by-side, they always make my freshwaters look like cr*p.

The wSS pearls ... glow.

 

[Tucs]

Beautiful earrings, CMD! Both sets are gorgeous... I love that super white colour!

 

[Staceyjan]

And here's my new metallic Edison pendant from The Pearl Society (17.8x16.5mm). Sorry for the upside down first pic.

Seaurchin, you are a bad influence, I think I want a pendant, too. I love the color!

 

[cmd2014]

Thank you for the pics. Very useful for me trying to understand the white white of ssp vs the more cream of freshwater.
CmD those ssp looks smashing on you.
Icy - the button do look like a good match for ssp necklace.

I think the difference between wSS and freshwater is more than just degrees of white.

I only have a few wSS, and in a side-by-side, they always make my freshwaters look like cr*p.

The wSS pearls ... glow.

Yeah, I agree. It's hard to capture in pictures (you can't see it in mine either but it's obvious IRL) but side by side the freshwaters look almost hollow and delicate looking, and a bit more flat, while my saltwaters (WSS and akoya) look more solid, metallic, and bright with a lit from within glow. It's always been what has made me hesitate in the freshadama vs hanadama discussion as I have a hard time seeing how freshadamas would compare IRL. I wore my metallic strand yesterday after wearing my WSS for a while and I hate to say it but they didn't compare well, colour aside.

ETA: that said, I guess I expect to see a difference given that one is almost 10x the cost of the other. Plus, my metallic freshwater pearls still get admired every time I'm at a jewelers while wearing them, so it's not like they are chopped liver!