So I bought some new stuff...

[icy_jade]

Icy Jade, did you go to the jewellery fair? I went today and it was a fruitful trip. Golay had quite a number of nice loose pearls and I bought several, including a pair of hard to find natural colour pistachios. Also bought finished pearl jewelry from Eiko.

Thirding the call for pictures! I need to see what sort of goodies people have managed to get at the fair haha. I'm hoping to take some time off from writing my thesis to go down :<

Go down soon! You'll be able to find nicer stuff before ppl snatch them up.

I've my loots in front of me as I'm typing this. Really happy with my latest pearls.
Now off to search for inspirations on how to set them.

Oh wait lemme highlight a totally gorgeous strand of Tahitians at Arkhe (booth e105). Passed them up cos it's similar to my multicolored wave strand but if anyone is interested this strand is nice n much cheaper than what I'd paid (think it has more surface blemishes n not as round but it's still a really nice strand with strong body colors).



Not the best pic but it's much nicer in person.

I also like the Tahitian ombré strands at TPC (booth e125).

Of course there is the dark blue at Golay (booth g107), and the GSSP n Wssp strands at Eiko (booth e112). Oh and Eiko has those mixed crystal studded beads strung with akoyas that I thought were quite nice too.

 

[YC]

I can only post the two Eiko rings. One is 12.5mm lilac and the other 11.3mm green. The side diamonds are just simple design. I just HAD to buy those two rings.
Icyjade, were you at Eiko at around 5? I saw a lady in black looking at SSP strands and wonder if she was you. Bought 4 pairs of pearls from Golay. My pictures are pretty bad and sorry, Flygirl, I will post them when I receive them. Left them with the vendor for drilling. Three are Tahitians (pistachio, green, lilac)and one is GSSP.
I also bought a pair of diamond studs. Was looking for diamond huggies but the studs caught my eye instead.

 

[icy_jade]

Oh I was eyeing the lilac pair at Golay too. Nice score! I really like your lilac ring from Eiko. It's gorgeous! Fat fingered me needs huge pearls. Think minimum 15 mm, sigh. Anyway no rings for the next few years until the kids are bigger.

Yeah if the person you spotted is pregnant that's me. I was there for quite a while vacillating between the strands I'd shortlisted, and learning more about what colors suited me in the process. Plus trying on earrings and stuff.

Will you be going back to the fair again?

 

[YC]

The lady (or was that you ) at Eiko was seated so I did not notice her tummy. Anyway, congrats on your pregnancy! Do post the photos of your purchases when you find time. Are Arkhe products better priced than the others shops?
Golay had a few lilac pairs. I bought a smaller pair so the one you were eyeing may still be around (I am assuming you were looking at larger ones). I thought that the loose pearls at Golay are nicer this year (or is it the effect of going on the first day of the fair?).
I do not think I will return. I fear I can't exercise self restraint and may max out my credit cards. What about you?

Btw, michellechan, you should go and take a look. There are some nice stuff.

 

[michellechan2211]

Btw, michellechan, you should go and take a look. There are some nice stuff.

Gotcha.Not too sure if I can make a trip down tomorrow.

 

[icy_jade]

The lady (or was that you ) at Eiko was seated so I did not notice her tummy. Anyway, congrats on your pregnancy! Do post the photos of your purchases when you find time. Are Arkhe products better priced than the others shops?
Golay had a few lilac pairs. I bought a smaller pair so the one you were eyeing may still be around (I am assuming you were looking at larger ones). I thought that the loose pearls at Golay are nicer this year (or is it the effect of going on the first day of the fair?).
I do not think I will return. I fear I can't exercise self restraint and may max out my credit cards. What about you?

Btw, michellechan, you should go and take a look. There are some nice stuff.

Not better priced I think, but they have some stuff that caught my eye and their specials boxes are fun to rummage through.

The lilac pair I eyed was marked at $1k and wasn't the bigger one. I've learnt from experience that I should max out at 11mm for studs.
And yeah, going on the first day helps.

I don't think I can return too. Work tmr and then mummy duties for the weekend. I'm quite tempted by the natural white akoyas but I shall stay strong. Anyway if I buy everything this year then next year I'll have less things to buy right?

Wish I have time to hunt for matching earrings for my new strands but yeah, duty calls...

 

[Tucs]

Beautiful rings, YC!

Icy, I can't wait to see your new additions!

 

[Fly Girl]

I can only post the two Eiko rings. One is 12.5mm lilac and the other 11.3mm green. The side diamonds are just simple design. I just HAD to buy those two rings.
Icyjade, were you at Eiko at around 5? I saw a lady in black looking at SSP strands and wonder if she was you. Bought 4 pairs of pearls from Golay. My pictures are pretty bad and sorry, Flygirl, I will post them when I receive them. Left them with the vendor for drilling. Three are Tahitians (pistachio, green, lilac)and one is GSSP.
I also bought a pair of diamond studs. Was looking for diamond huggies but the studs caught my eye instead.

Stunning Tahitian rings, YC! Yes, I see why you needed to buy both. Such beautiful colors.

 

[icy_jade]

Yc: which vendor did you get your diamond studs from? are they your regular vendor and will you recommend them?

 

[YC]

Yc: which vendor did you get your diamond studs from? are they your regular vendor and will you recommend them?

Hi Icy Jade, I will post the photos and details and PM you on the other forum sometime tonight. The earrings are made of 18k WG with 16 marquise cut diamonds (total 1.03ct) and 2 round diamonds (total 0.08ct). It was an impulsive purchase and I did not do any research beforehand. Just saw that the esrrings look good, pricing seems ok and I grabbed them.

 

[YC]

Tucs and Flygirl, thank you! I was really excited when I saw those two rings. They were colors which I have looking for a while but had difficulty finding.

 

[icy_jade]

Thanks YC and your new earrings look great.

Ok, managed to snap some pics in a hurry (gone are the days when I had time to play with my pearls in a light tent)...

- a Wssp strand from Eiko - 11.1-14.8 mm off-round with strong pink n green overtones. 35 pearls/28.1mom
- a GSSP strand from Eiko - 10.2-14.4 mm oval with slight pink n green tones (?) - 35 pearls/24.3mom
- a huge loose Tahitian drop from TPC - 16.3mm
- several loose pearls from Arkhe
- Wssp drops 10 mm
- roundish Tahitian n Wssp pair 10 mm
- dropish Tahitian n Wssp pair 11 mm
- 12 mm Tahitian that reminds me of an apple
And they are pictured with my earlier lot of loose pearls from Golay (t studs n drop) and Amsterdampearls (Wssp 11 mm drops).

Group shot:


Loose pearls:


The drop that captivated me... I had to have it...


The apple shaped pearl that amused me and the pair of matched Tahitians and wssp that I plan to make into earrings... More on that next time.

 

[icy_jade]

More of my wssp n gssp strands...

 

[icy_jade]

Oops was in a hurry n mixed up my GSSP n Wssp descriptions...

- a GSSP strand from Eiko - 11.1-14.8 mm off-round with strong pink n green overtones. 35 pearls/28.1mom
- a WSSP strand from Eiko - 10.2-14.4 mm oval with slight pink n green tones (?) - 35 pearls/24.3mom

Anyway since I'm back here are some of the other strands that I'd considered before getting the Eiko ones...

From Arkhe... The Wssp one on the left is rounder... But it did cost just a bit less than the price I got both my GSSP n Wssp from Eiko so it was a no...


This one from TPC costs almost half of the strand from Eiko so super tempting from a price perspective. But slightly smaller, and much more blemished so it was eventually a no.


The shortlist from Eiko. In the end I got the two in the middle. The GSSP despite diff in pricing from the strand on the outside cos it's darker n with stronger overtones. The Wssp cos the bigger strand was too 'exaggerated' for normal wear. It's a huge strand - 12.9-16mm. Just a tad less well matched, less luster n slightly more blemished. If I wanted a wilma flintstone that would have been it. Negliable price diff from my strand too so I was super tempted. But just too big. Couldn't imagine wearing it... Maybe if I'm a taitai to parties then maybe...


My final choice!


All of the above strands have above average luster compared to the other strands at the stores/booths. If anyone in Singapore is interested, I'm happy to share their reference number if you wanna have a look.

I also eyed a GSSP strand from Golay that also has strong overtones. But I think it's a tad less deep golden so I passed though I think it's less blemished. Didn't take a photo tho.

 

[michellechan2211]

Reporting back from the fair!

I paid a visit to Golay which had some nice things but none that were in my budget. What I did get were a pair of pretty nice and affordable GSSP studs from arkhe for my mom. Pictures to come.

 

[katbran]

Well I go away for 6 weeks and looks who's gone shopping ! My favourite pearl shopper IcyJ is at it again! Fabulous choices ! You have such a good eye - gorgeous gorgeous pearls ! You must have such an amazing collection..absolutely the best around. Thanks for posting the photos ... I definitely have serious Pearl Envy ! xx

 

[Tucs]

Oh boy, I am a bit overwhelmed by gorgeousness! Let me take a break and come back to this thread later. LOL.

 

[YC]

I am drooling at your finds.
The two pairs of 10 & 11mm WSS/Tahitian round and drop pearls. They look well matched for a pair of mismatched earrings.
Your SS strands look fantastic. I especially love the WSS.

 

[Fly Girl]

You have a great eye for pearls, icy_jade. Love the golden and white SS strands, and your loose pearl choices. Great color and overtones on that golden. So pretty.

Thanks for the photos.

 

[icy_jade]

Thank you katbran, Tucs, YC and Fly Girl. Love my new pearls so more pics to come as I couldn't resist photographing them today too.

Will post later when my boy is asleep.

 

[icy_jade]

Confession time... I hardly wear my pearls now that my boy is at that age where he finds mummy's necklaces to be irresistible. And with another on the way it'll be a while before I get back into wearing pearls on a regular basis. But I still love adding to my collection and one of the ways I enjoy my collection now is by looking at their photos (since I started keeping them in a safe I'm lazy to take them out to play plus not the safest with a curious toddler around)...

So here are some more photos that I took this afternoon. For the loose pearls I also find it helpful to have pics handy in case inspiration strikes on how to set them so I'll start with my new tahitian drop.



Pictured with my wonderful Golay drops that I've set to wear with huggies. When I spotted this big drop with it's intense colors it was lust at first sight and I'd immediately wondered if it'll be a good match to my earrings. I'd figured that if I let it go it'll be a long time before I find a similar drop so better get it so I don't have regrets. Based on visiting the past fairs I know that big tahitian drops with intense colors are really hard to come by... So budget be damned and a bit of bargaining later it was mine! Anyway this is sort of a category killer and I think I won't be buying/looking at t drop/pendantss for a long time with this beauty around.

Back home and placed together with my earrings... As I'd expected the colors are less intense and luster not as good. But given the size I can live with it. So now to think about pendant settings...

 

[icy_jade]

Ok, and then on to my SSP strands.

I was really hunting for a WSSP strand (again) this year and didn't expect to get both a WSSP and a GSSP at the same time. But when I was at the Eiko booth the GSSP strand that I eventually got was on display and caught my eye with it's strong overtones... So when I was offered a good price if I get both strands, I just couldn't resist...

This despite knowing that I won't be wearing the GSSP as much as the WSSP strand, and that GSSP in general isn't the most flattering shade against my skin tone (even Katsumasa-San from Eiko said so, ha). Anyway when I see the GSSP glowing in the cardboard box cover where I've placed all my recent purchases I'm really really happy... Here are some more pics. Hope I'm not boring you ladies. I really love the overtones.

I've also tried to capture some of the orient (?) on the WSSP but I'm not sure if you can see it from the pictures... And try as I may I can't quite see the green n pink tones that Katsumasa-san described but anyway when I was at the fair he was helping to do the drape test of the various pearl colors against my skin and he said that this variety/color suited me most cos it looks brighter against my skin.

Oki, enough of my ramblings. On with the pics!

 

[icy_jade]

The goldens are much easier to photograph.

 

[pearlsngems]

Gorgeous photos, gorgeous pearls, icy jade!!

 

[Fly Girl]

Love your big Tahitian drop. The colors look awesome with your earring drops. Great luster on a pearl that size is rare indeed.

Thank you for the additional SSP photos. You did a good job capturing the overtones and iridescence.

 

[Pattye]

Icy Jade, Wonderful collection of pearls! Love them all!

 

[Pirard]

Icy, where was this fabulous pearl fair located? Your treasures are stunning.

 

[Bailey1856]

All of your pearls are so gorgeous but that GSSP green/pink overtones are mesmerizing.

 

[icy_jade]

Thank you pearlsngems, Fly Girl, pattye, pirard and Bailey.

Icy, where was this fabulous pearl fair located? Your treasures are stunning.

Got my goodies from the Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair:
http://www.singaporejewellerygemfair.com
This fair takes place in October yearly.

There is another annual fair in July called the Singapore International Jewellery Expo:
http://www.sije.com.sg

Actually most of the Asia cities have Jewellery fairs. The scale differs as do the vendors that go to the fairs. Based on what I've read I think the Hong Kong one is the biggest, followed by the Japanese ones? If you ever visit Asia, maybe you can try to time your visit with a Jewellery fair. Should be fun to shop...

 

[icy_jade]

Wore my new pearls to work today and think they look great! Just the right size, not too overwhelming.
I think maybe I can go up to 15 mm but 16 mm will be too big.

And my sweet colleagues noticed them immediately. One of them even asked if I could bring both strands on the same day but hey I've only got one neck...