Takahashi strands — Preview of options being shown in Kobe. Any favorites?

[NY_Resonant]

This is really great information! And pictures to support your point. The pearls are not ready to be worn? Where do you get it strung? I’m in the NY area.

I was so rushed that morning at Takahashi that they did not have time to do knots when converting the strands to necklaces. I want to protect the pearls from rubbing against each other and from getting loose if strand breaks — so I will get them restrung.

I’m still researching best way to do that, I’d rather not ship them somewhere — fiancée will kill me if I do that! I’m meeting a friend next week who has been a jeweler for 30 years and will discuss with him.

 

[yssie]

Sent you a few IG messages to illustrate this but wanted to share some with other’s here considering buying Gem Luster with minor flaws from Takahashi.

Here is the worst surface pearl in the necklace:




Here it is at various distances:





Most pearls of the 47 in the necklace have decent surfaces. Here are the worst 5, with the one above amongst them:







That worst-pearl is the only one I can see the surface flaws from at a distance of 10 inches (I used a ruler) since it noticeably impacts the gloss and shapes of reflections. It’s one of the larger pearls at 8.7-8.8mm in the middle of the necklace. When I go have knots put in soon, it will definitely go next to the clasp behind the neck. Thankfully it’ll only cause a .2-.3mm jump in size to the next pearl so not a big deal in that position.

These photos are so fantastically helpful

For me, it's just like you said in our other convo - I have a surface smoothness threshold and once we're past my threshold I'm good! Vs. contrastiness and matching, where I really want to be at the top of the scale, less of a threshold situation. I’m guessing you're the same way on contrast!! But mayyybe I'm more forgiving of blemishing than you are and you're more forgiving of small colour mismatch than me? Maybe??

Sounds like the gem with flaws option would be fantastic for anyone who wants to maximize the visual impact of his or her budget

 

[NY_Resonant]

These photos are so fantastically helpful

For me, it's just like you said in our other convo - I have a surface smoothness threshold and once we're past my threshold I'm good! Vs. contrastiness and matching, where I really want to be at the top of the scale, less of a threshold situation. I’m guessing you're the same way on contrast!! But mayyybe I'm more forgiving of blemishing than you are and you're more forgiving of small colour mismatch than me? Maybe??

Sounds like the gem with flaws option would be fantastic for anyone who wants to maximize the visual impact of his or her budget

I do believe I’m definitely more forgiving of small color mismatches than you are, Yssie!

Not sure about my blemish “threshold” versus yours — so far on that necklace I have one Pearl that I *will* replace/rearrange and one that I want to replace…I can live with the others.

However, I do find myself appreciating the “smoothness” or Silkiness feeling that I get from the NW strand. It’s a subtle feeling but definitely there. I believe it’s that feeling which causes the eastern markets to appreciate surface-quality more than western markets?

Take your amazing AAA earrings, would you be alright with a spot/dip on that surface? . I know I‘d want clean visible-surface earrings.

For earrings, it’s a mind clean issue for me. I looked at the Etsy shop for one vendor you mentioned —- she has great photos and videos which is to her credit… But when I looked at a Gem AAA Tahitian earrings (Her description) and saw visible dips in the Pearls…I was shocked someone would call that AAA/gem.

 

[NY_Resonant]

These photos are so fantastically helpful

For me, it's just like you said in our other convo - I have a surface smoothness threshold and once we're past my threshold I'm good! Vs. contrastiness and matching, where I really want to be at the top of the scale, less of a threshold situation. I’m guessing you're the same way on contrast!! But mayyybe I'm more forgiving of blemishing than you are and you're more forgiving of small colour mismatch than me? Maybe??

Sounds like the gem with flaws option would be fantastic for anyone who wants to maximize the visual impact of his or her budget

I do believe the Takahashi gem contrast with small flaw category is a very attractive value proposition to maximize visual impact per dollar of budget. I would simply recommend people ask Takahashi for an earring pair that matches the strand — get it half drilled with no setting. If they find they don’t notice the blemishes, they have a beautiful earring to be made from the pearls. If they notice the blemishes, they can use the earring pair to replace the worst 2 pearls in the strand…

Worst case, the earring pair can be gifted or resold on loupetroop. Either way I think those dollars would be well spent at the time you buy a gem contrast with minor flaw strand.

 

[yssie]

I do believe I’m definitely more forgiving of small color mismatches than you are, Yssie!

Not sure about my blemish “threshold” versus yours — so far on that necklace I have one Pearl that I *will* replace/rearrange and one that I want to replace…I can live with the others.

However, I do find myself appreciating the “smoothness” or Silkiness feeling that I get from the NW strand. It’s a subtle feeling but definitely there. I believe it’s that feeling which causes the eastern markets to appreciate surface-quality more than western markets?

Take your amazing AAA earrings, would you be alright with a spot/dip on that surface? . I know I‘d want clean visible-surface earrings.

For earrings, it’s a mind clean issue for me. I looked at the Etsy shop for one vendor you mentioned —- she has great photos and videos which is to her credit… But when I looked at a Gem AAA Tahitian earrings (Her description) and saw visible dips in the Pearls…I was shocked someone would call that AAA/gem.

Ohh. Yeah. Etsy’s only good for FW, for me. The grading for most saltwater is wayyyy too loosey goosey for me. Pearlzaustralia would be my one exception to that, I trust her to adjust her evaluation according to *my* preferences. For other vendors the FW pricepoint makes it okay for me to forgive the looser standards.

… But when I look at all my pearl earrings together my FW are the only ones that don’t match well and that does bug me, I can’t lie

Actually my latest akoya from Takahashi are very smooth as well. And I found myself appreciating that more than I expected too! That lack of texture even at very close range. It’s a sensual little secret - very mind clean.

I still think you could probably remove the most objectionable pearls in the necklace and the knots would make up the length! Or maybe use a bigger type of clasp to gain an extra few mm. You’ll have to see how you feel once it’s strung properly though. I think I see silicone bumpers between the pearls right now?

 

[yssie]

I do believe the Takahashi gem contrast with small flaw category is a very attractive value proposition to maximize visual impact per dollar of budget. I would simply recommend people ask Takahashi for an earring pair that matches the strand — get it half drilled with no setting. If they find they don’t notice the blemishes, they have a beautiful earring to be made from the pearls. If they notice the blemishes, they can use the earring pair to replace the worst 2 pearls in the strand…

Worst case, the earring pair can be gifted or resold on loupetroop. Either way I think those dollars would be well spent at the time you buy a gem contrast with minor flaw strand.

That’s a great idea. Buy a “spare” earring pair.

 

[NY_Resonant]

Ohh. Yeah. Etsy’s only good for FW, for me. The grading for most saltwater is wayyyy too loosey goosey for me. Pearlzaustralia would be my one exception to that, I trust her to adjust her evaluation according to *my* preferences. For other vendors the FW pricepoint makes it okay for me to forgive the looser standards.

… But when I look at all my pearl earrings together my FW are the only ones that don’t match well and that does bug me, I can’t lie

Actually my latest akoya from Takahashi are very smooth as well. And I found myself appreciating that more than I expected too! That lack of texture even at very close range. It’s a sensual little secret - very mind clean.

I still think you could probably remove the most objectionable pearls in the necklace and the knots would make up the length! Or maybe use a bigger type of clasp to gain an extra few mm. You’ll have to see how you feel once it’s strung properly though. I think I see silicone bumpers between the pearls right now?

Haha, I was wondering if the slight color difference in that FW earring bothered you .

Great idea about the clasp! The necklace is currently ALMOST 17 inches. It has silicone bumpers but only on 3 pearls on each side of the clasp — the remaining 41 pearls have no bumpers. The current default Takahashi silver clasp appears to be 14-ish mm long. Maybe I can look for a long orbit type or a horseshoe clasp to gain some length… If I can get rid of 2 pearls i’m happy. I’d like the end necklace to be 18 inches or longer.
I also have those gorgeous little 8.1mm studs that match the necklace really well. Would be a big jump from 8.1 to 8.5mm but people do grannulated necklaces all the time right?

 

[yssie]

Haha, I was wondering if the slight color difference in that FW earring bothered you .

Great idea about the clasp! The necklace is currently ALMOST 17 inches. It has silicone bumpers but only on 3 pearls on each side of the clasp — the remaining 41 pearls have no bumpers. The current default Takahashi silver clasp appears to be 14-ish mm long. Maybe I can look for a long orbit type or a horseshoe clasp to gain some length… If I can get rid of 2 pearls i’m happy. I’d like the end necklace to be 18 inches or longer.
I also have those gorgeous little 8.1mm studs that match the necklace really well. Would be a big jump from 8.1 to 8.5mm but people do grannulated necklaces all the time right?

Yes! Those orbit clasps! They look beautiful, too. They don’t work for bracelets because they eat up too much wrist real estate, but I think they’re fabulous for necklaces. Or something vintage? Or if you want to go really OTT you could have a clasp custom made?

 

[icy_jade]

I was so rushed that morning at Takahashi that they did not have time to do knots when converting the strands to necklaces. I want to protect the pearls from rubbing against each other and from getting loose if strand breaks — so I will get them restrung.

I’m still researching best way to do that, I’d rather not ship them somewhere — fiancée will kill me if I do that! I’m meeting a friend next week who has been a jeweler for 30 years and will discuss with him.

Is it on a wire? The jap vendors all do it that way. The wire strung necklaces last forever, no need to restring unlike using strings and if the ends are done well, I think doesn’t break easily. I much prefer wire strung to be honest.

 

[NY_Resonant]

Is it on a wire? The jap vendors all do it that way. The wire strung necklaces last forever, no need to restring unlike using strings and if the ends are done well, I think doesn’t break easily. I much prefer wire strung to be honest.

I need to restring anyhow because I want knots for the extra length.