THANK YOU @Crystal_Dreams!!!! All my WSS wishes come true with Paspaley, WF, and Pearl Paradise ❤️

[Cerulean]

I’m speechless.

To be honest, I’ve never given WSS too much thought. I’m definitely still in the camp where I just don’t seem to “get” them.

This thread has converted me many times over. It’s rare that my gaze would fall to a WSS pearl if a top Akoya is sharing the spotlight in a photo - but DANG.

Your new trio is astoundingly beautiful. The color…that is what gets me! I honestly didn’t even know WSS could have overtones that were so vivid. I’m enthralled! I can’t believe that 14mm pearl in particular, and the net is just sublime. The rose gold is the perfect compliment.

You must feel so satisfied with your collection where it is right now. Yea, there will always be new things that strike your fancy, I’ve no doubt…but you truly have the best of the best in the just the right amount of variety. I’d be pretty proud of it, frankly.

 

[yssie]

Wow, I have missed a lot. I've been in a Rolex rabbit hole, and did not even know about this thread. Oh my goodness @yssie , that big pearl is like the sixth infinity stone. Just other worldly in their beauty. Thank you for sharing so much and letting us come along for the ride. Your pieces defy description, they are so beautiful. And that Lavalier...seductive and sexy and sultry and other words that are probably not allowed on this forum. Congratulations on scoring these and props to @Crystal_Dreams who hooked you UP girl. PSers are the best.

Oh I’m pretty sure you’re still down the Rolex rabbit hole, just sayin’

Thank you!! I’m so lucky to have… Well. All my pearlies, really And for real, my #source is seriously the bestest, she TOTALLY scored for me!!

I’m speechless.

To be honest, I’ve never given WSS too much thought. I’m definitely still in the camp where I just don’t seem to “get” them.

This thread has converted me many times over. It’s rare that my gaze would fall to a WSS pearl if a top Akoya is sharing the spotlight in a photo - but DANG.

Your new trio is astoundingly beautiful. The color…that is what gets me! I honestly didn’t even know WSS could have overtones that were so vivid. I’m enthralled! I can’t believe that 14mm pearl in particular, and the net is just sublime. The rose gold is the perfect compliment.

You must feel so satisfied with your collection where it is right now. Yea, there will always be new things that strike your fancy, I’ve no doubt…but you truly have the best of the best in the just the right amount of variety. I’d be pretty proud of it, frankly.

I hear you!! I was in exactly the same place for the longest time - I found them so boring. Like… WSS… They’re nice? Big. And white. Very, um, white. And satiny, and I like satin ribbon right… Especially compared to akoya with that super sharp in-your-face luster.
Seeing the colour possibilities and finding *my* faves is totally what turned me around too. And I do love the idea that Australian WSS are unprocessed - no bleaching, no “stain removal”, no dyeing, no pinking, no thermal or chemical nacre tightening…

The 14mm is the biggest pearl I’ve ever seen!! But the Paspaley website lists the regular sized Lavalier nets with 15mm pearls as the default size By their standards this thing is “petite”, I’m still getting my head around that

I was thinking about my pearl collection this afternoon and it really hit me - while it’s small it really IS very unique. Almost nothing’s off-the-shelf. Choosing my pieces took years of learning, and I definitely made a few mistakes along the way, and I’m so fortunate to have been able to find and acquire all these treasures. So many opportunities that fell into my lap at exactly the right moment. And it feels complete now Like you said - I think there will always be things I could want! But at this point I feel like I’ll actually wear everything I own, and that’s super important to me with my pearls - that I only keep pieces I’ll enjoy using. I really think I’m there

 

[yssie]

Pink today!! (RG) Lavalier with my (RG) WF/Moline sprinkle



The only two necklaces I’ve ever bought for myself both feature pearls, funny, that

 

[Cerulean]

Pink today!! (RG) Lavalier with my (RG) WF/Moline sprinkle



The only two necklaces I’ve ever bought for myself both feature pearls, funny, that

SHUT UP with this duo. Insanely gorgeous! And I love them with the bright pink sweater and your beautiful long dark hair...so striking!

 

[Cerulean]

Oh I’m pretty sure you’re still down the Rolex rabbit hole, just sayin’

Thank you!! I’m so lucky to have… Well. All my pearlies, really And for real, my #source is seriously the bestest, she TOTALLY scored for me!!




I hear you!! I was in exactly the same place for the longest time - I found them so boring. Like… WSS… They’re nice? Big. And white. Very, um, white. And satiny, and I like satin ribbon right… Especially compared to akoya with that super sharp in-your-face luster.
Seeing the colour possibilities and finding *my* faves is totally what turned me around too. And I do love the idea that Australian WSS are unprocessed - no bleaching, no “stain removal”, no dyeing, no pinking, no thermal or chemical nacre tightening…

The 14mm is the biggest pearl I’ve ever seen!! But the Paspaley website lists the regular sized Lavalier nets with 15mm pearls as the default size By their standards this thing is “petite”, I’m still getting my head around that

I was thinking about my pearl collection this afternoon and it really hit me - while it’s small it really IS very unique. Almost nothing’s off-the-shelf. Choosing my pieces took years of learning, and I definitely made a few mistakes along the way, and I’m so fortunate to have been able to find and acquire all these treasures. So many opportunities that fell into my lap at exactly the right moment. And it feels complete now Like you said - I think there will always be things I could want! But at this point I feel like I’ll actually wear everything I own, and that’s super important to me with my pearls - that I only keep pieces I’ll enjoy using. I really think I’m there

Your description of deliberations over WSS is spot on. And I didn’t realize that they were unprocessed - that’s what I get for essentially ignoring a whole faction of pearldom! That appeals to me a lot too.

You’ve given me hope that the right pair of WSS is out there for me somewhere. Not anytime soon, but it’s nice to know I wasn’t the only one who needed to warm up to them.

And your pearl collection has an aura around it - and the cosmic-like timing of each acquisition seems to make each piece that much more special!

Enjoy these rarities @yssie - you’ve earned it!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Pink today!! (RG) Lavalier with my (RG) WF/Moline sprinkle



The only two necklaces I’ve ever bought for myself both feature pearls, funny, that

You look like a million bucks! I love that color. Just stunning. Ugh I’m dead

 

[ittypea]

Pink today!! (RG) Lavalier with my (RG) WF/Moline sprinkle



The only two necklaces I’ve ever bought for myself both feature pearls, funny, that

Wow wow wow!

I am so glad I dove into this world of pearls and have been able to ogle over your and other PSer's gorgeous pieces! Your trio and the PP studs are breathtaking and totally changes the impression I've had about WSS.

It's so oddly satisfying (is it just me?) to see a picture of just a cluster of pearls. I've always liked collecting loose stones when I was little. I TOTALLY get it when you said you don't want to drill the 14mm WSS! It'd be such a dream come true for me to have just a little crystal box filled with undrilled pearls and unset gemstones. Just as a display and I imagine I'd just want to play with it... It'll be my million dollar box and I'll know that I've finally made it in life but the net necklace offers such a great way to keep the pearl intact and wearable!

Everything is gorgeous, thanks for sharing the eye candy and congrats on your very very satisfying purchases!

 

[yssie]

that they were unprocessed

So my understanding is that Australian WSS tend to be quite nice - of course there’s always a range but on the whole - and one of the “selling points” so to speak is that they are unprocessed (besides polishing), whereas Indonesian WSS are on the whole of lower quality and are more likely to have been subjected to shenanigans-by-any-other-names.

Companies that advertise Australian South Sea pearls - but that are either based out of Japan/Hong Kong or that buy their Australian South Sea pearls from East Asia markets/suppliers… I don’t know whether they routinely maintain any no-processing guarantees. I’ve read on the other forum that reality is basically that as soon as a white pearl touches Japanese soil it’ll be sent through some sort of maeshori

And the distinction between Australian and Indonesian WSS seems like it’s banked on trust that everyone in the food chain is being honest in their descriptions; I don’t know of any way to definitively determine geographic origin since it’s the exact same oyster species (Pinctada maxima). Just differences in water, and environment, and I’m sure protocols for implant and nurture and harvest. But maybe that creates some reliable and repeatable differentiators?

Maybe @katbran or @molinePDG could share some insights?

 

[yssie]

Your description of deliberations over WSS is spot on. And I didn’t realize that they were unprocessed - that’s what I get for essentially ignoring a whole faction of pearldom! That appeals to me a lot too.

You’ve given me hope that the right pair of WSS is out there for me somewhere. Not anytime soon, but it’s nice to know I wasn’t the only one who needed to warm up to them.

And your pearl collection has an aura around it - and the cosmic-like timing of each acquisition seems to make each piece that much more special!

Enjoy these rarities @yssie - you’ve earned it!

That house thing is really getting in the way
Yes! No - you aren’t! Same exact place! TBH I still prefer akoya lustre but WSS can redeem themselves with their colour play

And gosh. My collection is positively preening

You look like a million bucks! I love that color. Just stunning. Ugh I’m dead

Thank you so much!!!!

Wow wow wow!

I am so glad I dove into this world of pearls and have been able to ogle over your and other PSer's gorgeous pieces! Your trio and the PP studs are breathtaking and totally changes the impression I've had about WSS.

It's so oddly satisfying (is it just me?) to see a picture of just a cluster of pearls. I've always liked collecting loose stones when I was little. I TOTALLY get it when you said you don't want to drill the 14mm WSS! It'd be such a dream come true for me to have just a little crystal box filled with undrilled pearls and unset gemstones. Just as a display and I imagine I'd just want to play with it... It'll be my million dollar box and I'll know that I've finally made it in life but the net necklace offers such a great way to keep the pearl intact and wearable!

Everything is gorgeous, thanks for sharing the eye candy and congrats on your very very satisfying purchases!

Thank you!!

Okay I’m laughing out loud though, your dream come true is a little box of unset gemstones that you can play with - and the very thought of a box full of unset gemstones makes me antsy and angsty Pearls have made me realize that I don’t do well with stones that aren’t being used
But I know I’m in a very small minority on that one And I have a feeling we’ll be seeing your box sooner than later!!

 

[ittypea]

Hah, It's funny how different things spark joy for each and every one of us! So I currently work at a place that has a lot of limitations on what I can and cannot wear jewelry-wise, like 5mm limit on studs, no more than 3 rings, no visible necklace/bracelet, etc. Maybe that's why I'd rather just "play and hold" the blings?! I'll slowly start building now! By the time I can move on from my current employment, I hope I'll have a pearl wardrobe as special as yours!

 

[yssie]

Oh! Well. Yes, I can certainly see how that would put a crimp in setting things!
But oh my goodness, once you’ve bought all those stones, imagine how much FUN you’ll have mounting them when you move on!!!! What a blast!!

Hah, It's funny how different things spark joy for each and every one of us! So I currently work at a place that has a lot of limitations on what I can and cannot wear jewelry-wise, like 5mm limit on studs, no more than 3 rings, no visible necklace/bracelet, etc. Maybe that's why I'd rather just "play and hold" the blings?! I'll slowly start building now! By the time I can move on from my current employment, I hope I'll have a pearl wardrobe as special as yours!

 

[molinePDG]

I'll defer expertise to @katbran who is more in the know on south sea

But in short, "every" white south sea pearl is Australian when you're buying them, lol.

There are some genuine Australian wholesale companies that can be sourced from, so obviously this is reliable and trustworthy. Otherwise, general wholesalers that simply "sell pearls" -- well, let's just say that it would be literally impossible by numbers if they were all actually Australian. So it's a very case by case basis on that.

There's no particular way to tell. And there's nothing inherently wrong about Indonesian WSS. But they're just known for being a little less expensive and usually more treated (not necessarily bad, again) than their Australian counterparts.

 

[CoolKat]

I am still picking up my jaw from the floor! LOVE LOVE LOVE the net necklace, yssie! And the singleton! Oh my gosh...!

Congrats on these marvelous pieces & scoring your "finally final" for now...

And thank you for being so generous in sharing your pearl knowledge in the forum. Always fun to read your threads that detailing on how you choose a pearl/vendor/settings etc - it's like we get a glimpse of what was inside your head while you were musing all of these thoughts processes. And then seeing the final products! Oh my!

I better stop my rambling - I am definitely fan-girling here

 

[MrsBlue]

Just this morning I was thinking about maybe getting a tin cup necklace and looked at a few online but rejected all of them because they weren't really what I had in mind.

Then you go and post something like this. Sprinkle necklace, she says. Moline. Whiteflash.

Right now I feel like a character in the Matrix. Eyelids fluttering madly while my brain downloads the possibilities.

 

[yssie]

I am still picking up my jaw from the floor! LOVE LOVE LOVE the net necklace, yssie! And the singleton! Oh my gosh...!

Congrats on these marvelous pieces & scoring your "finally final" for now...

And thank you for being so generous in sharing your pearl knowledge in the forum. Always fun to read your threads that detailing on how you choose a pearl/vendor/settings etc - it's like we get a glimpse of what was inside your head while you were musing all of these thoughts processes. And then seeing the final products! Oh my!

I better stop my rambling - I am definitely fan-girling here

Thank you so much!!

I'm #pearlcomplete!! And thank goodness I got some photos of these last week because I've caught a sniffle and my nose is rudolphous

I was sorting papers (on my desk, yeah, it's been a while...) and I didn't notice when I bought but the sales receipt actually lists carat weights for the pearls



But what I *did* do once upon a time when everything was loose was weigh a whole bunch of pearls...
- 14mm WSS, undrilled = 4.208g
- 13.4mm WSS, half-drilled (1mm) = 3.529g, 3.455g
- 12.6mm WSS, undrilled = 2.922g, 2.894g
- 11.9mm WSS, half-drilled (0.9mm) = 2.422g, 2.394g
- 9.7mm akoya, half-drilled (0.8mm) = 1.279g, 1.275g
So yeah, um, I guess those numbers do add up

Just this morning I was thinking about maybe getting a tin cup necklace and looked at a few online but rejected all of them because they weren't really what I had in mind.

Then you go and post something like this. Sprinkle necklace, she says. Moline. Whiteflash.

Right now I feel like a character in the Matrix. Eyelids fluttering madly while my brain downloads the possibilities.

Huh, I guess I never posted a thread here in pearls did I? Here's the original thread for that sprinkle And yes! Isn't that word so much nicer than boring ol' "by the X"!?
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/something-old-and-something-new-from-whiteflash.263243/

 

[lulu_ma]

Just came back on this thread to drool. That lavalier necklace is just next level!

 

[Beagles]

So late to this thread, but WOW and WOW again! When I saw the word "Paspaley" I knew it was going to be epic, but this totally blew me away. Congratulations on your incredible WSS pendant and studs. Dang they are gorgeous!

 

[icy_jade]

@yssie

Couldn’t help thinking how much fun you would have at the Hong Kong shows if things go back to normal. So many gorgeous pearls at those shows that you will feel dizzy.

But you already have the most gorgeous collection. Pls continue posting lots of pics. Love the eye candy.

 

[lovedogs]

Everything in this thread is

 

[LLJsmom]

Came back to reread your post and truly examine your pics. These WSS are beautiful, perfect. How lucky you got with this year being a year they released some pearl board specimens into the wild. It was meant to be. So thrilled for you.

 

[yssie]

@lulu_ma Thank you!!!

- - - - - - - - - -

Thank you so much @Beagles!!

I actually remember the first time I heard about Paspaley - a couple of years ago on the other pearls forum. I looked them up and saw that they had no US-based retailers, and there’s really no preloved market for Paspaley pieces here, so I just crossed them off my mental list of possibilities… I seriously never imagined I might have the opportunity to own any Paspaley pearls - let alone these sorts of Paspaley pearls

- - - - - - - - - -

@icy_jade The shows are on my To Do list!! OMG that would be such a marvellous time

Thank you

- - - - - - - - - -

@lovedogs Thank you!!

- - - - - - - - - -

@LLJsmom When Crystal_Dreams told that there was a pearl board out - two days after my first inquiry - I confess to expressing some skepticism It just seemed so awfully convenient, a sale of #extraspecial pearls right after I happened to ask! But then our SA mentioned that she’d only seen two of these in nine years and the shoe dropped real quick - no, this is, like, legit special. And then worry about losing the opportunity kicked in and y’know nothing like FOMO to inspire speedy decision-making

And so here I am - zero regrets!! Honestly. It’s a nice feeling. These are such special pearls, and I got them for such a reasonable price, commensurately. Definitely ending my pearls buying on a high!!

 

[katbran]

Just a short note to add to Andrews post. ( Not so short as I thought lol )

Treatment of gemstones is certainly not uncommon. We are , most of us, aware of the heat treatment, oil filling, glass filling, doubling , tripling, reconstituting that occurs in the gem world. As long as it's disclosed.. fine..you've been warned.

Pearls can also undergo treatment and most of it is so commonplace that it's never disclosed...it's just common knowledge.

Of all the pearls, Freshwater probably go through the most hoops. They have natural rather bland, though pretty, colours that lack intensity. Newer nucleated varieties such as Ming or Edison, are known for intense deep colours, Purples, raspberry etc however these colours are not all natural . Various techniques for enhancing the colours of the bead nucleated pearls are employed and have been documented by the GIA including Optical enhancement which are methods that increase the lustre beyond the normal polishing process.

When it comes to Australian South Sea pearls, they are basically white with a few variations. The few remaining farms ( down from 16 to around 3) are located in the far north , a vast area almost uninhabited for the most part, with clean clear water. Perfect conditions to produce perfect pearls. Gorgeous whites with pink,green, or pink green orient...( of course some plain white as well as silver white) Pop them out of the Oyster, a light wash and they are ready to go.
The only problem is they have become so good at creating Round pearls it's very hard to get classic drop shapes.. most of the drops look more like ovals.

The cost of these beauties is due to a lower production overall and the extremely high cost of running these farms in Australia where wages are very high for this work, high end facilities and equipment costs - health and safety is taken very seriously... it's dangerous work.

Far cheaper to produce pearls in Indonesia where there is less overhead. I won't even get into the water quality in some areas. I'm sure that some farms run at a higher standard than others and work hard to produce a good product. Some will be using bleach and optical enhancement to get the lustre. At some point down the road these treated surfaces will give way to the lower quality that was hiding beneath that shiny surface.

The Australian grown pearl is a premium product - which is why everyone selling WSS likes to say they are Australian( you are very correct Andrew ) . Believe me...if you aren't paying top dollar...you probably aren't getting an Australian pearl. Proper identification is a pulse to be solved. Obviously the large number 'fake' Australian pearls have, to some degree, devalued the Australian.
James Brown of Cygent Bay is looking for methods to verify provenance . A block chain approach that will document the pearl every step of the journey. This will be interesting to follow in the future.

 

[yssie]

James Brown of Cygent Bay is looking for methods to verify provenance . A block chain approach that will document the pearl every step of the journey. This will be interesting to follow in the future.

Oh wow. I just googled him and there are articles as recent as two days ago -

New blockchain platform can track pearl provenance and ownership

Pearls of Australia has announced a “world first” blockchain authentication platform to track the provenance and ownership of its Cygnet Bay pearls.

www.jewellermagazine.com

I will be really interested to hear more about how this goes!!

 

[LLJsmom]

I'm in trouble @yssie ...

 

[yssie]

I'm in trouble @yssie ...

 

[diamondyes]

Stunning, stunning, stunning!!!

Impressive how modern this look is. Sometimes pearls don’t look like this to me. LOVE this trio.

It also makes me think about how some types of rich shouts and some wealth whispers… this is a breathtakingly beautiful example of wealth whispering. And the secrets it has to telll… thank you for sharing here!

 

[pearaffair]

Rediscovering this thread was such a delight. Yssie, this is the thread they first introduced me to the beautiful addiction that is WSS pearls!!! And what a gateway drug they are! They look absolutely exquisite on you, really world class. I have no words to accurately describe. This would be a fun thread if it was just pictures, but the level of education you share really makes the journey so special. Thanks for taking us along with you!
And a question (as I’m still learning) - would you mind repeating yourself and telling me details about these studs? You had it in the explanation when you posted them, but I’m afraid I didn’t follow and wasn’t sure which was which.
To my newbie eye, #1 and #2 look to be a similar tone of colour, and #3 looks more ivory or less silver or something?

 

[yssie]

Stunning, stunning, stunning!!!

Impressive how modern this look is. Sometimes pearls don’t look like this to me. LOVE this trio.

It also makes me think about how some types of rich shouts and some wealth whispers… this is a breathtakingly beautiful example of wealth whispering. And the secrets it has to telll… thank you for sharing here!

Thank you!!

Yes. I know exactly what you mean. Pearls whisper. They aren't flamboyant like diamonds. You've got to get close to them to learn their secrets. If they'll let you.

- - - - - - - - - -

Rediscovering this thread was such a delight. Yssie, this is the thread they first introduced me to the beautiful addiction that is WSS pearls!!! And what a gateway drug they are! They look absolutely exquisite on you, really world class. I have no words to accurately describe. This would be a fun thread if it was just pictures, but the level of education you share really makes the journey so special. Thanks for taking us along with you!
And a question (as I’m still learning) - would you mind repeating yourself and telling me details about these studs? You had it in the explanation when you posted them, but I’m afraid I didn’t follow and wasn’t sure which was which.
To my newbie eye, #1 and #2 look to be a similar tone of colour, and #3 looks more ivory or less silver or something?

Thank you so much!

And yes of course. I'll call the strongest overtone colour the "primary", I can't think of alternate nomenclature.
#1 is an older pair from Pearl Paradise, 11.9mm, white with pink and blue/violet overtone - the pink is the primary, and the blue/violet makes them quite "cool" to the eye.
#2 is from Paspaley, 12.6mm, white with pink and teal overtone - the pink is the primary here too, but the teal is an extraordinarily strong secondary. These are also very "cool" to the eye.
#3 is a newer pair from Pearl Paradise, 13.4mm, white with pink and green overtone - pink is the primary and green is a weaker secondary. The pink cuts the green, you don't see green when you look at them, but they do read "warmer" than #1 and #2.

Here's one of my 2021 threads with lots more WSS photos
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/colourplay-in-white-south-seas.265319/#post-4948699


IMO the most difficult thing about buying WSS - and the thing you'll probably end up paying the most for dollar-wise - is finding an exceptional match. Matches in luster, body colour, iridescence colour, and iridescence strength... If you aren't super particular about having perfect (or - imperceptibly-imperfect, I should say) matching then I guarantee your search will be much quicker and much cheaper

 

[pearaffair]

Thank you!!

Yes. I know exactly what you mean. Pearls whisper. They aren't flamboyant like diamonds. You've got to get close to them to learn their secrets. If they'll let you.

- - - - - - - - - -


Thank you so much!

And yes of course. I'll call the strongest overtone colour the "primary", I can't think of alternate nomenclature.
#1 is an older pair from Pearl Paradise, 11.9mm, white with pink and blue/violet overtone - the pink is the primary, and the blue/violet makes them quite "cool" to the eye.
#2 is from Paspaley, 12.6mm, white with pink and teal overtone - the pink is the primary here too, but the teal is an extraordinarily strong secondary. These are also very "cool" to the eye.
#3 is a newer pair from Pearl Paradise, 13.4mm, white with pink and green overtone - pink is the primary and green is a weaker secondary. The pink cuts the green, you don't see green when you look at them, but they do read "warmer" than #1 and #2.

Here's one of my 2021 threads with lots more WSS photos
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/colourplay-in-white-south-seas.265319/#post-4948699


IMO the most difficult thing about buying WSS - and the thing you'll probably end up paying the most for dollar-wise - is finding an exceptional match. Matches in luster, body colour, iridescence colour, and iridescence strength... If you aren't super particular about having perfect (or - imperceptibly-imperfect, I should say) matching then I guarantee your search will be much quicker and much cheaper

Thank you I will check out that thread!

I am very much hoping to buy my “last pearls first”. It would’ve been good to buy my last diamond first… I’m intending to save a bunch of money by buying my one best pair instead of some learning pairs along the way! So I’m happy to take my time researching. Thanks again for all the help!!

 

[yssie]

Thank you I will check out that thread!

I am very much hoping to buy my “last pearls first”. It would’ve been good to buy my last diamond first… I’m intending to save a bunch of money by buying my one best pair instead of some learning pairs along the way! So I’m happy to take my time researching. Thanks again for all the help!!

So this is... Hmm. Let me figure out how to say what I'm thinking. This is exactly the path that I wanted to take - I had a list of things that I wanted to accomplish, and I wanted my purchases to accomplish those things. But my actual path wound up being very different, much more wandering around. Partly because my bar for "best" kept moving as I learnt and experienced more!! And partly because the To Do list kept getting longer the more I discovered and wanted to experience. If that makes sense?

I originally wanted one pair of white pearls (which I figured would be akoya), one pair of Tahitian pearls, and one pair of gold pearls. With time that morphed into one pair of white pearls with pink overtone, one pair of white pearls with blue overtone, one smaller pair of whites, one bigger pair of whites... Later I thought I wanted a gamut of Tahitians with different overtones and then I learnt that I don't actually like dark earrings... I confess that some pairs I originally guessed I'd use a ton, in reality I hardly ever reach for.

I know I personally meandered more than necessary and I'm glad that me sharing my experiences is helping other people meander less But the one thing I do want to say is that no matter how much homework you do ahead of initial purchase(s) - you might still end up trying a few times before you land on exactly what fulfills you most. Honestly the more particular you are the more likely it is you'll have to try multiple times!! And that's okay. For me - I know that all of my "trying it out" has lost me money with failed attempts, but at the same time I've learnt so much and now I completely trust my own eyes and judgement, and I've made new personal friends, and I've got vendor relationships that indulge preferential consideration and pricing, some truly one-of-a-kind opportunities, and a few incredibly lucky finds. I wouldn't have my Paspaley preciouses if Crystal_Dreams wasn't my friend!!

So... All that to say... I think buying your one and only up front is a really good goal and you're so much more likely to achieve it when you're willing to take your time! But if you do wind up trying more than once, or your goals change, that's totally okay. I think it's very normal. Hope that doesn't come off as preachy, just don't want you to feel like you've "failed" if your purchases don't go exactly to plan. I guarantee you'd get something out of any in-the-middle experiences you might have that *will* help you find whatever you really want (and avoid more pricey future mistakes!!)