Search results

I haven't posted pictures in quite a while because quite frankly, my Iphone and I are quite poor at it. Part of the problem is the light in Texas is just too bright. However, today is a nasty stormy day and the house is quite dim. The two strands pictured are newer acquisitions. The inner...

I just returned from Hong Kong. This was the starting point for our cruise to Vietnam, Thailand and Bangkok. Our first tour in Hong Kong was to the flower market, bird market and a brief stop at a small indoor jade market. As we were getting off the tour bus for shopping at the jade market...

This weekend was the International Gem and Jewelry Show. This show is held three times a year in my city, and usually the January show is not the best. But, attend I must (in fact, I can’t wait for the show to open). The usual dealers that I buy from were in attendance. My most outstanding...

I just saw these three whimsical carved pearls on my Pinterest feed. The carving is so detailed, I was intrigued. There was not much information on the artist's site about the pearls.

I couldn't wait for this to arrive after seeing all the luscious strands that were bought during Ruckus. I almost grabbed the box out of the poor FedEx guy's hands, after all, I waited all day for the truck to arrive.. And, they are just beautiful. My strand is 54" long. The SS white pearls...

I'm about to buy some pearls from etsy and want the vendor to drill the pearls. The pearls are 12 - 15mm. What is the usual size to have them drilled? I will be using Beaders Secret 30 with doubled thread. I will also need a little room for the back stringing by the clasps.

Just an afternoon out to do some supermarket shopping. I hooked two strands together to form a rope. I am wearing my mixed strands of baroque Tahitians from AP. These are my "got to" strands. They have a mirror luster and have almost no blemishes. Notice also, I am not wearing black.

These are the South Sea pearls that I bought at the Intergem show last weekend in Dallas. I am not 100% happy with the clasp I had on hand. So, when I find something fancier that I like, I will restring them. The pearls are 13-15.1 in size and silver white. I do not detect any other...

I went to the gem show in Dallas today. As I suspected, the show was fairly small as it is prior to Tucson. However, small didn't stop me from finding my usual dealers and buying some strands. I bought two South Sea and one FW strand. In the picture of three strands, the left strand is SS...

I am off to the Intergem Show with high hopes. I am wearing two strands of pink FW pearls that I had bought at the last show in October. I am hoping to find more of the same. I had bought 4 strands of these at a very nominally price. They are very smooth ripples which I think are 12-15mm. I...

It's absolutely "burr" in Texas. All the plants are wrapped and that's going to include me when I go outside. So, it's the first time I have put a sweater on for warmth. I adorned it with three strands of small silver blue Tahitians (8-10mm). I added a blue SS pendant as well. I have a...

I finally found some time to string and knot the lavender FFW pearls I had bought at the gem show in October. I bought four strands of round 12-15mm very lavender pearls. They are really remarkable because basically they are perfectly round and not rippled at all. This is the first strand I...

I wore these yesterday. It was the first time I put together these two silvery Tahitian strands and my blue SS baroque pendant. I was surprised how well the two strands nested. The pearls are 11-13mm. The Tahitians are really much more silvery then they photographed.

Fifteen years ago, my husband and I took a cruise that visited the islands of Tahiti. While in Bora Bora, I bought one pearl. This pearl started my pearl mania. I knew very little about Tahitian pearls but wanted to start with a single pearl to use for the centerpiece in a ring. I bought a...

I just spent the better part of yesterday at the gem show in Dallas. Even though it was raining, the line formed 30 minutes before the show opened. This show runs the gamut from estate jewelry, pearls, beads, findings and the gaudiest costume jewelry. I headed to the wholesale area first. I was...

I'm in the process of laying out to string a necklace that I want to be three strands that nest. The pearls are FW pearls that are 10-12mm. I have had trouble deciding how long each knotted strand should be. Suggestions?

Just caught a snippet of Kathy Griffin's speaking at a fund raiser wearing a magnificent triple strand of Tahitian pearls. The picture I'm including doesn't quite do them justice.

I recently bought a strand of natural chocolate Tahitians from a very reputable vendor - Jose at Tahitianpearls.biz. They are the most sensational color. The strand is described a dark grey with strong chocolate/ bronze overtones and also showing purple and green. I am really in love with...

I couldn't resist all the Tahitian sales going on this month. I bought two Tahitian necklaces and a Sea of Cortex mabe pearl. The picture I have posted is the larger of the two strands. It is a dark silvery grey baroque strand with blue highlights. The largest pearl being 16mm. We all know...

The Cultured Pearl Association of America is offering a course in all types of cultured pearls. It can be found at pearlsasone.org. At the moment you can sign up for the course for free. It is fairly comprehensive and covers Akoya, fresh water, Tahitian, SS and goldens. Just a wealth of...