$40,800 Freshies.

[Honey_and_Lemon]

http://www.davidandcompany.com/product_detail.php?product_id=2494312

18 Karat White Gold, Hand Strung And Knotted Necklace Consisting Of 32 Pastel Colored Cultured Fresh Water Pearls Graduating In Size From Approximately 14.50 - 12.50 Mm And An 18 Karat White Gold Pave Full Cut Diamond Clasp Having A Total Weight Of 3.02 Carats Vs Quality. The Necklace Measure 18 Inches In Length.

$40,800.

Even if you remove the clasp and take off a 100% retail markup this is one costly strand at wholesale. Are these the fabled "edison" pearls? Big round and metallic?

 

[pearlescence]

presumably Edisons. no grade for the pearls given. I think the colours on the one I have in stock are nicer.
unimpressed with the photos when asking that much money

 

[Amanda]

I'd really dislike having a necklace taht cost so much money. I'd worry about it, rather than enjoy it!

 

[Honey_and_Lemon]

http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/104_175/products_id/2764

Are these your comperables?

I'm just impressed to see a high end B&M jeweler offering freshwater pearls at the same prices as South Sea pearls.

 

[Sutrisno]

Hi new member here, i always heard that fresh water pearls are small and not round. Is that the reason for the price? How did they get so big and round from the usual?

 

[Agustus-Collection]

Hi Sutrisno, yes you can get stunning round freshwater pearls and various sizes, the prices for them a higher BUT never even close to what is shown in the link

 

[pattye]

Hi new member here, i always heard that fresh water pearls are small and not round. Is that the reason for the price? How did they get so big and round from the usual?

Ongoing research and experimentation by the Chinese. Yes, 20 years ago the Chinese freshwater pearls were small and not round, but they learned to produce larger and more round pearls via tissue nucleation, and in the last few years use of a bead nuclei in a hybrid mussel can result in these high quality, beautiful and expensive pearls.

Lots of information here on the forum discussing these developments~

 

[Caitlin]

Pattye is right. Every year in the past 10 years or so has produced pearls on the way to the perfection shown in that necklace.

Freshwater pearls are incredibly fascinating because they come in so many shapes, sizes, and colors. In the years I have posted here, I have only seen the quality go up. Those Edison pearls are in their infancy of perfection and this all the years of R & D that went into them is expensive. They are as good as the highest priced South Sea pearls, so people will get used to seeing high prices for freshwaters. They high price includes the cost of culturing by high technology. But it still seems to be a quarter of the cost of the best SS.

It is time the best cultured freshwaters get the same respect as the best South Sea pearls do- move over Paspaley, here comes Grace Pearls with the Edison.

Knowing the Chinese, there will soon be knock-offs, though I doubt the prices will be much better. It is serious work to get to these smooth skinned beauts. I have lots of the wrinkly tries and seconds -and love them because the iridescence is so intense but I am super-impressed by the colors of these pearls.

 

[Amrita]

Yes, I agree - the colors and luster of the Edisons are just marvelous!

 

[Nora]

On the same website you can find these:
http://www.davidandcompany.com/product_detail.php?product_id=2185410&Metal=18kt%20YG&Stone=&Style=New&Type=Necklace/Pendant

13 X 18mm Baroque South Sea Pearl Necklace

 

[Agustus-Collection]

Ohhhh Nora I LOVE purple SOUTH SEA Pearls ! And so cheap too !

 

[lilliefuzzysocks]

WOW! that is amazing. Anyone going to bite the bullet and buy it? ;-)

 

[Nora]

I contacted the dealer asking if he has GIA certication for this piece. He wrote back that if I'm serious about buying it he could provide the certificate in a few weeks.


After I wrote again and said I wasn't interested in buying, but in my opinion these were beaded freshies, he replied that he would check with his supplier. I also suggested that he read pearl-guide.

This appears to be another example of what we here and what the GIA pearl course say about expensive jewellers with no real pearl expertise.

 

[pattye]

Good for you, Nora, just another episode in the ongoing saga of Nora, Pearl Police, GIA Pearls Graduate.

 

[pearlescence]

I thought they looked like beaded fws

 

[jshepherd]

Definitely beaded fw there, not South Sea. A fine, large strand can wholesale for several thousand dollars in China, although starting at 13 mm wouldn't really be considered too large. I would think a lot of the value would come from the 18k beads with diamonds. I don't think $15,000 is too far off from what one might expect in a retail environment for what it is, but it certainly isn't composed of South Sea pearls.

 

[Agustus-Collection]

This appears to be another example of what we here and what the GIA pearl course say about expensive jewellers with no real pearl expertise.

Nora either that or as unfortunately so often simple fraudulent activity.

Honestly if you look trough the store regardless its just so over the top that i wonder if the website actually generates sales and if so why would you spend so much money on certain items if you are simple not getting what you order, worst pearls worth a few hundred dollars at most.