A Monster Tahitian Strand

[jshepherd]

Ok, so I know the quality isn't perfect, but this baby is huge - 16-17.8 mm. I haven't seen one this large in quite some time.

 

[effisk]

I find the colors a bit dull, but I guess that's the price to pay for such huge Tahitians! What a strand!

Did you buy the strand or hand-pick the pearls?

 

[jshepherd]

No, I didn't hand-pick them. A producer stopped by my office earlier this week on the way back to Tahiti to show me strands. I wasn't really interested in any of them, but when I saw this I figured I had to grab it. You just don't see them like this anymore. The quality isn't top notch, but the size ...

 

[007]

I sort of like the warm tones and monster strand concept. I don't think I have ever seen a strand like this. Were strands with pearls of this size ever common enough for the average person to encounter them?

 

[pattye]

That is a big WOW! And so round, too! Would love to see in person, but I'm sure they will be gone before the Ruckus-----------

 

[jshepherd]

I definitely wouldn't say that they were ever common, but larger pearls (12 mm and above) were once much more common than they are now. It's very difficult to get fine quality large pearls these days. It is one of the largest strands that I've ever seen.

 

[GemGeek]

What I like about the strand is how beautifully it's matched. While the colors are subtle, they are harmonious.

 

[Cees]

be positive about this strand it is not bad at all, maybe the luster is not the highest but the pearls are beautiful. It must have taken years to collect enough pearls to make this strand. What is an estimated price for this strand? So interested to know.

 

[Kelly]

I think it would be nice with some contrast. Like gold balls...remember when Sarah showed a picture of someone who had made a necklace of gold balls made with wire and had pearls on the wire? Maybe gold wire balls with no pearls...or bronzey metal balls with chocolate diamond pave...

 

[kojimapearl]

Jeremy, That is a great strand.. it's true... so hard to find these sizes and so well matched.

Kelly, I agree a little sparkle would be great with that strand, maybe one diamond studded bead off to the side?

Here is a Kamoka strand (not quite as large) 15-17mm, different colors but similarly impressive. It was unfortunately stolen from us at a show in 2009. I cried. Seeing spectacularly large strands like these makes me really appreciate all the years and harvests spent waiting for just one more pearl to be worthy of its place in the strand.
Oh thief.. if you ever happen to read this... beware the Pacific Ocean!

Happy Friday from a happy pearl studio!

 

[CortezPearls]

Oh Sarah! That Kamoka strand was beautiful...I am sorry for your loss
That strand had what I love in pearls: uniqueness, beauty...soul.
Now, for the BIG STRAND...it is indeed an uncommon size these days. I remember seeing black pearls in those sizes back in 1994 but I rather see them more into the green than into the black.

 

[pattye]

Sarah,

That is heartbreaking to hear. It is such a beautiful Kamoka necklace. I'm surprised you can even talk about it now. I had a chalcedony enhancer stolen at my first big show, and although the value was small, it was a very upsetting discovery.

 

[Silvia_Bonvini]

Sarah, what an amazing strand, it is so rare that if you see it on the person who bought it from the thief you will recognize it and can claim it back!!

I am thinking, you need a really tall woman with great character to actually wear such massive necklaces! I am only 160 cm tall and once tried a Paspaley strand on (not that I might have ever been able to buy it, but the girl in the Hong Kong store was so lovely and made me try it on ), it must have been around 14-15mm and looked amazing of course, but way too big for me.
Jeremy, Sarah, do you find that people generally buy the right strands for themselves? I guess you help them choose as far as it is possible?

 

[Seabourn Pearls]

The luster on Sarah's boosted strand is more fetching. It's important to keep in mind that big pearls come from big oysters and big oysters are old. Like all old animals they tend to fade. So producing big pearls with vibrant luster is especially difficult.

 

[kojimapearl]

Douglas... it did have soul (as all pearls grown with love do) .. and I honestly can only hope that the thief recognized it and wore it with delight.. and didn't pawn it for $20.
Pattye.. it was by far the worst pearl day I have ever had, hopefully ever! I edited that post so many times, as gigantic threats kept rolling onto the keyboard. It happened more than two years ago.. and I guess I am just now even able to mention it! It is a violating feeling to have something taken.. and the worst part is that I know it happened at the beginning of the show when our booth was crowded with unassuming, gentle, women shoppers.. many of whom I have known for years! Trust in the light, and tie up your pearls!
Seabourne: This is true true true.. and with the possibility for growing huge gnarly baroque pearls.. most farmers hedge their bets and try to make smaller more uniform pearls.. making these large strands all the harder to find.
Silvia: I find that when a customer tries on the "right" strand.. there is no question. No matter the size, shape, or skin tone of a customer.. if it makes her soul sing, there is nothing anyone can do to stop her (ha ha.. or maybe that's just me!). I try to answer customers queries as honestly as possible.. and I have found that asking customers which necklace they see themselves wearing most often is a great way to steer them in the more appropriate direction (if need be). It is of course much easier in person, than on line, and I must say that we are blessed with really well educated customers.. and get very few returns. In regards to the huge pearls on a small frame.. I think attitude plays a big part.. I have seen that go all ways. Some tiny women prefer to only wear statement necklaces. It is such a person to person thing in my experience. (P.S. you have me beat by 2cm)

 

[Silvia_Bonvini]

if it makes her soul sing, there is nothing anyone can do to stop her

I can really see that now that you say it! I guess I am just not ready for a Paspaley strand, hehe.
So true that when you try on THE pearls FOR you, you can't stop yourself from buying them either! (Unless your whole bank account is not enough to cover it, in that case I reckon you do ).

When I finished my GIA course I decided to celebrate by treating myself to a nice strand of Chinese freshwater, but when i entered my fav store in the Shanghai Nanjing East Rd market I heard myself asking "do you have any Tahitians?". And of course they did. I should have not spent that money but I just could not take MY strand off my neck, and that is such a poor bargaining strategy...

 

[Alex]

Where does the Monster (in it's enormity) live now....

Is it gaurded by fire and dragons.....

 

[Josh]

Thanks Alex for the thread bump. I missed this the first time around. That Kamoka strand took us six years to assemble. It was top quality, luster, color, etc. The photo speaks for itself. It would be great to know where it lives now. Maybe talking about it here could help to pry it from the dragon...

 

[waimeamomi]

A beautiful strand, and a heartbreaking story, even now. I too had a piece go missing from my table, the only one that ever walked away. A big beautiful Kamoka keishi, set in a starfish finding. I'd know it again if I saw it. I kept my eyes open for it on eBay and everywhere, and a part of me still thinks it will turn up some day.

 

[Josh]

That's how I feel Sheryl. It often seems like our pearl world is really small so if we hang in long enough we are likely to bump into just about everyone. Many years ago we consigned a large lot of pearls to a friend of a friend named Grant Traub. He disappeared along with the pearls. I randomly met his parents at Tuscon a couple of years ago who were sniffing around for 15mm peacock Tahitians but we haven't (yet) managed to get closer to the pearls.