Changing Pearl Preferences

[Sea Urchin]

So, we know the typical first purchase is the standard white round strand and studs. And with time, the shapes seem to get wilder (and of course let's not forget the infamous Pearl Shrinkage Syndrome). What about color?

I just got a pair of champagne-ish metallic studs, 11-12mm. I am surprised to find that I like them better than my (many) white-white pearls. Well, these do just happen to be beautiful pearls for one thing but they also seem a tad more, what's the word, hip or edgy maybe, than the classic white-whites.

Here are a couple of quick not-real-great pics.

How has your pearl preference changed over time?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Oh, totally. I got my first (white Freshadama) pearls in late 2007 and within a couple of months I jumped ship to exotic multicolor FWP. Didn't take me long at all. From there to silver-blue akoyas.

Eventually I made my way to Tahitians, baroque white akoyas, WSS and GSS, in that order. I still like my colored pearls more than my white ones.

 

[MSC]

I went the opposite route, really liking non-round, not white white pearls to start and am just now starting to come around to round white pearls.

 

[lary007]

I started off with a strand of round white pearls from PP for my 15th birthday in 2007. I wear them quite often, especially to work but I can't say they're my absolutely favorite anymore since acquiring so many other pearl beauties. Baroque blue akoyas are probably my favorite currently.

That being said, my 10.5mm white Freshadama studs are still a top pick for me

 

[ckrickett]

At first I was drawn to round metallic freshwater pearls. I wasn't much of a fan of tahitians. When when I saw some really nice tahitians my heart changed and now I am a tahitian fanatic.

 

[JerseyPearl]

I like to think I have evolved...matured, in a pearly sense. Actually, though, I love all pearls. I think of them kind of like art...akoyas are the "Old Masters" Tahitians are the "Impressionists", and the golden SSPs are the "Post War Contemporary".

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I used to think pearls were round, white and boring. Then, I discovered natural colour keshi and instant love.

I used to think Tahitians were green and boring. Then, I saw what truly spectacular Tahitians were like. I began to buy some individual ones.

Now, I am on a large, individual baroques in strange shapes and beautiful colours. The problem is I want them all and I want to keep them all. There is a difference between inventory and hoard!

 

[cmd2014]

My tastes have just become more expensive.

 

[BAS]

I've come full circle. I started with round white, round multi -- and was then completely enamored with souffles and fireballs. Nowadays, I'm reaching for the timelessly elegant round white classics again.

 

[BAS]

My tastes have just become more expensive.

And that, too...

 

[Katbran]

I started with freshwater pinks and lavenders and then to fireballs and then Tahitians and SS and now I'm thinking of round white pearls lol
And I'm sure that we all eventually fall into the ' more expensive taste' basket It's only natural ..the more you learn..the more you want the next grade up..and then the next...

 

[amti]

I started out with round white akoyas and still love them. However, I've also learned to love pretty colored Tahitians, bumpy pearls, and keshi!

 

[Sanippy]

When I started out I was only interested in round, white pearls. My holy grail pearls were hanadama (hence the name!).

Tahitians really didn't do it for me at all, even the beautiful ones featured on the forums, not sure why. Now that I've seen some amazing, bright, intensely colourful Tahitians in real life I'm obsessed. I even love circled and keshi Tahitians now.

I still love white pearls and I would love a rope of hanadama pearls like BWeaves one day. But I have a new found appreciation for high quality, colourful Tahitians. I also love metallic fwp and blue Akoya.

 

[BWeaves]

I thought pearls only came in pinked white, perfectly round shapes. Well, there were the new "rice crispies" but I didn't take those seriously at the time.

Now I love natural blues, and drops, and circles, and baroques.

 

[battah]

I was never into pearls because the classic strand of round whites never appealed to me. Then I discovered keshis and it was love - once I saw them in person. It's just so very hard to get photos that capture orient and luster accurately. And I was only into freshwater pearls til I got my hands on some really nice Tahitians. Seeing them at my local gem show and in local stores, I always thought they were very blah, but once I saw nice ones from PP and Jac I fell in love with them.

And now I'm starting to appreciate rounds, too. I'll probably never wear a classic short strand unless it's klonks, but I like rounds incorporated into designs with baroque or keshi pearls, or as long strands that can be tied up in various ways. But funky shapes with out-of-this-world luster will always have my heart.

 

[ckrickett]

My tastes have just become more expensive.

nailed it!

 

[cmd2014]

I think what you quickly realize is what a difference there is between top quality pearls and relatively inexpensive ones, and once you see or own something that is high quality, it makes the less expensive items suffer in comparison. This has made me shift from buying lots of reasonably priced items to saving that same money up and buying one or two high quality pieces a year instead. Plus, I have come to a place where if I think that I am going to spend a reasonable amount of money on a piece of jewelry, I want it to be the best quality that I can afford and classic so that it will still be in style (or timelessly outside of style) 5, 10, or more years from now.

 

[BWeaves]

My tastes have just become more expensive.

SO TRUE!

Actually, I'm thrilled to have found all of you and PP, Kamoka and Kojima. The quality and variety of my pearls has gone up 100% and my enjoyment of them even more so.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I think what you quickly realize is what a difference there is between top quality pearls and relatively inexpensive ones, and once you see or own something that is high quality, it makes the less expensive items suffer in comparison.
....

This.
I do have some inexpensive FW keshi that are amazing. However, in general, it seems you get what you pay for.

 

[BlackPearlDudeDC]

There is a difference between inventory and hoard!

Oh my do I hear this all the time <groan> but it is so true! A lesson I've yet to learn.