La_corsetiere,
Could you share where you were when you found these beauties? I noticed your "pawing through piles" of them comment - sounds like so much fun!!! As I'm learning and reading through this forum's threads, I'm trying to think of the coolest way to get some fabulous tahitians (or specifically sea or cortez pearls) where I can choose the pearls that I want put into a piece, and make a great trip out of it, too. I'm hesitant to think a trip to a farm would be a good way for an amateur like me to get quality at a price I can trust, but I'm wondering if maybe that's just my lack of knowledge talking.
They are fabulous! Congrats!