eBay Delivers

[kiwipaul]

My wife and I really like the look of a nice chunky choker length double string of matched pearls.

It's a classic look as you can see in these pics of Jackie and Michelle.



We decided a nice clasp that could also be worn to the front or side would be a bonus

So I've been hunting on eBay for months. Because I'm a bargain hunter I wanted something great around the $500 range.

I've even bought a few vintage diamond and pearl clasps, and then matched them up with separately purchased strings of Akoyas.
The results have been quite good, but none were quite good enough to become long term "keepers".
In the process of searching I must've looked at several thousand necklaces from $20 up to $20,000.

We decided to up the ante and look in the $1000-$2000 range, and a few weeks ago I saw something I thought would be a bargain at our upper limit of $2,000.
It was an auction, NOT a Buy It Now, and I was astonished when I won the auction for US$810.

The seller described this as a double strand of AAA quality 9.5-9.0mm Akoyas with a 14k white gold clasp, set with 60 H color VS1 clarity diamonds, totaling 1ct.

Swings and round-abouts.

While the pearl size is correct, they're probably closer to AA+ grade, however they are very good vintage Akoyas with very thick nacre.

On the (big) plus side, the clasp is actually platinum, and there are 1.45cts of diamonds.

I am thinking that this time eBay delivered a bargain.

 

[GemGeek]

Congratulations! Love the nacre depth and the clasp is a wow. Neck shot?

 

[juliebeth]

hooray! excellent score, beautiful pearls! seconding the neck shot request.

 

[pattye]

Whoot! Very nicely done, Paul! A beautiful piece!

 

[newberry]

Very very nice I bet they look lovely on. Clasp is stunning!

 

[pearlescence]

Patience and tenacity plus knowledge clearly rewarded.

 

[KarinK]

Gorgeous! And I bet you had fun on the way

- Karin

 

[dkan 168]

The clasp is lovely, and the whole necklace looks like a bargain, well done!

DK

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Super duper! Will you be restringing them yourself?

 

[LitGeek]

Swoooooon!!! What a stunning double strand and that clasp is just gorgeous! You have the most amazing luck Your vast knowledge (and patience) helps too I am sure!

 

[BAS]

Fantastic! I'd love to see neck shots on your wife and may she wear it in health!

 

[kiwipaul]

Thanks all for the compliments, I'll try for a neck shot but it will be a while.

I'm having them re-strung and then valued, so they'll be out with the professionals for a couple of weeks.

I have considered learning to string, and bought some kit, however my jeweler is now giving me wholesale rates and I'm getting stringing done for about $40 per strand.

His re-stringer is one of NZ's best, and her experience is invaluable with unusual jobs, so at that price I'm going to leave it to the pros.

 

[kiwipaul]

Thoughts on trawling eBay

Thoughts on trawling eBay

Having done this search for three months here's a few random thoughts on the process.

1) In that whole time, looking at thousands of necklaces, I did not see one "sleeper" string of naturals, and believe me I was looking for those too.

2) Say I spent 2 hours per night, 5 days per week, for 12 weeks = 120 hours.
Time is money, so at tradesperson (mechanic, plumber, electrician) rates of $50/hour I spent $6,000 worth of time.
At professional rates (like what my dentist charges) it would be way more.

3) I wish eBay had the facility to remove locations from a search (pearl and diamond necklaces EXCEPT those from Hong Kong and China).
- If anyone knows a way to do this I'd love to hear.

4) GRRRRR! - pet hate, people who do their listings on their smart phones. Pics are rubbish and one line descriptions drive me crazy.

 

[pattye]

A good and realistic analysis, Paul. Looking forward to more pics when restringing is finished.

 

[theseventhsphinx]

What a stunner! I wouldn't have naturally looked for this silhouette myself, but now that you point it out I see how much I like it!

 

[kiwipaul]

I'm sure some of you may be wondering how the seller got the info on the clasp so wrong (re the fact that it is platinum rather than 14k white gold as described).

The clasp is not stamped at all as to maker or metal content, however my valuer gave me the good news based on a preliminary report from their electronic tester when I asked them to look at the diamonds. (When the necklace first arrived I was worried in case they were CZ's).

While the diamond encrusted part is 950 platinum, the clip part (tongue/insert) is 14k white gold, no doubt for ease of fabrication and strength,
(or maybe it was a bought-in finding?).

I'm sure the seller must have acid tested the clip component, and then assumed the outer was also 14k gold, and to tell the truth I think I would have done the same.

 

[Bodecia]

Paul, you are truly amazing. What a great keeper buy. Congratulations they are gorgeous.

Dawn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.
Dawn?s Pearls - https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8351

 

[kiwipaul]

hi Dawn, hope you're coping with the heat, or that a cool change has come through. Do you even get a cool change out in the country?

I remember when I lived in Melbourne there would always be a change after days of heat, but it came in a southerly off Port Phillip Bay.

I'm still in a state of mild shock from winning the necklace, it had a $600 start, no reserve, only one other bidder, I sniped in the last seconds with $2001.

When I first won it I thought my bid was $1810, and I had to look at the screen about 5 times to be sure it was only $810.

Then I got the panics that the clasp must be CZ's, so you can imagine how good it was to have my valuer tell me it was all kosher and the clasp was platinum.

 

[kTron]

That necklace is so beautiful! Getting a bargain like that is such a thrill, too. Your post also makes me feel less guilty for the hours I spend trolling auction sites myself, proof that there are treasures to be had among junk!

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Paul, great going. You are amazing.

The cool change did come through with a storm and loads of rain. It was such a relief. We were nearly out of water and expected to have to spend $300 or $400 and maybe more but the rain really came down heavy and nearly filled our water tanks. Some areas of Adelaide were flooded because of it.

Plus the rain helped put out a fire in the Flinders Ranges that has been raging for over a month. Saved many towns from the fires that were drawing close.

awn - Bodecia
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dawncee333/m.html
eBay Seller ID dawncee333 Natural pearl collector & seller. And all round pearl lover.
Dawn’s Pearls - https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8351