eBay Finds! (Don't get too excited, they're not fancy) --

[snufflepig]

I got my first eBay strands today, woo! They were MUCH cheaper than what I would have been able to get for beading (which, yes, I'm getting back into, because I just can't help myself,) and I was curious, and, well, I have a huge thing for flawed pearls (don't kick me) so I'm honestly happier with imperfect pearls... more personality.

My son held them out in the sun while I took photos, so his hands make them look huge I'll list by the photos what they claimed to be in the listing... obviously they weren't all correct... but I'm still really happy with the value! (The sizes that were described seem to be correct, for anyone who's wondering -- there's nothing other than my son's small fingers to show the scale).

"100 inch 7-8mm white Akoya cultured pearl necklace" - I think these are more likely freshwater, in fact I'm hoping they are, since they'd be more durable that way. So many pearls! My mom wants me to use some of these to make a necklace for her I could make many, many necklaces with all these...



"7-7.5mm multicolor Akoya pearls" (Freshwater?) These also came with earrings, not pictured. They don't -look- dyed, but they might be.



"9-10mm south sea white pearl" (these actually look like they might be south sea, but I could be wrong. The luster and the flaws are decidedly different from my freshwater/akoyas, so they're definitely different than anything I already have.)



"AA 6-7mm white Akoya cultured pearl necklace" - not sure how they got that rating, they're pretty flawed, but that's what I expected. These will definitely look nice for casual wear. Supposedly an 18k gp clasp, I'm not counting on it.

 

[pattye]

Rinne,

Glad you are happy with your "loot," plenty of pearls with good luster there! Yes you're correct, cultured freshwater pearls*. The multicolor strand shows the natural colors of cultured freshwater pearls.

The strand* I would have a few questions about is the one that is titled 9-10mm south sea. I still think these are freshwater pearls, perhaps bead nucleated? Did they come from China? Was it the most expensive of the strands? The luster looks like freshwater to me~

An 18K gold plated (gp) clasp would not be unusual for these pearls either. I've gotten necklaces in the past with decent sterling clasps also.

Kudos to your sweet little helper!

 

[snufflepig]

They're definitely Chinese pearls. Most of what I paid was the shipping, a few of these were $.99 plus shipping. $50-60 total, for the whole lot. And they came with a free gift, some really pretty earrings with really amazing pink/green shine, they look about 8mm, flat backed, with rhinestones around them. I can't get the container open just yet ummmm (haha) so I can't photograph them but they're really fancy looking (in case I ever get invited to a ball?)

And you could well be right, the larger strand may well be freshwater. They cost $.80 + $15 or so in shipping (haha). The luster looks very... creamy? And most of the flaws are pits or dents, not rings. Two of the pearls look like they have a sort of protein on them, which I could probably remove (part of one seems like it's flaking off nicely, it's a very thin layer--I wonder what would happen if I polished them gently?) The knots are too tight for me to get a glimpse inside. They're more "gritty" than the others also, the ones I know are freshwaters have more of a fine texture. They're much more round and smooth than the other pearls I have, so it's harder to tell what they are (another reason I love flaws!) Whatever they are, they were inexpensive and they're -exactly- the right length to cover the scar from my thyroid surgery... and they're not too fancy to wear every day. (About the clasp, the tongue is stamped 14k, and my son is convinced that I'm rich now because I have some real gold!) Thanks for the input, Pattye!

I'm so excited to pull that long strand apart, I bet I could find enough really nice pearls to make a nearly perfect necklace for my mom. Some of the pearls are nearly flawless! Right now I'm having fun wearing it around like I'm the queen of Sheba. And they're so much better quality than most of the pearls I've seen that are sold for beading. I love that some of the pearls have orange or pink tones... they'll be so much fun to play with! (I'm geeking out) -

 

[dkan 168]

Not bad finds for what you paid for them, IMHO, however, I too doubt if the so-called South Seas are really SSPs, more like CFWPs as pattye said.

DK

 

[Katbran]

A great big handful of pearls for 50 bucks..you'll have fun! Post a photo of what you make!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I think they all look like freshwaters, but the colors are natural and they look nice!

 

[snufflepig]

I just keep... looking at them... they're so shiny...

I'm currently practicing knotting on a small (tiny?) bracelet in preparation for making that long strand into smaller ones.

All of you on the forum have been an inspiration. Thankfully the boyfriend sees this as something to do while he's away on his work assignment... >.> he's being very supportive (enabling?) I think I'll make matching pearl strands for my mom and his mom. They're best friends, it'd be perfect.

 

[juliebeth]

oooh fun! i love cheap ebay loot that works out! lovely luster on those goodies!

 

[lisa c]

I really like the clasp in the third group of pictures, the ones that are supposed to be SS. Does anyone know the source?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Those were marked 18K gold plated I believe. But Bella Findings carries SS ball clasps:

https://www.bellafindings.com/2117/c-sterling-silver-bead-clasps.html

Edit: Never mind, I misunderstood SS as "sterling silver"; you meant South Sea.

 

[Sea Urchin]

Ooh, fun pretties!

 

[lisa c]

Thank you, but the clasp looked like a gold scalloped-band edge surrounding a dark center. When I tried to enlarge it, it got too blurry to tell if it was a dark reflection in the center, or a bead.

oh, what a great phone! I was able to save the image and enlarge it! It does have a gold metal setting with a dark center

 

[lisa c]

Let me try againView attachment 32125

yea, it worked! Isn't that pretty?

hey, where'd it go?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Your attachment isn't showing up for us but that to me that clasp really just looks like a gold ball bead; the dark area is an area of high reflection and the "scalloped edge" is just a reflection of the pearls opposite it, very small. I've noticed when I photograph pearls with high luster, I get those reflections of the other pearls.

Like in this photo:-- That's a white gold ball clasp from PP-- see the reflected pearls around the dark center that is really just a reflection? For that matter the pearls are also reflected in each other pearl, around the dark center.

 

[lisa c]

Will you see if your phone will enlarge and clean it up? And how come I can see the cropped photo and you guys can't? I'm looking at it as I type~~~

oh, bummer! I see it now :-(. Thank you, sigh.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Here are some more teeny tiny pearl reflections surrounding the center of each pearl:

 

[Katbran]

Like little Marquee lights !