First Basic Strand Purchase

[khanzy]

Photo Heavy Freshadama White, AAA White, and Metallic Multicolor Drop Necklaces

Photo Heavy Freshadama White, AAA White, and Metallic Multicolor Drop Necklaces

1) white 16" Freshadama with silver rose overtones and yellow gold fishhook clasp
2) white 16" AAA with yellow gold filigree clasp
3) 18" metallic multicolor drop with yellow gold ball clasp
(all from PP)

Below are some photos of each strand indoors and outdoors with skin tone comparisons. I think the Freshadama overtone is too rosy on my arm, what are your impressions?

I also noticed that the knots of the AAA strand seem to be larger making the pearls farther apart than on the Freshadama strand.

There are a lot of great metallic pearls on the metallic strand with crazy orient and color shift, but they are mixed with pearls of lower luster that I don't really consider to be metallic luster, at least not when next to these great pearls (context matters = understatement). I'm not sure if the photos adequately showed this but I put the AAA and Freshadama strands next to the metallic necklace and these "low luster" pearls (showing two in the photos here) seem to be less lustrous than the AAA.

I asked PP customer service for some photos of other metallic multi strands but I am having a hard time deciphering luster because of my inexperience and their light box conditions. If you guys want I can post the photo here for your thoughts but for now I feel like I will be returning this instead of making an exchange because although the other pearls in this necklace are gorgeous it bothers me a little that not all of the pearls are actually metallic, and they look somewhat out of place especially since they are bordered by the best pearls and are in conspicuous places- not concealed by the neck. At the same time it is growing on me so I am really conflicted..help! I don't want to burden customer service all that much.



AAA left, Freshadama right (indoor)


AAA left, Freshadama right (outdoor)


Freshadama left, AAA right (outdoor)


AAA, Freshadama, multi (indoor) on the metallic strand, a low luster pearl is above my personal favorite pearl


AAA, Freshadama, multi (outdoor)


metallic multicolor (indoor)


metallic multicolor (outdoor) look at those colors!


low luster pearl 1 bordered by two metallic pearls (indoor)


low luster pearl 1 bordered by two metallic pearls (outdoor)


low luster pearl 2 bordered by two metallic pearls (indoor)


low luster pearl 2 bordered by two metallic pearls (outdoor)

 

[GemGeek]

Looks like someone had fun! Great pearls and great photos. Indirect natural light sure does make those metallics pop!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Great photos of beautiful pearls!

I have found that sometimes colored pearls with slightly less luster show their true color more than the higher-luster ones. The former absorb more light, the latter reflect more light. There is more way than one to be beautiful!

 

[khanzy]

Thank you, I definitely had a lot of fun! (Considering buying a light box) I saw a lot of beauty in all these strands, didn't mean to come across as complaining or picky. I just wanted to be thorough about describing them instead of just goggling over how nice they are

Happy New Year!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I didn't read you as complaining or picky! We have to see our pearls as they are, whatever their traits.

I just meant that I've observed that sometimes with colored pearls, the less metallic ones display their colors better than more metallic ones. In other words, sometimes there is a trade-off, but either way, the pearls are beautiful.

 

[LitGeek]

You have to also remember that living organisms are creating these lovely pearls and part of their beauty is their imperfections and differences Also when you are wearing them their flaws will likely go unnoticed. Hopefully those silver freshadamas will be just what you were hoping for! Looking forward to more photos

 

[khanzy]

I am still amazed when I stop and ponder the time and effort for pearls to be formed- both on the part of the mollusk and the farmer! It's easy to get carried away and fixate on certain details but I am liking the multi's more and more each day, especially how well they wear casually. I have to admit after looking at all the large sized pearls in this forum and how this strand looks (8-9mm) on me the comments on this thread about pearl size are well remembered. I'm sticking with 6.5-7.5 for Freshadamas and I think that will make them easier to wear daily without being too dressy as well, since I want to be able to wear them a LOT but have a VERY casual workplace dress code- think laboratory.

Oh if I didn't have such a hard time wearing bracelets it would be wonderful to be able to look at them directly instead of having to gaze at the mirror..

 

[Lindaphillipsbong]

Those multi coloured guys are amazing. I have to get some of those. Sigh.

 

[khanzy]

Linda, there are quite a few strands in stock at PP from what I know, they sent me a photo of their 18" yellow gold clasp strands if you are interested

 

[Lindaphillipsbong]

Hi khanzy: Thank you for the reply. I would be interested in seeing those photos.
I guess you could email them to me? Or post them here?
I am not sure what is appropriate, maybe a private message with picture attachment, if that is possible.
Thanks.
Linda.

 

[khanzy]

Silver Overtone Freshadama Strand and Comparisons

Silver Overtone Freshadama Strand and Comparisons

I got the silver overtone 6.5-7.5mm Freshadama necklace and matching 7.5-8.5mm studs today! I had thought that the AAA was whiter than the rose Freshadama- well these new pearls POP. The earrings are amazing, like soap bubbles. They are also much larger than I expected and drove Pearl Dreams' point in this post https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8465 home for me. This is such a nice size and I have to rescind my previous statement about keeping the 6.5-7.5 size and get the 7.5-8.5mm to match the earrings instead; the price difference is definitely worth it.

Am I driving everyone crazy?? Here are some photos to atone for my pearly caprice. Photos were only under indoor lighting because we are having a bitty snowstorm.


Neck shot of metallic multicolor drops in action.


AAA top, freshadamas bottom (very clear which overtone is which!)


Left to right: freshadama rose, freshadama silver, AAA


Same picture with earrings to match silver freshadama necklace


Look at that ~1mm size difference!


This picture is a little overexposed but I the color difference is evident. I am really liking the champagne-y look of the rose freshadamas. Alas, I will be sticking with silver for now. The way I am wearing the strands is from Renee Newman's book, Pearl Buying Guide!


The picture was out of focus but camera ran out of charge just after I took it. How I wish I could keep both strands, but right now I am gearing towards getting a larger size strand. I wonder if this look works with larger pearls?

Who votes rose instead of silver?

 

[sanpearl]

hello, I would like to share my freshwater pearl necklace with you

 

[Pearl Dreams]

khanzy,

The earrings do look so much larger! I can see why you are thinking of going larger with the stand as well.

But I'm puzzled by your statement that while you like the rose Freshadamas better, you're sticking with the silver. Why? Is it just because you already have the silver earrings? I would think PP could match some rose earrings for you to go with a strand, if that is what you prefer.

The silver stands out more against your forearm, but the rose has a richer look against your throat, which is fairer-- my daughter's skin at her throat is about the same tone as yours, and my silver rose Freshadamas suit her very well. And since you won't be wearing them on your forearm, my vote goes for the rose.


sanpearl, very pretty! Welcome to Pearl-Guide.

 

[khanzy]

But I'm puzzled by your statement that while you like the rose Freshadamas better, you're sticking with the silver. Why? Is it just because you already have the silver earrings? I would think PP could match some rose earrings for you to go with a strand, if that is what you prefer.

The silver stands out more against your forearm, but the rose has a richer look against your throat, which is fairer-- my daughter's skin at her throat is about the same tone as yours, and my silver rose Freshadamas suit her very well. And since you won't be wearing them on your forearm, my vote goes for the rose.

Pearl Dreams, To elaborate, I still prefer the look of the silver to the rose, but each strand is beautiful in their own right and delivers different "looks". I don't really think either is discordant in the way that, say, I would never be able to pull off wearing fuschia (or is it? please tell me if so!) I think the difference in skin tone of my forearm and neck is mostly due to the lighting conditions, as I was standing very close to the light in the neck shot but had my arm and pearls near the ground in most of the other shots. To the eye my skin is closer to that in the neck shot of the multis and below.



I agree that the rose strand is richer in color but I will want the classic strand to pop more like your gorgeous metallic whites do (I like the metallic whites but prefer the roundness of the Freshadamas, so I thought a silver Freshadama would be a nice in-between). The tones in the multi do well to complement my skin tone, and I am hoping for each strand I get to have a different "look" so I can get the most out of my outfits.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I understand now. I certainly prefer the white that pops against my skin.

By the way, I think you could rock fuschia!

 

[GemGeek]

I'm all for POP!

 

[Marianne]

POP… short for Plenty of Pearls

 

[Caitlin]

Marianne, you are in rare form today! Love it!

 

[khanzy]

That is so nice of you, Pearl Dreams! And well said, Marianne- one can never get enough pearls.
Valentines Day Sale on PP! I can't wait to receive my silver overtone POP 7.5-8.5mm Freshadama necklace, finally~~ I am very very excited. I have almost completed my "first basic strand purchase" (after taking a multi detour, ha ha, so not technically first anymore).

 

[Amanda]

I think, if I were you, I too would go for the silver freshadamas. Both silver and rose suit your skin, but the silvery overtones are a little bit more "ooomph!" against your skin than the rose overtones, I reckon. They are both really lovely on you, though, so either would be a great strand to choose.

I don't buy the older & bigger = must-wear-large-pearls rule. I'm mid 30s, and 5 ft 7, and I sometimes wear small pearls. I like them, or they go with what I'm wearing, or I just feel like wearing them. All perfectly valid reasons, I reckon.