Hello and a question

[PerfectPearls]

Hi, I have been reading the forum for a couple of weeks and finally persevered until I could find an unused log-in name!

I have been a jewelry lover all my life, and classic jewelry is what I collect. I have a cultured 30" strand as well as a 17" strand, but I am not satisfied with the quality of either. Lately I have been working on replacing some of the items that are not of the quality that I really want. I have changed over to platinum for my wedding set and stainless and MOP for my watch because I think white metals look best on me. So I am looking for other classic pieces to complete my jewelry wardrobe. (I do have one beautiful pearl bracelet with an 18k yellow gold and diamond clasp that I will have to post one day. It is so dressy that I never wear it, but it is one of the few beautiful pieces that I have from the past!)

My birthday is this weekend, and I originally started looking online for pearl studs. I had Mikimoto or Tiffany in mind, since I had the goal of getting the most perfect pearls possible (although I rarely ever pay retail for anything!). Thankfully, I am also an obsessive researcher, so I found this forum before buying!

The thing about pearls that has always bothered me is the bead nucleus. So imagine my delight to discover the Freshadama and equivalent freshwater pearls which are so much closer in makeup to a natural pearl! So I went ahead and ordered the Freshadama 7-8mm studs so I could decide if I wanted a necklace as well. I admit to taking a peek at the earrings (shhh! Don't tell!) because I couldn't wait until my birthday. They are truly beautiful!

One comment I wanted to make is that I am a little uncertain about the clasp. I think Pearl Outlet has the x-clasp similar to Tiffany's. But the Freshadamas are priced better, I think. I have mostly looked at Pearl Paradise and they have gorgeous things, but I think it would be great to have a few more clasp choices (especially some that would like a Tiffany look without the Tiffany prices!). I might just go with the white gold matte ball, though.

Do you all think a white gold clasp looks good with pearls? I sort of like yellow gold with pearls, yet white metal looks better on me.

 

[Nerida]

Hi Perfect Pearls, and welcome!

Happy Birthday for the weekend, too!

Just my quick response is that you ring or email Pearl Paradise to see if they could get the clasp that you love.... they are pretty amazing at customer service!

Otherwise the white gold looks great with pearls, too!

Nerida.

 

[PerfectPearls]

Thank you so much, Nerida! I actually did try to email them from their site a few days ago but did not get a reply, so maybe I should try to call.

Edit: Kirsten from PP just emailed me and answered my first questions, and I emailed her back to ask about other clasps!

 

[aggiep]

Tiffany settings are overpriced! I've created several takes on their settings for men whose fiances wanted only Tiffany. Go to a nice custom jeweler and they can create what ever you want, in the metal you want. Two that come to mind are Ken Whipple at Park City Jewelers in Park City Utah, and Vasken Tanelia (sp) In the 700 block of Market street in San Francisco. Vasken works quite a bit in platinum. Ken makes the most amazing clasps and catches. Why limit yourself to Tiffany when you can out do them?

 

[Benjamin the Pearl Man]

Perfect Pearls and Perfect Metals

Perfect Pearls and Perfect Metals

Hi, I have been reading the forum for a couple of weeks and finally persevered until I could find an unused log-in name!

I have been a jewelry lover all my life, and classic jewelry is what I collect. I have a cultured 30" strand as well as a 17" strand, but I am not satisfied with the quality of either. Lately I have been working on replacing some of the items that are not of the quality that I really want. I have changed over to platinum for my wedding set and stainless and MOP for my watch because I think white metals look best on me. So I am looking for other classic pieces to complete my jewelry wardrobe. (I do have one beautiful pearl bracelet with an 18k yellow gold and diamond clasp that I will have to post one day. It is so dressy that I never wear it, but it is one of the few beautiful pieces that I have from the past!)

My birthday is this weekend, and I originally started looking online for pearl studs. I had Mikimoto or Tiffany in mind, since I had the goal of getting the most perfect pearls possible (although I rarely ever pay retail for anything!). Thankfully, I am also an obsessive researcher, so I found this forum before buying!

The thing about pearls that has always bothered me is the bead nucleus. So imagine my delight to discover the Freshadama and equivalent freshwater pearls which are so much closer in makeup to a natural pearl! So I went ahead and ordered the Freshadama 7-8mm studs so I could decide if I wanted a necklace as well. I admit to taking a peek at the earrings (shhh! Don't tell!) because I couldn't wait until my birthday. They are truly beautiful!

One comment I wanted to make is that I am a little uncertain about the clasp. I think Pearl Outlet has the x-clasp similar to Tiffany's. But the Freshadamas are priced better, I think. I have mostly looked at Pearl Paradise and Pure Pearls and they have gorgeous things, but I think it would be great to have a few more clasp choices (especially some that would like a Tiffany look without the Tiffany prices!). I might just go with the white gold matte ball, though.

Do you all think a white gold clasp looks good with pearls? I sort of like yellow gold with pearls, yet white metal looks better on me.

...............................................................................................
Hi! "Perfect Pearls"... I'm Benjamin The Pearl Man, and "Yes" white gold clasp will look marvelous with your "pearls".
Let me just point out this for you, there was a time that white gold,silver or platinum were the only type of metals that will enhance a set of pearls as a clasp or ring mounting or earrings...

 

[PerfectPearls]

Tiffany settings are overpriced! I've created several takes on their settings for men whose fiances wanted only Tiffany. Go to a nice custom jeweler and they can create what ever you want, in the metal you want. Two that come to mind are Ken Whipple at Park City Jewelers in Park City Utah, and Vasken Tanelia (sp) In the 700 block of Market street in San Francisco. Vasken works quite a bit in platinum. Ken makes the most amazing clasps and catches. Why limit yourself to Tiffany when you can out do them?

Oh, Aggie, I definitely wouldn't pay their prices for a pearl strand or pendant! I'd like the quality and the look but not the brand name price mark-up! I like quality, but I rarely pay for an inflated brand name for anything!

A custom pendant might be a good idea if they wouldn't mind me supplying the pearl!

 

[PerfectPearls]

Benjamin, thank you for pointing out that platinum or other silver metals were standard in the past! That makes me feel better!

 

[Nathan Reed]

I know it's a question of taste, but I like Pearl Paradise's "Ball Clasp Laser 14kt Gold" a lot better than Tiffany's clasp.

P.S. (The picture on PP doesn't do it justice, I love it!)

 

[aggiep]

Benjamin, thank you for pointing out that platinum or other silver metals were standard in the past! That makes me feel better!

Quality you will get from either man. Vasken teaches at the Revere Academy of Jewelry arts, and Ken owns the top Jewelry store in Park City catering to celebrities. I've worked with both men and can vouch for their extremely high quality. An option not many know about is purple high karat gold. It has to be cast since it is not malable, but with the right color Tahtian pearl it would look stunning.

 

[PerfectPearls]

Nathan: That is good to know! Honestly, it is hard to tell about the quality of clasps from online pictures.

Aggie: Purple gold? Wow, I have never heard of that!

 

[Miriam Reed]

Do you all think a white gold clasp looks good with pearls? I sort of like yellow gold with pearls, yet white metal looks better on me.

As several have mentioned, white gold looks fine with pearls. But you may want to consider the overtone of the pearls as well as your skin color. Yellow gold may look very good with pearls with an ivory overtone, but if white gold matches your skintone better you may find that the silver or rose' overtones look better with your skin color - and both of those look fantastic with white gold. Tahitian pearls can look great with white gold too, especially if they are a silver or pewter color.

 

[PerfectPearls]

Thanks, Miriam! I did order the rose earrings and I think they are beautiful! I was a little fearful that they might appear to be pink, but they definitely are more white. So it sounds like I am on the right track with pearl and gold colors!

 

[GemGeek]

Congratulations and welcome! I have Freshadama stud earrings, too, and I just love them. When I am wearing something really "busy", it's easy to wear the pearl studs as my only jewelry. They really go with anything.

Stick around!

 

[barbie biggs]

Dear Perfect Pearls:
Welcome to the Pearl Guide. Hope you find the perfect clasp. Freshadama are great for earrings and everything else. Plus Pearl Paradise usually will get clasps from other sources if you ask them. Just tell them what you have seen and where. If you haven't seen exactly what you want, call them. Kirstin is wonderful and she can find things for you if you ask. Other vendors that are available here on the Pearl Guide are also good about working with you.
Best of luck.
barbie

 

[PerfectPearls]

Thanks for the welcome, GemGeek and Barbie! Kirsten emailed back as she was leaving for the weekend and said she would help me with the clasp next week! I may just go with the ball clasp anyway, but I'll wait and see if they have access to others before I decide.

 

[pearlescence]

Purple gold? more info please for me and fellow purple person Caitlin, I am sure!

 

[aggiep]

When I was at the Revere Academey, Alan brought in a piece of purple gold one day. Unless you have pure 24K gold, you mix in different metals to alloy the Karat gold you want. I can't remember which other metal was mixed in off the top of my head, but it is just a different recipe as it were for gold. What Alan was trying to impress upon us was that not all alloys were good to use. You had to know what you were going to do with the exotic gold recipes before you cast them. With purple gold you can do no more than just carve into it and reshape it via grinding and such. It is non malable and in Alan's eyes thus inferior to the regular alloys that you can beat, stretch and other abuse. I personally wanted to make some pieces using it. I can look the recipe up in my notes and I'm sure it is in some of my books if anyone wants the exact alloy amounts. In fact I drew up a pearl necklace sort of art novueaish with an orchid in purple gold and lotts of pearls and a few colored gems stones accented with white gold. I may haul that design out again now that I've met the pearl experts here and ...... with a pending trip to see Douglas' marvelous pearls.

 

[jerin]

Hi everyone and welcome to our newcomers!

I think there is a post somewhere on gold and it?s different colours. Gold is available in green, blue, purple, black - if I remember correctly. Just search under "gold".

 

[Valeria101]

Purple gold...

www.Gold.org has the techie bits and you may find more practical notes from a jeweler who works with the alloy (Click HERE).

I have never seen purple gold and pearls combined... but it could be nice. Since the alloy is so difficult to work, stone setting isn't obvious either - most design are modernistic, heavy, and play on variations of gold colors rather then matching with color-coordinated stones (although that sounds like an obvious idea, doesn't it!).

Since setting pearls is less metalsmithing-intensive, purple pearls could fit the bill.... Interesting (OK. maybe not the outrageous one above - other purples, there's no shortage)

Just keep in mind that the metal will have to be carved and turned - not worked into common jewelry shapes.

Some of those 'cherry' pearls 'round here are well worth some style innvation, methinks

 

[Pearlgully]

I can't remember which other metal was mixed in off the top of my head, but it is just a different recipe as it were for gold.

I'm pretty sure the other metal is aluminum. Purple gold is considered to be 18k because there is 79% gold in the combined alloy; although it is very beautiful, it's also quite brittle.


Gail