Help with evaluation of eBay seller

[newbie]

Hi!
I?m a first time buyer and I?m considering buying a pair of akoya earrings from this eBay seller: forthgirl (Culross Creations)
(link: http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/forthgirl?_trksid=p2047675.l2559)

I am totally new to the world of pearls, and would love to not get scammed the first time I buy some.
I?ve read a couple of forum threads and I get that eBay is the right place to get scammed.
Still, some eBay sellers are genuine, it seems, and I hope that someone here would check whether forthgirl is genuine.
I?m new to this, but the reviews from buyers are overwhelmingly positive and each item is well described.
Still, a couple things gets me worried: how come it?s so cheap? An equivalent item from pearlparadise.com is more than twice as expensive.
Also, some items have an AAA+ rating. Which I?ve recently learned is nonsense.

These are the earrings that I?m concindering:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Akoya-AAA..._Watches_FineJewellery_CA&hash=item4cfbc7d989

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Akoya-AAA..._Watches_FineJewellery_CA&hash=item3ccccfc7c8

Best regards
Newbie

 

[DerekJ]

Ask if they are 3/4 Akoya pearls. If they are 3/4 then the price would be correct. Also some companies will use hollow post to save a little on the gold cost, however the pearl itself contributes more to the cost then the findings on higher quality prices. The price seems similar to the AA/AA+ that the company I work for sells.

Also I'm sure that the pearl paradise AAA pearls are accurately graded and priced appropriately.

 

[perlinda]

Have no experience with this seller, but it looks good to me. Original stuffs and pictures... I like some of the designs.

 

[KarinK]

Good idea to ask first

She's clean on toolhaus.org, http://toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=forthgirl&Dirn=Received+by&ref=home

- Karin

 

[pearlescence]

Hi
Where are you? are you somewhere in the UK because if you are anywhere in Europe you have lots of consumer legislation protecting you
You may want to consider top notch freshwater as well, as they will look almost indistinguishable and be much cheaper

 

[jshepherd]

Looking through a few of the auctions, the seller does seem to be one of the better ones. I agree with Derek on the AAA, however. That should be ignored. The freshwater and South Sea (except for one piece) are all pretty well described and seem accurate.

 

[Sea Urchin]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Akoya-AAA..._Watches_FineJewellery_CA&hash=item3ccccfc7c8

"Lilac" akoyas?

 

[jshepherd]

I didn't see those, but that would give me cause for concern. Those certainly appear to be freshwater.

The strands listed as akoya, such as this one are akoya.

 

[pattye]

Sea Urchin,

How about emailing her and nicely pointing out her error? She does seem to have most of her listings correct otherwise, but congrats on your good pearl policing to catch that!

 

[newbie]

Thanks for the help guys. I might just go for the first item I posted:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Akoya-AAA..._Watches_FineJewellery_CA&hash=item4cfbc7d989

I asked the seller, and she said it?s Japanese Akoya pearls. I somehow doubt that they?re Japanese, but as long as they?re Akoya pearls and look similar to the pictures I?d be happy giving them to my girlfriend on Valentine?s Day.
(I live in a EEA-country by the way, so I reckon I have some protection)

Thanks again this is truly a great and informative forum!