How to buy pearls- best tip ever

[suzannelowrie]

Dear Pearl Fans:
Some of you have asked me to wholesale Akoyas to your enterprise (seeing as I am a pearl tourist and "visit" pearls- why can't I buy for you?). Hmmm. In the process of asking me to wholesale to you, you have demanded detailed information. Hmmm. I'm rather slow. I have to mull things over. Especially when I am confused. Confused? Why? You pearl fans have asked for weird bits of information.

The best tip on buying pearls I got from Jeremy. "Buy a Master Strand," he said. What he was to polite to say was: the Master Strand cuts through the BS. Either the Akoya pearls are "two summer" pearls and were harvested in the winter (thick nacre and high luster) or they aren't. After seeing a half million pearls under bright lights, the only way your dazzled eyes know if you are getting what you want is comparing the Master Strand with the seller's pearls.

So buy Master Strands from Jeremy and Terry and let those strands set your standards. The Master Strands are all the info that you need. Which MS? Hanadama and Gem-Quality for Akoyas. Freshadama for freshwater. Why? Good pearls are property that can be a loving gift to grandchildren. Inferior pearls won't last. They'll croak before you do.

Uh, oh... no one is going to like that rash statement, but I saw hundreds of Akoya "necklaces" in Singapore that had died in the jeweler's case (so I formed a deep prejudice against pearls with thin layers of nacre). Besides, if your Master Strands are outstanding, then you can figure out what grade you are being offered, make an informed decision on what grade you will assign to your purchase, and if you want to buy.

Can't afford a MS? Buy an AAA+ bracelet, open it, cover the clasp parts with your two hands and roll the bracelet on a table together with the seller's pearls. It will work almost as well. The quality of the seller's pearls (or lack of) will be apparent instantly.

 

[sleight]

Excellent advice! And something else someone once shared with me... Oftentimes we tend to compare just the middle of the strand. But take your Master pearls and compare the ends of the strand too. Sometimes the better pearls are in the center of the strand because that's where our eye tends to go, but the ends of the strand are lesser quality.

Actually, I haven't ever purchased Akoya, only freshwater and Tahitian, but I'm assuming the strategy holds true for all pearl strands.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Same goes for buying gems, whether faceted or beads. There is nothing like having a fine example of the gem with you for comparison.

 

[Caitlin]

Very good post Suzanne, but I wish you would divide it into more paragraphs so my old eye doesn't get lost in moving from line to line of text.

I edited one other post this AM only to break into smaller paragraphs and another Admin did it to yet another.

I always take a master strand (from Jeremy) to compare at booths. What happens to the master strand in the light, is the same as for the other pearls only the master strand will reflect its own quality, thus letting you know the quality of the ones you are looking at.

 

[La Contessa]

Quote: but I saw hundreds of Akoya "necklaces" in Singapore that had died in the jeweler's case... end quote

I am interested to learn what this means?

 

[Caitlin]

Thin nacre, overprocessing. Fairly worthless pearls.

 

[Orangetree]

I'm from Singapore. I have window shopped quite a few shops here for pearls. I'm always hesitant to buy any as I am not sure about the quality. What's worse, the sales ladies are often not helpful. Your statement on akoyas died in the jeweler's case further supports my decision not to buy from these shops.

 

[Mka4972]

Also when pearls are in a display case for to long the color tends to brown out a bit, maybe that is what is meant by "died".

 

[pattye]

Marc,

Do you think that is possibly from lack of moisture, and heat from lights in the case?

 

[pearl guide]

Well, I am not MKA, but I think case imprisonment on cheapo pearls is a recipe for disaster.