intergem recommendations?

[juliebeth]

hi all, i'll be volunteering at a booth (austin gem and mineral society!) during the upcoming intergem show here in austin, and i am looking forward to getting to see some of these amazing types of pearls i'm reading so much about in person, if not possibly purchasing some for products. however, looking at the vendor list, i see none of the vendors who are so prominent here. anyone care to take a peek at the vendor list and let me know if there are any that you can recommend (or not) showing here in a few weeks?

here's a link - you'll have to click on the vendor list link within this link: http://www.intergem.com/shows/upcoming-shows/austin-tx-april-12-14

 

[Pearl Dreams]

My experience with Intergem is that the vendors sell beading quality loose pearls, not high quality.

Janes Pearl World has inexpensive Chinese freshwater pearls but they try to palm them off as akoyas. Still, have a look.

 

[Sea Urchin]

We're getting it the weekend after you, Juliebeth. If I may piggyback on your post, anyone know any of these?

http://www.intergem.com/shows/upcoming-shows/houston-tx-april-19-21

 

[juliebeth]

thanks pearl dreams! i was at least hoping to view some *high* beading-quality pearls. i have bought from the bead stores in town, a tiny bit online, and am not entirely sure how the pricing could possibly work. i am thinking at least some of it has to do with inventory turnover rates at the bead stores (not very high) and fairly indifferent buyers at both stores and online. it's rather frustrating. besides taking the GIA bead course and reading a lot here, i could use a little more hands-on experience with pearls at this point.

not a problem, Sea Urchin!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

You may find the quality a little better than what you can get at your local bead stores, or at least a better range/assortment to choose from. It's been a couple of years since our last Intergem show, so maybe they have more of the rounder FWP than they used to have.

 

[juliebeth]

i'll check it out, as much as i can. i'll shoot photos so i can share them here - i've been LOVING the way you guys post photos all over the place, all willy-nilly, and i'd love to reciprocate. hopefully they're not all going to be awful pearls.

 

[pattye]

Juliebeth,

Now that's the kind of volunteering I'd love to do! We seem to get different vendors on the intergem/gemfaire routes than you do in central and east US. I do notice that gem dealers may carry pearls also. I hope it will be a great experience for you and you'll be able to take photos.

 

[Marianne]

Wu's Original has some lovely pearls and very high quality gemstone beads. Very nice gentleman too. Have fun!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Wu's Original has some lovely pearls and very high quality gemstone beads. Very nice gentleman too. Have fun!

I don't think he makes it up to the Intergem shows in the northeast, but I wish he would!

 

[juliebeth]

omg wu's original has so many beautiful things! and he is a delightful gentleman - he spent some time talking with me about qualities of various pearl types. he's really good at suggesting cheaper but almost-as-good options when, say, one is drooling over the $800 strand of multicolor 10-12mm freshwaters....

i still need some good keshis, i'll go back for a visit today, i think.

 

[GemGeek]

Evergreen can have good deals on interesting gemstones, but they aren't pearl people.

 

[Sea Urchin]

Well, I went to the Intergem show in Houston. Yes, lots and lots of - what are they called- craft quality pearl strands? (cheapies) Not a thing wrong with that but I have so many pearls already that it's not really what I was looking for. And then there were many lovelies in the glass cases, the good stuff. We arrived right as they opened on Friday, so there weren't many people yet. Still, there was so much traffic in front of those cases that it was hard to stick my nosey-nose in. I also saw some shenanigans, as someone mentioned above. Obvious 6mm strands being sold as 7-8mm. A huge, very round "south sea" strand with maybe 14-17mm pearls for $650, yeah right. Not! There was a section they would not let us go into because it was "wholesale." It really was an education, to see soooo many pearls at once, though. And Ms. Caitlin, I see what you mean about the higher luster on the smaller pearls. When they were side by side, the difference was striking. I had planned to buy some goodies but left with nothing. First, not knowing the dealers, I didn't really trust them enough, especially after seeing the ebay-style tricks. And then I think there was so much that I just got too overwhelmed too pick any one thing out.