Keep or Return...Tahitian Pearl Studs

[maiakity]

I received a gift card from work to an online marketplace. I've been craving a pair of Tahitian studs, I have some very pretty leverback tahitian earrings that I love, but sometimes just don't want dangly earrings. Anyway, I bought these studs, sight-unseen (return policy is hassle free). I'm trying to decide weather to keep them or not, or to send them back and try another vendor. At first glance, they seemed strikingly lacking in overtone compared to my other tahitians, the color is fairly one-dimensional. However, the luster seems pretty good, and they are quite large, larger than I expected (listing said 9-10mm, they measure more 10-11 mm on my ruler). The color seems mid to dark grey in some lights, more greenish/bluish/blackish in others, and has been growing on me over the past 24 hours since I've had them in my possession. They are pretty blemish free (one small pinprick sized blemish on the side of one of the earrings). One big downer is the butterfly backs are TINY!!! They looked riduculous on my ears with those tiny backs (drooping off the lower earlobe), and I switched out to some reinforced backs and they wear much nicer. I'd be interested in any thoughts/opinions on these, TIA! (Also, do you think they look too big for my ears? I've never worn such large studs, and I'm not sure if I think they look good on me, or a little silly )

 

[GemGeek]

Oooh - those look terrific on you and they are big. I think they're great. You can buy big silver backers that help them stay upright. http://www.firemountaingems.com/itemdetails/H206100FN

 

[pattye]

Just lovely earrings and gorgeous on you! Second Gemgeek, large backs solve the problem of earrings falling forward.

 

[lisa c]

Wow, forget the pearls, I'm having serious hair, skin and nails Envy!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I agree with the others. The size is fine! Larger earring backs are easy to buy and will solve the problem.

The only question is whether you love the color. Let me put it this way: if you had seen them in person before buying, would you have bought them? If you don't like them well enough to have bought them, return them for pearls whose color you like more.

 

[dkan 168]

They look mighty fine to me on the OP, and I personally would keep them.

DK

 

[maiakity]

Wow, forget the pearls, I'm having serious hair, skin and nails Envy!

LOL, thank you I'm actually 5.5 months pregnant right now, so the hair, skin, and nails are enjoyng a serious boost from all the prenatal vitamins I've been taking!

Thank you for all of the responses, and I really appreciate the link to the larger earring backs!!! I'm going to order some, I hope they will grip on well and don't slip. Even the posts are light-duty, I can't believe they put such light posts and backs on such large and heavy pearls!

I'm leaning towards keeping them, I appreciate your opinions on the size. I've never worn such large studs and wasn't sure if it looked like they were too much on me. I had some trouble capturing the true color of these pearls on the pictures, IRL they are a little more blue/green in most lights than they appear on the pics, they sort of remind me of the color of the deep ocean, with a blue lagoon-ish hue They really are a pretty color, I'm not sure if I would have gone to them first if I had a whole bucket full of multi colored tahitians to sort through, but they really have grown on me in the past few days, and they are unlike anything I already own. My other tahitians lean more toward dark grey with peacock/purple overtones, so these are a little different. On top of that, they were really reasonably priced I think (just over $100), so I feel like if I want some others down the road, I wouldn't have invested too much in these to warrent not buying another pair if I run across some that I just have to have Thanks so much for all of your thoughts and opinions!

 

[Katbran]

They dont look too large, they look lovely. Personally I'd keep them as they are gorgeous!

 

[Amrita]

They dont look too large, they look lovely. Personally I'd keep them as they are gorgeous!

I second that!

 

[zengirl]

Well, Of course the skin, hair and nails are gorgeous, but I do think the studs are a bit large looking. That's fine if you like that, but not sure.... One option is reutrning them and getting smaller ones that have are better shine/less foggy? I'm not saying they're not nice though.

 

[Sea Urchin]

I'm glad you posted that, Maiakitty, because I've just ordered some round 10-11 mm earrings and was also worried that they might look too large. I think that size looks great on you! From the picture, to me they look like "black pearls"- I don't see any startling peacock stuff. However, not a thing wrong with big, black pearls, and of course the price paid figures in as well. So, did you decide to keep them or send them back?

Also, does anyone know if the big backs from Fire Mountain work with the very thin gold posts? I have some large backs but the earring posts slide right out of them.

 

[maiakity]

Well, Of course the skin, hair and nails are gorgeous, but I do think the studs are a bit large looking. That's fine if you like that, but not sure.... One option is reutrning them and getting smaller ones that have are better shine/less foggy? I'm not saying they're not nice though.

Thanks for responding, it did take me a few wears to get used to such large studs, but I did decide to keep them and I'm loving them!!!! The picture quality from my phone is quite poor and the pics above are grainy looking, in reality they are fairly lusterous and have a nice glow/shine, they aren't "foggy" at all.(I'm tempted to take some pics with my actual camera now, just to see if I can capture how they actually look, none of the pics above are truly representative!) I have really also fallen in love with the color, they aren't truly black or grey, but do have a dark body color with a blue-green tone. Sometimes they look a little more dark grey-blue, sometimes more greeney (like peacock green, but without the startling peacock effect). The color is really somewhere in between I think, like the deep ocean. They are really nice!

Sea Urchin: As far as earring backs go, I ordered these from eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/310386868705?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 and they are working just fine. The posts on these studs are really fine (the finest I have seen on ANY of my earrings, even my teeny-tiny diamond studs) and the backs hold secure. Please post some pics when you receive them I would love to see how they look!!!

 

[Sea Urchin]

Thanks, Maiakitty. I just ordered those backs. I'll definitely post my big new pretties when I get them.