My collection of terrible pearls

[Nikbob]

Hello! I'm new here (though I've lurked quite a bit) so I thought I'd introduce myself by showing you a terrible photo of my collection of terrible pearls:



From right to left:

1)My only 'good' pearl (though tbh it's not that great and has 2-3 blemishes - pretty colour though) and the one that gets most wear - single Tahitian pearl from Margo Pearls, Honolulu.

2) really long circle pearl rope - can be tripled - , which I imagine is freshwater but very pretty colours - 2nd most worn - $7 from International Market, Honolulu

3) equally long circle pearl rope in white - same price, same location

4) roundish FW pearl bracelet from absolutepearls.co.uk, worn at my wedding (it was a budget affair)

5) HK Jade market, last week, bought together with item 7 for HKD 400 ish, dyed FW which look greener in real life. Just terrible. Nothing to commend them at all, potato shaped etc, low lustre, but they look okay on, and I won't ever worry about losing them. Fun, sort of. Collarbone-length necklace

6) HK Jade market again, FW white rope, not as long as above - can be doubled - bought together with item 8 for HKD 340 ish. Varying degrees of roundness, not huge amounts of lustre. Will do for a pearl rope in the circles I move in

7) HK Jade market - triple strand of FW potatoes in pink/white/apricot. Didn't want to like this - these are not really colours I wear - but it looked quite nice on. Will probably prove its use in summer weddings. Ironically would have matched my wedding dress almost perfectly, but bought 8 years after the fact.

8) HK Jade market - big old roundish grey pearls with v. little lustre but'll be useful for wearing with black suits and the like.

9) 5 strand FW - 3 white, 2 black - with tiny button pearls. Bought by my Mum for my Gran in HK (we lived there 1980-94) and have come down to me. Think I'm getting to the age I could wear these now...

10) rice crispie pearl necklace & bracelet given to me for either my 16th or 18th birthday (so either 91/93), again from HK. Used to think these were too delicate for me & intended for the sort of ingenue I've never been but getting them out again today I quite like them clipped together, and think I may try to give them another go.

Hm. I think I may have enough costumey pearls now and may have to save up for something nice - I keep looking at the multi-colour FW strands but as I'm between jobs it may be some time...

Anyhow, sorry if this was too many words just to say hello - I really appreciate this community already and hope to learn even more from you.

 

[pearlescence]

Welcome to you and your pearl collection There is absolutely nothing wrong with those pearls. If you enjoy them what's not good?

 

[pkinnew]

Thanks for sharing your pearls! I like the variety of sizes, colors, styles. What's not to love - wear them proudly!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I agree, you have lots of perfectly wearable pearls there!

I had a budget wedding, too -- and my wedding pearls were imitations.

I hope you can find a suitable job soon. There will always be beautiful pearls for sale, and when you are ready for them, they will be ready for you.

 

[CathyKeshi]

Welcome! Wear your pearls with great joy and fun ... way better than something very fine kept in a bank vault and never seen

 

[Sea Urchin]

Nikbob, you crack me up! A few years ago I got (high quality) freshies and earrings as an Anniversary gift, the classic whites. I fell in love and then I wanted lots of pearls, right away. As time went on and budget allowed I'd occasionally add a higher end piece to my collection. And then, with some exceptions, the "fun" ones no longer seemed quite as fun, lol.

Eventually, I realized I had so many I looked a little insane. And who needs their husband seeing several tons of pearls in their jewelry box and using it as an excuse to say ridiculous and uneducated things like "You don't need any more pearls," right?

So, I just cleared out a bunch of pearls that I no longer wear. I recalled Caitlin saying she sometimes donated strands to some kind of recovery place for women and I thought that was neat. I've sold some and donated others to a home near here for disabled adults (I specified for either the residents or staff, since that's a tough job and they might like some goodies too. Also, I'm not sure how many of the residents are aware enough to enjoy owning jewelry). So I'm not sure if that was the right place but I guess someone will end up with them who likes them.

Why do I have a feeling this is not an unusual story around here? LOL. Anyway, pearls are great because everyone can play and beauty doesn't always go by price anyway. There are some stunning, expensive pieces shown on here but at the same time, I haven't encountered any pearl snobbery for my cute budget choices, either. It's all good!

 

[CathyKeshi]

"Ridiculous and uneducated" ... may I quote you Sea Urchin, the next time hubby utters that "You don't need any more pearls ... " line LOL!? I like your ideas for weeding out the things we no longer wear too, as our tastes change. Sometimes they're not budget items either, just not a good fit for our lifestyles. I have an exquisite hand cast gold "sea coral branch" brooch set with lovely emeralds and diamonds ... just sits in the jewelry box unworn; it deserves a new and better home now

 

[JerseyPearl]

Love all your pearls, each and every strand! If it were me, and because I love to mix up, I would twist a few of the strands to wear together. They all have a lot of character, and are enhanced by the stories that go with each. Wear them all in the very best of health!

 

[Nikbob]

Thanks, everyone! I love them, naturally, but calling them 'terrible' is my way of tip-toeing in here where I know there are plenty of connoisseurs with heirloom pearls hoping I'll be allowed to play too I know there's nothing here that you could boast about, but they're nice as souvenirs and as reminders to me to up my accessories game.

4, 9 & 10 have sentimental value of course - 9 still smells of my Gran's perfume - and I found 2 again today after thinking I'd lost it for a couple of months. I was really pleased; I paid very very little money for it but I've no idea how I'd replace it here in London.

Sea Urchin: ha ha! editing and culling what you have is a trick I've never really got the hang of, but maybe one day... paying it forward is always good and it sounds like a wonderful thing that you're doing.

So pleased to have taken the plunge and got myself a username - thanks for the lovely welcome. If an expensive strand does ever call my name (or call on me to hint heavily at my husband is more like it at the moment) I'll be much better informed for having hung around here.

 

[lisa c]

Well done, welcome to our party!

 

[Nikbob]

Thanks, everyone! I love them, naturally, but calling them 'terrible' is my way of tip-toeing in here where I know there are plenty of connoisseurs with heirloom pearls hoping I'll be allowed to play too I know there's nothing here that'd you want to boast about, but having them makes me happy.

4, 9 & 10 have sentimental value of course - 9 still smells of my Gran's perfume - and I found 2 again today after thinking it was lost for a good while. I was so pleased: I may have paid very little for it but it's pretty and fun to wear, and I have no idea how I'd replace it here in London.

Sea Urchin: ha ha! editing and culling is something I should be much better about across all sorts of types of possession - one day I'll learn. Paying it forward is always wonderful, and it sounds like a fantastic thing you're doing.

I'm so glad I finally took the plunge and signed up, prompted by my haul from Hong Kong and a quiet, jet-lagged, post-holiday day. Thank you all for the lovely welcome. If I do ever hear an expensive strand (or black pearl pendant) calling my name - or more realistically at the moment calling upon me to drop heavy hints to my husband - I'll be much better informed having spent time here.

 

[Nikbob]

Oooops! Sorry if you saw, or are still seeing, a near-duplicate post there. Like I say, I'm new here...

 

[CathyKeshi]

Nikbob, you have pearls that still have the scent of your grandmother's perfume? How wonderful is that, and priceless

 

[dkan 168]

I started my collection with rice crispies many years ago, and still have some of the ones I made for myself somewhere.

DK

 

[BAS]

Love all your pearls, each and every strand! If it were me, and because I love to mix up, I would twist a few of the strands to wear together. They all have a lot of character, and are enhanced by the stories that go with each. Wear them all in the very best of health!

Oh, I agree with the above! You could mix colors and shapes and sizes and come up with great torsades and twists! Enjoy your pearls and show us some neck shots, please. They come alive on their owner.

 

[GemGeek]

I always tell people to buy pearls because you love them. It only matters that they appeal to YOU. There are a lot of cuties there. And if you could see all of our pearls, you would see that we all started out just like you did.

 

[pattye]

Nikbob, Welcome! Fun seeing and hearing the stories about your collection!

 

[newberry]

Nikbob any pearl that makes it's owner happy is a good pearl. Yours are just fine if you love them.

 

[SunSeeker]

Welcome Nikbob! Love the story about your grandmother. I have my mother's wedding pearls, which are imitations, but mean the world to me!

 

[Bailey1856]

Nikbob, they're hardly terrible. If you use them a lot and are having fun with them that's all that matters. I think all pearls are fascinating and the process of how they are being made by these wonderful oysters.