Hello! I’m new to this forum and I’ve been reading all the wonderful posts and drooling over the beautiful pearls. I’ve only recently started my pearl obsession a few months ago, and I started off with white south sea pearls. In the beginning I was obsessed with huge white south sea pearls and I now have a gorgeous pair of 14mm ssp studs and a 10-13mm princess length strand, both of which I adore.
But after that I discovered akoya pearls and it’s been a slippery slope! I feel like smaller akoyas are so feminine and youthful, while the large south sea pearls are statement pieces. I’m now in Japan on vacation, and on a day when I had a few extra minutes to spare I walked in randomly into the Daimaru department store in Osaka and went straight to the Tasaki counter. I asked for an opera length strand, and the sales associate showed me a strand of white pearls. I asked about the grade of that strand, and he said it’s a C grade. Then he showed me two more strands, both with a pink overtone (which I preferred over the white). One was A grade with 8mm pearls, one was B grade with 7mm pearls according to the sales associate. I chose the B grade of 7mm pearls because the price jump between the supposed A and B grade strands was very big.
I do feel that when worn the difference in the A and B grading was not visible, and I preferred the 7mm size on myself. I am however, somewhat confused by the grading that the sales associate mentioned. He said that the A grade strand is the best of the best that Tasaki has. So I suppose my B grade strand is just a step lower.
My question is, generally what grade are Tasaki pearls? How do they compare to hanadamas or tennyos? The price of my strand is about 1,650,000 yen.
Thanks for letting me share!
But after that I discovered akoya pearls and it’s been a slippery slope! I feel like smaller akoyas are so feminine and youthful, while the large south sea pearls are statement pieces. I’m now in Japan on vacation, and on a day when I had a few extra minutes to spare I walked in randomly into the Daimaru department store in Osaka and went straight to the Tasaki counter. I asked for an opera length strand, and the sales associate showed me a strand of white pearls. I asked about the grade of that strand, and he said it’s a C grade. Then he showed me two more strands, both with a pink overtone (which I preferred over the white). One was A grade with 8mm pearls, one was B grade with 7mm pearls according to the sales associate. I chose the B grade of 7mm pearls because the price jump between the supposed A and B grade strands was very big.
I do feel that when worn the difference in the A and B grading was not visible, and I preferred the 7mm size on myself. I am however, somewhat confused by the grading that the sales associate mentioned. He said that the A grade strand is the best of the best that Tasaki has. So I suppose my B grade strand is just a step lower.
My question is, generally what grade are Tasaki pearls? How do they compare to hanadamas or tennyos? The price of my strand is about 1,650,000 yen.
Thanks for letting me share!
