Old Lady Needs Help

[Pearl Dreams]

As to white metallics vs. Freshadamas, I happen to own both...except I bought the Freshadamas when the range was 7-8mm (therefore a larger proportion are smaller in my strand than they would be in a 7.5-8mm strand.) Photo with both side by side on my neck is here:

The 8-8.5mm white metallics are larger, more lustrous, slightly more off-round with cooler, greener undertones (I specifically requested silver ros? undertones for my Freshadamas but you could request cooler undertones.) The luster is more nearly like akoyas but the shape is more like freshwaters. At this time there aren't earrings to match. Jeremy may or may not get more of this line in, in the spring. If you don't buy them now, they may not be around later.

The Freshadmas are rounder, a bit smaller in that range, very lustrous (but not as much as the metallics) and it would be easy for you to buy earrings to match at the same time, a big plus. And you should buy earrings at the same time, if you plan to get them at all, so they can match them, as they will be harder to match later unless you send back the strand for them to use for comparison.

In addition I want to add that PP has a lot more pearls in their vault than are on the website! If you want Freshadamas (or AAA freshwaters) in a slightly larger size, by all means call them and find out what they have in the vault!!

I'm going to go with my gut here and encourage you to go for the Freshadamas. Call rather than emailing or doing it online, so you can have an actual conversation about what sizes are available and the prices. They could also email you a photo or two but it might be hard on a busy day like Cyber Monday.
Finally here is a photo of my Freshadamas on my neck-- lots of luster there!

 

[lisa c]

P.S. I'd forget showing him one in each price range, unless you really don't care what you get. Mixed messages are The Pits for anyone to interpret.

you can be thoughtful and self sacrificing anywhere else in your life, just not the best policy when selecting pearls. ;-) Just MHOpinion.

 

[icecheermom]

As to white metallics vs. Freshadamas, I happen to own both...except I bought the Freshadamas when the range was 7-8mm (therefore a larger proportion are smaller in my strand than they would be in a 7.5-8mm strand.) Photo with both side by side on my neck is here:

The 8-8.5mm white metallics are larger, more lustrous, slightly more off-round with cooler, greener undertones (I specifically requested silver ros? undertones for my Freshadamas but you could request cooler undertones.) The luster is more nearly like akoyas but the shape is more like freshwaters. At this time there aren't earrings to match. Jeremy may or may not get more of this line in, in the spring. If you don't buy them now, they may not be around later.

The Freshadmas are rounder, a bit smaller in that range, very lustrous (but not as much as the metallics) and it would be easy for you to buy earrings to match at the same time, a big plus. And you should buy earrings at the same time, if you plan to get them at all, so they can match them, as they will be harder to match later unless you send back the strand for them to use for comparison.

In addition I want to add that PP has a lot more pearls in their vault than are on the website! If you want Freshadamas (or AAA freshwaters) in a slightly larger size, by all means call them and find out what they have in the vault!!

I'm going to go with my gut here and encourage you to go for the Freshadamas. Call rather than emailing or doing it online, so you can have an actual conversation about what sizes are available and the prices. They could also email you a photo or two but it might be hard on a busy day like Cyber Monday.
Finally here is a photo of my Freshadamas on my neck-- lots of luster there!

Lisa, Thanks for the tip about getting out my costume jewelry. That helped.

PearlDreams, Thank you so much for posting these pictures. I love, love, love both of these necklaces. The metallic pearls look positively movie- starrish! I like how the Freshadama ones really complement your skin color. They are beautiful yet subtle. I'd be happy with either of these.
I am going to call PP today to talk about what they have.

 

[dkan 168]

Re: length of necklace, I too wear V neck often. Nearly all my formal evening wear has V neck except for a couple of long dresses. However, it is not cut very low, just low enough to show I have a cleavage of some sort! A 20in would be too long for me.

DK

 

[Nerida]

Wow, I am a bit late to the party on this one.... my suggestion would definitely be the metallics - the bigger the better with what you can afford - they just keep getting better and look amazing on the skin. I am also 50 and don't want to think of myself as an 'old lady' for at least another 30 years!! Can we change the name of this thread??

 

[dkan 168]

I too love Wendy's metallics.

As for being old, I do feel old from time to time, especially after a dance class, when my knees would ache!

DK

 

[GemGeek]

Get the metallics in the length you want. You'll be happy you did for the rest of your life. They're THAT beautiful. They're as lovely as my Hanadama akoyas, which is saying a lot. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

The metallics are lovely! But be aware that people may notice they are off-round. I actually had one ignoramus store owner call my lovely metallics "potato pearls" on Saturday.
Of course, she was trying to sell me her lower-luster, rounder pearls, so she had an agenda. (She lost my business forever.)

Just don't expect them to be entirely round, and you won't be disappointed!

 

[icecheermom]

The metallics are lovely! But be aware that people may notice they are off-round. I actually had one ignoramus store owner call my lovely metallics "potato pearls" on Saturday.
Of course, she was trying to sell me her lower-luster, rounder pearls, so she had an agenda. (She lost my business forever.)

Just don't expect them to be entirely round, and you won't be disappointed!

Potato pearls? Yikes. That was rude!
I called Pearl Paradise today and spoke with someone there. I asked about the metatllics and she said that I'd be better off waiting to order those til after the first of the year when there'd be more selection. We then got to talking about the Freshadamas. I ended up ordering the 7.5 -8mm Freshadama 18 inch strand because there was nothing available between that size and the 8.5-9. The difference between those 2 was around $400 so I thought I'd see if the less expensive one would work for me. If not I am going to return it and just get the bigger ones or the metallic. We talked about color and my invoice says silver overtone/bright white- no pinks.
Everyone here was really helpful. I appreciate it.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Glad we could help! I'm sure the Freshadamas will be beautiful and I hope you will post photos when they arrive. It's educational for all of us to see what the different overtones look like.

I'm also happy to hear that PP is talking about more metallics after the first of the year as Jeremy didn't seem at all sure of that a few weeks ago. (I may get my metallic stud earrings after all, then.)
But will the metallics cost significantly more when the new batch comes in in 2013? The current metallic whites page indicates that, whereas an 18" 8.0-8.5mm strand is now priced at $600, it will later cost $836. Rather a big difference there. But there should be more choice of overtones, I suppose.

 

[icecheermom]

Glad we could help! I'm sure the Freshadamas will be beautiful and I hope you will post photos when they arrive. It's educational for all of us to see what the different overtones look like.

I'm also happy to hear that PP is talking about more metallics after the first of the year as Jeremy didn't seem at all sure of that a few weeks ago. (I may get my metallic stud earrings after all, then.)
But will the metallics cost significantly more when the new batch comes in in 2013? The current metallic whites page indicates that, whereas an 18" 8.0-8.5mm strand is now priced at $600, it will later cost $836. Rather a big difference there. But there should be more choice of overtones, I suppose.

I didn't ask about a possible price increase tho it did occur to me there might be one.
I will post pictures of the pearls when I get them.

 

[dkan 168]

About the length, how about getting a basket clasp, so that the length can be adjusted from say 18in to 20in?

Here is a pic of the clasp on my TPO 8-9mm strand for daily work wear:

DK

 

[Sea Urchin]

Wow, that's lustrous, DK!

 

[lisa c]

. I am also 50 and don't want to think of myself as an 'old lady' for at least another 30 years!! Can we change the name of this thread??[/QUOTE]

I do hope she was being tongue in cheek about being old at 50 - at 50 I still had all my own teeth and still dark red hair ;-).

 

[icecheermom]

About the length, how about getting a basket clasp, so that the length can be adjusted from say 18in to 20in?

Here is a pic of the clasp on my TPO 8-9mm strand for daily work wear:

DK

I didn't know you could do that with a clasp, but now I do for next time!

 

[icecheermom]

I took a couple of pictures of my pearls which came today. They are really pretty.
I have one issue . The pearls seem strung a bit too tightly in one spot. Is this common when you first get them?
I put the pictures in my album in my profile (not sure yet how to embed them in a post.) The quality is not great because I did them with an Ipad, but you can get a good idea of what they look like.

 

[jshepherd]

That's very typical with a newly knotted strand. You can gently roll the pearls back and forth around the tightest knots and it should loosen up. Otherwise it will relax on its own after a few wears. They are knotted tightly because the knots will relax after a few wears and you don't want spaces to start to develop.

 

[icecheermom]

That's very typical with a newly knotted strand. You can gently roll the pearls back and forth around the tightest knots and it should loosen up. Otherwise it will relax on its own after a few wears. They are knotted tightly because the knots will relax after a few wears and you don't want spaces to start to develop.

Thanks! I figured it was common and could be easily dealt with.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Lovely! Are these Freshadamas?

To put the photo in your post, go to the page in your album and click on your photo. In the bottom right there are two codes. Use the one that starts with [ img ] (minus the spaces.)

Copy and paste that image link into your post.

 

[lisa c]

Yes, yes, please put the photo with the light background here on the thread. Oh what the heck, both backgrounds! You did very well!