Pearlfection or Pearlfabrication

[richipat]

Ok guys, I am sad to say that I bought some earrings over a year ago for a gift.

Once they arrived, they were very white, had all sorts of claims on the accompanying literature, but they DID NOT PASS THE TOOTH TEST.

They felt as smooth as plastic pearls.

Very strange since they are supposed to be covered in nacre -- or some kind of "pearl dust" or something from the real thing. Quote from HSN: "Each bead was created by applying multiple layers of natural shell in solution onto a mother-of-pearl center. "

So I dumped them in a drawer and bought something else.

And they were way overpriced.

YAK!!!

Later....I googled Pearlfection Simulated Pearls and this Amazon listing came up. http://www.amazon.com/Pearlfection-Simulated-Pearl-Shell-Ring/dp/B000MSWM3S

Here is quote about how they are made: Part of the Pearlfection collection. Background Story: The creation of Pearlfection starts with the same identical mother-of-pearl nucleus that is used in saltwater pearl culturing. This includes the classic heirloom akoya pearls and the highly coveted South Sea pearl varieties. A special aquatic solution has been created and applied by man to mimic the finest saltwater cultured pearls in the world. Features and Benefits: PH-This jewelry was created to mimic high end cultured pearl jewelry PH-These pieces are easily worn by themselves or with other cultured pearls Looks and wears like the high end saltwater pearl strands as well as gives protection to the Pearlfection pearls California residents only: ?Proposition 65? WARNING

 

[jshepherd]

They made it a point to say that their pearls were porous (yes, the used the word porous) like the real thing. This is how they are "just like" the real thing.

Nacre would likely be ground mussel shell. This is what shell pearls are made of.

Shell is very similar to pearl. It is the epithelial cells in the mantle tissue that creates the shell, and when placed against the nucleus, it coats and creates a pearl.

But, not all of the shell creating mantle tissue is the same as that used in pearl culturing. Each part of the mantle is responsible for different parts of the shell.

In the Pinctada marg., for example, the outer lobe produces the periostracum. This is the horny conchioline outer layer of the shell. The outer wall of the mantle near the periphery creates the rainbow-color nacre, while the inner creates white. Only the periphery edge is used in pearl production. The rest of the mantle just creates shell.

It is not the same thing as a pearl.

There is nothing wrong with shell pearls. They are a very affordable alternative to the real thing. But they are indeed fake pearls, and they look and feel very different from the real thing. Insinuating anything else is just dishonest.

 

[bluecamel]

You are correct, things would have to be handled the right way and I do not have a clue as to the legal end. I would like to throw out some ideas and see what people think.

Would it be possible to have a permanent alphabetized list of businesses that are deceiving the public? Then linked to each business name, would be the posts that expose their unsavory practices and then a response of undeniable proof from our experts.

It should be very clear cut---Business Name, Lie(s) and Truth. If the owner of the site responds, be it negative or positive, their response should be part of the permanent record. That way the consumer can make an informed choice and maybe the owner in question will change their ways.

While reading past posts, I remember a business that had stolen a photo from one of the member?s site. When this was exposed by Jeremy with undeniable photographic proof, how did the thief respond? Did he blame his rotten childhood, a dishonest photographer, or man up to the charges? No, he attacked Jeremy calling him a liar. Anyone with an IQ above a bag of hair could tell by the evidence who the real liar was. Heck, there are people on death row because of less evidence than was presented in this incident. And in the end, the photo was curiously removed by the guilty party, vindicating Jeremy. As a consumer, I would appreciate knowing about unethical businesses.

On the flipside of this issue, new members are asking who they can purchase certain items from and the response is look to members of the forum. But if someone is new and other forum members are not on-line?would it not benefit both the customer and our retail members if there was an alphabetized permanent list of the good guys and gals (Amanda!)? Just some thoughts.

 

[KAC]

I know what you are saying and yes we do get a lot of new people coming and asking who they should purchase pearls from. BUT, this site was never created as a means to advertise and we would rather lose some sales and keep the integrity of the site then cross the line into self promotion.

It is a very slippery slope once you start using a site like this for promotion and we tend to err on the side of caution.

 

[bluecamel]

I understand what you are saying reference a slippery slope. But one thing that makes this site unique and really enforces the credibility factor is the way all of the various retailers interact with one another.

I just thought that a list of retailers (no ads or banners) that support the site would give the new person an immediate starting point and keep them from being taken.

But I would never want the credibility of the site to be questioned.

 

[jshepherd]

I think you make a very good point. Maybe we should develop a page that lists the sponsors and members of the forum that honestly represent the products and sell ethically. A lot of people come here browsing and ask, but it is always an uncomfortable question.

Regarding those that conduct business unethically, eventually they are discussed here. But I would have a problem listing them as unethical vendors. Yes, The Pearl Source was using a photograph that they did not take, and the way the responded to being "outed" was unprofessional and left them with a lot of mud on their face. But, that does not necessarily make them completely unethical, although the use of AAAA is questionable, in my opinion.

Isn't there a list somewhere on this forum of the members and sponsors? We can use this to create the page.

 

[Caitlin]

If you aren't signed in, aren't there various advertisements salted in between responses?

 

[jshepherd]

Yes, but those are just financial sponsorship spots. Being listed as a recommended seller should have nothing to do with contributions to the forum. It should be related to the experiences people in this community have had with the sellers. I think there are something like 15 to 20 companies represented here, maybe more.

 

[bluecamel]

Hi Jeremy,
Stealing does not necessarily make them completely unethical??? Isn?t that like a little bit pregnant? Either one is or isn?t. Where does one draw the line?

I don?t know, have just been venting, because I work hard for what I have and I would hate to be taken by these lying #%/@*($^!!!!

It is just disheartening to see them go unchallenged and continue to fleece the uniformed.

 

[jshepherd]

Yes, stealing is definitely wrong, and using someone else's pictures as indicative of your own goods is unethical.

Where does one draw the line? That is a good question. I personally prefer to target those that are intentionally deceiving consumers through dishonest representation and imitation goods.

The AAAA grading system is a gray area. I think it is dishonest, but it is not illegal. The Pearlfection claims are illegal, as are 99% of the "pearl" claims on eBay.

 

[bluecamel]

Hi Jeremy,
So that brings us full circle. What is the answer to dealing with these companies, so they experience some type of consequences for there actions? Or do we just take the position-- Caveat Emptor?

 

[knotty panda]

I disagree with that idea. I think it might incur some kind of liability







(edited to remove offensive way of stating position)

 

[jshepherd]

I actually think they way it stands now definitely has quite a bit of effect. This forum was built years ago to keep shysters from running amok on the Internet. Today there are very, very few Sites that carry the claims they carried just a few years ago. I feel it is in large part due to the fact that companies are held responsible for their claims here. If a seller claims to be selling natural black, untreated, AAA+ freshwater pearls, they will be called out - publicly.

But other than that, it is really the voice of the consumer that makes all the difference. By publishing complaints and experiences, I feel this has much more of an effect than a list of "no go" companies.

I really feel that the best way would be to list all the retailers and wholesalers that are members here, and not only members here, but those that abide by all ethical standards of representation.

 

[bluecamel]

Hi Knotty Panda,
No need to start shaking in your boots or trouble yourself with my post. I fully understand the ramifications of what I threw out. Understand that I?m just venting about what can be done about these unethical businesses and a lot of what I said (extreme prejudice) was tongue in cheek!

The list of the good guys and bad guys?there should be a list of ethical retailers that are supporters of this site. That way the visitors that are uninformed have a starting point so they will not be taken advantage of right out of the box. It has nothing to do with the ethics of businesses that are not on the list.

And the list was just an idea to group together the bad experiences into one location, so the visitor to this site has another tool to work with. Members that visit here each day are kept abreast of information such as the lies of Pearlflection. But what about someone that visits this site one month from now? I just thought it would be beneficial to have an area, (be it a list, section, whatever you want to call it) where the consumer could immediately go for help, because that is what I thought this forum was about?information.

So don?t be afraid. I threw the question out for a solution and you have responded, Caveat Emptor.

Hi Jeremy,
I see your point and you have brought forth a solution to this problem and that is all I was asking for.

 

[pattye]

Hi bluecamel and all,

I am against having these kinds of lists, it sounds like vigilante-style tactics to me.

Anyone is welcome to ask questions here about a pearl site or seller, and we happily share our experiences, evaluate websites, advertising claims, etc. There are no doubt many ethical pearl sellers, designers, etc, that do not participate here, and have never heard of pearl-guide.com.

Some of the threads do have a list (complete or not) of the forum members who sell pearls.

Have you, bluecamel, contacted or written to Pearlperfection to complain about their advertising?

There is just no way to protect ourselves from the pain inflicted by some of our choices . But educating ourselves and asking questions, asking questions, and asking more questions improves the odds!

IMO
Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Sueki]

I've been reading this thread with quite some degree of trepidation, and am very relieved to read the posts by Knotty and Pattye.
I would hate to see this very helpful and informative forum go down the route of slating alleged dishonest sellers.
The best thing about this forum is that it appears to be a meeting of informed and passionate pearl minds, buyers and sellers alike.
Pattye hits the nail on the head. Anyone reading the forum a month from now will be able to find answers to most questions just by reading the topics.
And any questions not answered by reading can freely be asked.

 

[boo]

Wow - what a thread! I must confess to a certain reluctance as far as some sort of "blacklist" for unethical vendors because of the legal ramifications. I also think that while a list of recommended vendors will be useful to many people, the folks who will be best off in the long run are those who stick around long enough to educate themselves. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have gleaned from being a member of this forum, and that knowledge has helped me to gather together the fabulous pearls that I am lucky enough to call my own. Folks who just jump onto this site to pick a name off a list will certainly be directed to fine and reputable sellers, but will they have learned anything about why that Akoya bracelet they want to buy might not make them as happy as something else?

Just my $0.02...

 

[bluecamel]

Hi Pattye,
I had no idea that the word ?list? would create such a firestorm! What I was wondering about was how to group all of the information that is contained in this forum reference the unethical and having it in one location. The information has already been put forth, as part of the public record, but as I explained, if one is not a regular visitor to this site, they would not be aware of things such as Pearlflection, unless they were to read all of the past posts. I just wondered if there was a more convenient way to help educate visitors.

There was no intention of vigilante-style tactics, just questions how to handle the problem and some thoughts. I guess the word ?list? and "blacklist" conjured up the wrong message.

Jeremy has come up with a solution of listing the ethical vendors and continuing on from there. Which is the answer to how does one deal with this problem?

Reference the original problem with Pearlflection---you have put forth a rational idea of how to handle them and I thank you---instead of just throwing around adelpated notions of cyber flogging, blackmail and liable.

 

[jshepherd]

Knotty,
Yes, that is true. There could be (in a sheep's clothing). But what we are not taking into account here is that people constantly come and ask, "where should I go for such and such". There is nothing wrong with having links, most Sites have them. THIS Site has them visible for browsers and non-members. There would also be nothing wrong with people here recommending them based on their own experiences. In that sense, I think it would be a good idea. It would also be a way of holding sellers accountable to keep the link.

The blacklist of course would never happen. It is not the legal ramifications that bother me about it either. I just do not think it would be morally right. But, that aside, anyone who does stay here to learn can come to their own conclusions quite easily.

Bluecamel,
You are not the first to suggest the "blacklist" idea. It has been brought up numerous times, especially regarding eBay sellers. But the main purpose here is to educate people. That education serves the same purpose as a blacklist, but also empowers the consumer. This is something a blacklist would not be able to achieve.

My hope is that consumers do research the companies they intend to buy from before buying. This is what changes company policy. How many embarrassed jeweler are there in the US that have had a pearl-guide member walk into their store and ask a simple question about a strand of pearls in the window? It is empowerment.

 

[knotty panda]

LOL, yes, I know legal ramifications don't concern you. You're fearless. I wish I could be as fearless. Links? Go for it! But now, that we're on the subject, I've always thought there should be a disclaimer at the door to the site, something like, "Viewpoints expressed by members like Knotty Panda, are strictly their opinion and in no way reflect or are shared by the really cool pearl purveyors who support our site."


edit: that is correct, but personal attacks should not be tolerated for any reason.....