Some nice finds from E-Bay

[lionlaw]

Each strand was only around $100 each so it is not worth the hassel and paying for shipping back to China. I contacted them, but haven't heard back yet.

I am not so much interested in the money I am out, but do feel that the quality portrayed vs. what was received is vastly different. I wasn't exspecting major quality for what I paid, but the dings everywhere was a real surprise. I will post comparison pics later to show what was portrayed vs. what I got.

My main reason for posting was just to let other newbies like me know that maybe quality has changed since the original posts?

 

[pearlescence]

$100 buys a good strand from China these days - did you pay with paypal? you may have some redress that way

 

[lionlaw]

Here are the pics. I am addressing with ebay/paypal.

First their photo:

What I received (taken outdoors with no flash):

The surface on these "perfectly round" "nearly flawless" pearls:

and these are the "round" multi-color ones (looks like circle pearls to me):

 

[Hanaleimom]

Hi Lionlaw,

Is it lighting? Their color looks to be a very nice green. Yours is dark, almost black. The pearls are not perfectly round. There is something about the luster or is it covered with dust? The 5th & 6th from the clasp look buttony. Some pearls have bumpy surface, like bubbles.

The FW pearl you pointed out has circles on it. The next 2 below it are not round. Luster is not great, just average. Was it described as smooth?

 

[lionlaw]

Hi Cathy!!

It may be the lighting in their picture, but in no room indoor or outdoor can I get these pearls to look like theirs. My pics were outdoor in sunlight today. The dust quality to it is the surface of the pearls. They are not dusty but pitted and just irregular (not sure how to describe it- coating is just weird).

Luster on both strands was described as "extremely high" in the "near flawless" or "flawless" "perfect round" surfaces.

Ebay addressed it to my satisfaction this evening so I can't complain. The seller, however, only offered 20% as a refund for me to keep them or for me to pay to ship them back to China. Claimed 85% were as advertised!

I just wanted to share my experience.

I just think either they have gone downhill or I just got stuck with a rotten batch since what I received is nothing like what I read on this thread that others in the past has gotten from them.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Lionlaw,
Thank you for the feedback. Since that place got a 4 star review, it is good to temper the enthusiasm with reality. Thank you for the illustrations. Your photos were very clear examples of Chinese hyperbole and taking liberty with photos. When you order the 9mm. the strand will have one 9 mm and all the rest less than that down to 8.3 (or whatever, you got the idea),"almost flawless" means except for all the pits."very round" means potato shaped.

I just noticed Nerida had been here one month when she answered the post. She describes what she was doing, she is a designer who uses "fashion" pearls or what I call, "Commercial grade" pearls or "bead store" pearls. And they all knew what they were talking about and not thinking of newbies who read later.

ksriss had a not so enthusiastic opinion of them:

PP's quality is exceedingly better. From the reflections in the pearl, luster, shape, consistancy, even dye job seems spotty. You can see the differences viewing the Tahitian pearl earrings. They are a much higher class of pearl. As tempting as it was to buy at lower prices, considering - price vs. quality - I have to say, your money would have went a lot further and for generations - staying with the gems you once before purchased.

Then people made it clear that they weren't talking about "round-pearl places" like several members of this site run. Where 8mm means 8mm, AAA luster means the best luster. Everything described accurately every time. 90 day guarantees. That kind of pearls.

ksrizz had the descriptions spot on and when I went back and looked for the pits and dye colors and saw them, 90% toned down, but not gone. "They are in there", they would say to the judge and indeed, they are.

That is shopping direct from China in a nutshell.
And how to read what the designers are saying in "bead" language.

 

[Nerida]

Hi Lionlaw,

I just caught up on this thread - I am overseas at present.
The pearls I bought from Apex over 18 months ago were nearly always as described with respect to surface quality and lustre. Size was a little small, almost to be expected.
The quality I bought was far far higher than what you have pictured above - I still do have some strands from them at home that I would be happy to wear myself.
I would be VERY unhappy with what you received - I haven't had any dealings with this company for quite a while (nor any other ebay supplier).

I do recall though returning a strand once or twice, and it wasn't a problem. I wonder if the business has changed owners/staff/policy?

 

[Caitlin]

Ebay Pearl Shopping:

You will not find round pearls at ebay. There is a line between the round pearls and all the others. Ebay gets the others.

The world buyers already have all those round, lustrous, with that special orient or glow kind of pearl.

The commercial sellers get what's left after the round ones are sorted out.

EBay and pearl tent sellers never even see the round ones, unless they have pits and spots or cracks and chips

You won?t get actually round pearls direct from Chinese eBay Sellers from China, unless they have other flaws.

Do not fool yourself.

Don't expect fine round pearls.

Do not believe claims about round pearls on ebay. You already know they aren?t round, though lots are near round.

If off round is all right with you, you will find many lustrous and low blemished pearls on ebay .

Always think of these pearls as "fashion pearls", "bead pearls", "commercial pearls" ?designers?? pearls. Just not round pearls.

If you do not get what was advertised, complain.
Follow through on it. You will get your money back, esp. if you use PayPal. And you can report it here as your experience.

In ebay photos, look hard for the off rounds and pits and uneven dyes, all of which appear in the pictures. As in Lionlaw's photos from Apex.

 

[lionlaw]

Thanks Nerida and Caitlin for the feedback. I think it is valuable that both the good and the bad is discussed because I am frankly baffled by the ebay sellers with 100% feedback, but are selling totally misdescribed goods.

Speaking as one of the uneducated, I think the vast majority of buyers like me have no clue. I buy from places like TPO, PP, Tiffanys and Mikimoto when I want the goods so to speak on pearls, but when I want a cheap strand to play with, I look to ebay. I have had good luck with some, but the Chinese sellers I am finding take quite a liberty with their vocabulary.

 

[Nerida]

I am frankly baffled by the ebay sellers with 100% feedback, but are selling totally misdescribed goods.

Speaking as one of the uneducated, I think the vast majority of buyers like me have no clue. QUOTE]

I think that is how they get their 100% feedback... sad but true that most buyers really just don't know the difference.

 

[jerin]

Lionlaw,

very sorry to see the pearls you saw and the ones you got! Really, their (Chinese sellers) vocabular needs some explaining!

If you really want ROUND pearls, don?t shop in China! If you want some that we would call near round, they would call it at least AAAA+! As for size we all have by now recognized the fact, that Chinese are ALWAYS selling smaller as they promise. As Caitlin said, in the 1 mm difference range you have to expect the smallest size, with 1-3 centerpearls thrown in that ALMOST REACH the size promised! That?s their way of not selling for a higher price - still if one is aware of this one can order a larger size or best - leave it be to make sure you will not be angry and or sorry! Keep to our forums vendors if you want quality - if you are out for cheaper "training" pearls, buy from Ebay.

 

[Pearl Angel]

Lionlaw

Funny, I was just looking at pearls on e bay myself last night and when they used terms such as AAAAA+ I was quite confused as I thought grading was a universal tool. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I would really only invest my hard earned dollars with PP, TPO or others that perhaps the PGers may recommend. I know I do not have experience nor am I educated in the Pearl World I have come to love.
Guess being new it was just curiosity for us to look. The photos tell it all! Thank you.

 

[Caitlin]

Don't forget, this thread is about buying Chinese pearls from eBay, not Amrita's or Wendy's Chinese connections.

Big difference!

You will see some companies that people recommend from eBay, just don't forget, if they are cultured freshwaters, they will be worse than any of the descriptors, unless there is a photo of the actual item (almost never from big companies) or you keep in mind they are bead store/designer pearls.

 

[pearlescence]

Caitlin, I think you are being a little unfair dismissing all Chinese ebay sellers as prone to hyperbole - I can think of one 'approved' ebay seller (not Chinese) whose descriptions are even more over exaggerated, and yet who is never criticised or condemned.
And I don't think that a single one of us sellers has a unique photo for each and every item - that is unrealistic.

 

[lionlaw]

I didn't mean to start any disputes on Chinese sellers with my posts (sorry if I did).

I just wanted to post a different experience with this particular vendor.

I am not a jeweler or make a living selling or buying pearls. I have recently started to string my own pearls as a stress reliever from my normal job (attorney) and was looking for pearls to play with on ebay.

Regardless of the price, maybe it is the lawyer in me, but if they describe the pearls a certain way, and the pearls are not, that is wrong. This is not the case of mere puffing. It is just flat-out disingenuous. If they are selling to US customers then employ someone who knows English to make sure the listings are accurate. If they are selling pitted potatoes, then say so. I don't expect perfect for $100 a strand but I don't expect to receive something totally different than advertised.

You can say glorious, phenomenal, beautiful, etc. and that is just puffing.

When you get into item specifics such as mm size, blemishes, shape, etc., it is not hyperbole or puffing but outright lying if the product is not as described.

Yes, I will, and do, buy from pearl paradise, tpo and other quality places when I want a quality completed strand. But for beginning beading, it would be nice to find cheaper strands that are as advertised.

 

[Hanaleimom]

If they are selling to US customers then employ someone who knows English to make sure the listings are accurate. If they are selling pitted potatoes, then say so. I don't expect perfect for $100 a strand but I don't expect to receive something totally different than advertised.

You can say glorious, phenomenal, beautiful, etc. and that is just puffing.

When you get into item specifics such as mm size, blemishes, shape, etc., it is not hyperbole or puffing but outright lying if the product is not as described.

Yes, I will, and do, buy from pearl paradise, tpo and other quality places when I want a quality completed strand. But for beginning beading, it would be nice to find cheaper strands that are as advertised.

Thinking out loud here. It could be their choice not to employ someone who can speak/write English, or it's too costly, or there is low availability of English speakers. Maybe some of these sellers know that they can get away with this due to the hassle of international return. I agree it's wrong they sell products that do not look like what they advertise. I understand how you feel. Been there.

I wonder if we can have another beaders' special this year?

 

[Sueki]

"A unique photo for each and every item"

I hope Wendy is referring to loose pearls / strands and those who sell in bulk.
Because I most certainly do have unique photos. of each and every item on my site.

Although I have to agree that some appear to get away with stuff that others are derided for.

Lionlaw, I have personally purchased loose pearls from Amrita and am delighted with the quality of the pearls and also with the quality of her service.
She was a real pleasure to deal with.

 

[Nerida]

I agree that it is wrong to condemn all Chinese based sellers as being dishonest - there are honest ones around, and I am sure there are honest ones on ebay. As all of the freshwater pearls are grown in China, there are many of us who buy, and resell, beautiful, lustrous, gem quality pearls from China, including Amrita, and myself, and Wendy, amongst many others. Some of us buy from within China, others from Chinese sellers.

That said, Lionlaw did NOT receive the products she wanted, nor what was described to her. If it was me, I would be demanding a full refund. The products received simply weren't acceptable.

 

[Caitlin]

[FONT=&quot]Absolutely. If people pushed back every time they did not receive the products expected, I think the differences in our cultural understandings would become more clear to each of us. Hyperbole is legal if the weight and dimensions and other descriptions of the product are accurate.

To make it fair, we must realize we see things with different frameworks than other cultures see them. What I call "hyperbole" is what I think is going on, compared to my cultural expectations of descriptions. More Chinese pearl merchants are learning how Westerners describe things and coming into line with it. Meanwhile, it is the language of excess dominating ebay.

So people who went to China to get it for you are probably much better bets for buying.

Please keep pushing on this; it is significant.[/FONT]

 

[Nerida]

Apex Jewellery is a fairly significant ebay seller. Their reputation matters.
I agree with Caitlin, Lionlaw - PUSH.
Don't accept poor quality goods - that is what you got.

Equally, let's not assume that all Chinese sellers are out to sell poor quality, nor should we assume that all Western sellers are completely truthful in their descriptions. It just ain't so! We should push against all incorrect, exaggerated and misleading descriptions from all sellers - if we can't accept that it is 'just the way they are' from one group, we shouldn't accept it from any!