Source for souffle pearl earrings besides PP?

[Montacute]

Can anyone please recommend a source for white metallic souffle pearl earrings? I just bought a pair from PP and am unhappy with how one pearl is noticeably longer than the other. I realize these are baroque pearls, but want a pair well matched in approximate length and width (like the picture on their website). PP said they don't have anything better, so I'm trying to find another vendor that sells them. Any suggestions please?

 

[BAS]

Montacute, I am very sorry to read this. I have a lot of souffles from PP and love them all. I have two pairs of souffle earrings and the pearls in both pairs "match", in that they make a great pair -- but they are certainly quite different from each other. It's like trying to match clouds -- you can get similar and complimentary pairs, but the souffles can't exactly match.

If you like precise matches, though, souffles may not be the pearl of choice for you.

 

[Montacute]

Thanks Bas. Do you have a picture handy of any of the souffle earrings you have? I'd love to see yours. I actually have a strand of souffles, and like them very much so that's why I wanted earrings.

I know they won't match exactly, but I'm looking for the outer size to be very similar, so if you overlaid a + sign on each pearl, the end points would be about the same distance for each. I don't mind shape variation, but I do mind size variation for earrings. Does that make sense?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Last year I saw a souffl? pearl necklace at T. J. Maxx. Every pearl was different from every other one. Matching must be very hard indeed!

Monacute, is your strand long enough that you could take 2 pearls from it to make matching earrings?

 

[Montacute]

No doubt they are tough to match Pearl Dreams. I just hope to find matching sizes. They must exist since there is a picture of a pair I'd love right on PP's website.

 

[BAS]

Complimentary -- but different:

 

[Montacute]

Thanks so much Bas. Those are all really lovely. The lavender pair is very well matched indeed.

Here's an iPhone picture of the pair I received, which shows how much longer one of the pearls is. It just makes the pair look lopsided to me. Sadly, PP says this is the best match they have. I've got to send them back. The size mismatch will drive me crazy. So disappointing, as these were for my birthday. Sniff!

 

[Montacute]

Monacute, is your strand long enough that you could take 2 pearls from it to make matching earrings?

Sorry Pearl Dreams, I missed your question earlier. No, my strand is not long enough to take a couple of pearls from, as it is 18".

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I see....but if you really wanted to use 2 of the pearls for earrings, you could have the strand remade in a "tin cup" style (spacing the pearls between lengths of chain). This can be a very elegant look.

 

[BAS]

The "lavender" pair are the same pair in top and bottom pictures -- I had the findings changed. Souffles look different sizes from different angles. If you are unhappy, you should certainly return your pair. PP has a terrific, no-questions-asked return policy. I do like your pair, though. Nice surface quality and though your photo is not sharp, I bet they have great luster and overtones. Good luck in your search.

 

[Montacute]

I see....but if you really wanted to use 2 of the pearls for earrings, you could have the strand remade in a "tin cup" style (spacing the pearls between lengths of chain). This can be a very elegant look.

I do like a tin cup, but I am already attached to this strand as it is.

 

[Montacute]

The "lavender" pair are the same pair in top and bottom pictures -- I had the findings changed. Souffles look different sizes from different angles. If you are unhappy, you should certainly return your pair. PP has a terrific, no-questions-asked return policy. I do like your pair, though. Nice surface quality and though your photo is not sharp, I bet they have great luster and overtones. Good luck in your search.

The luster and overtones are lovely, yes. I just can't get past the size difference. I'll hold out for a pair I love. Life is too short to keep pearls you don't love.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

...I'll hold out for a pair I love. Life is too short to keep pearls you don't love.

Good policy in general, for pearls and other things.

 

[cyndayco]

While you are on the lookout for souffle pearls, I thought I'd warn you: They make shell versions of the metallic souffle, keishi, and nucleated pearls now. I saw these in MarketMarket, but the vendor told me upfront that these were shell pearls.

 

[GemGeek]

Amazing. I wish I had some to examine in person. Thanks. I'll keep my eye out for them at the San Diego Gem Faire at the end of the month.

 

[Montacute]

While you are on the lookout for souffle pearls, I thought I'd warn you: They make shell versions of the metallic souffle, keishi, and nucleated pearls now. I saw these in MarketMarket, but the vendor told me upfront that these were shell pearls.

View attachment 28906View attachment 28907

I have to say, I am not familiar with shell pearls. What does it mean? No hollow core? So many things that a dishonest dealer could get you on!

 

[Montacute]

I may have a happy ending to my search already! Since Bas mentioned there may have been new souffle acquisitions at the Hong Kong show, I contacted Jeremy to inquire. He was super nice and said they did have some new pairs from the show! I am hopeful I will get souffle earrings I can love! Thanks for all the responses. I love the forums here. I'll be sure to post what I end up with.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

cyndaco, those would have fooled me!

 

[BAS]

cyndayco -- Those "pearls" are beautiful. What are they made of?

 

[cyndayco]

BAS and Montacute, from what I've read, shell pearls are basically shells (usually SS mother of pearl) crushed, processed, molded and polished into fake pearls. Usually, they look like better versions of nucleated pearls, but this is the first time that I've seen them mimic souffle pearls and keishis.

Yes, they do look tempting, but at $100 a strand, they are more expensive than the real thing.