Tahitian pearl shopping in Hawaii

[Hanaleimom]

Our family went to Hawaii recently. In between hiking, seeing the volcano, relaxing at beaches, I also went pearl window shopping on Kauai, Big Island and Oahu. There are a lot of Tahitians being sold in Hawaii. There are more B&M selections here than B&M stores in the mainland where I live. In addition, sales associates in Hawaii know their pearls better than mainland associates. Some of these shopping trips took as long as 1.5 hour chatting with the sales person. Of course, my family did not like waiting that long. I usually dropped them off at the beach so I could satisfy my thirst for Tahitian gazing. Honestly, we Pearl-Guiders are really "spoiled" with the online vendors' prices here (quoting one member's comment). I have not seen a Hawaii B&M store beating our online vendors' pricing. I took a list with me that has Pearl Paradise's loose round and baroque pricing as comparison and checking PP's website for strand pricing when I could get access to the internet during my trip.

Here is a strand at Black Pearl in Hanalei. Multicolor, 35 pearls, 17", 11.0-13.5mm semi-round with mostly blue/green, aubergine, some golden Tahitians (not golden SS), 18K gold clasp, for $9,000. I was offered a discounted price of $8,500. The sales associate let me wear them and take pictures.

Also see my post "Hanaleimom visits Pearl Paradise". It's in the "Other Stuff" forum.

 

[Hanaleimom]

pearls

pearls

This is also a multi color strand of 47 pearls, 19.5", 8.0-10.5mm, 18k gold clasp $10,500. I was offered a discounted price of $9,450.

 

[Hanaleimom]

pearls

pearls

The "Tahiti Pearl Market" recently opened a store in downtown Honolulu in March, their 4th location. They are a pearl farm and retail store with 2 locations in Bora Bora and 1 location in Papeete. They have a very large selection and the prices are more reasonable compared to a lot of stores with inflated pricing and then offering you discount. I have some pictures here of their Honolulu store.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Here is a strand of about 159 pearls, size 10-11mm, semi-round to drop shapes, about 72" long, for $29,000. First picture is the whole strand, then close-up and a crop picture of me wearing it.

Correction: I zoomed in my original picture and the tag says oval shape, A grade. They have up to AAA+ as the top of the line.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Here are some interesting designs. I like the necklace with the pendants. You can slide them off and wear with 1, 3 or 5 pendants altogether. I don't really like that much diamonds, but thought the design is very interesting especially when teamed with multi-color drop pearls. There are matching earring sets.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Pearls in display boxes, categorized by size and quality. Also some drop shape pearls.

 

[Hanaleimom]

A pearl broken while being drilled.

 

[Ashley]

Thanks for the great pictures, Cathy! I'd have to say my favorite strand is the multi, 8.0-10.5mm for 9K- I really like the colors, and you can see the quality of the luster from here! The pendant I think is particularly interesting- I love convertible pieces like that- "wear it three different ways!"

 

[pearlescence]

I agree, the colours in that multi are wow!

 

[jerin]

Retail prices for Tahitians

Retail prices for Tahitians

Thanks for the fine pics, Cathy.
I too admire the strand for 9 k the most. I find the first one not very well matched. Every one is overprized compared to our vendors

 

[Mikeyy]

A pearl broken while being drilled.

HMMM interesting Nuclei for a Tahitian pearl. Wonder what type of material it is?

 

[Hanaleimom]

HMMM interesting Nuclei for a Tahitian pearl. Wonder what type of material it is?

I was told the Mississippi mussel. Can you explain your comment? Thanks.

 

[Mikeyy]

I was told the Mississippi mussel. Can you explain your comment? Thanks.

Generally speaking Tahiti uses 2nd or 3rd grade beads. They are stained with what we call mud streaks. I have some beads from Giant Clam that have a bit of a frosty look when you break them. Looking at the nucleus it appears frosty. And looking in to the hole as best I can I see no light brown stain. They could be Maxima I suppose. Or I could just be wrong. Not every U.S. nuclei in Tahiti is brown I'm sure. Just the vast majority of them.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Hi Mike,
Please pardon my shallow knowledge. So what does it mean if it's
Maxima shell as nuclei? Is there a significance or are you just saying most nuclei have the mud streak, and this is different? TY

 

[Mikeyy]

Hi Mike,
Please pardon my shallow knowledge. So what does it mean if it's
Maxima shell as nuclei? Is there a significance or are you just saying most nuclei have the mud streak, and this is different? TY

I know that there have been people using illegal Nuclei. I know that there has been tons of it produced. Yet nobody admits to using them. So when I see one broken black pearl and the nuclei appears to be pure white it makes me wonder. The cost of stained nuclei is much less then white. And being that the nacre on these pearls is so dark there is no point in paying the premium price for first grade white U.S. Nuclei. I am going to take a photo of some Nuclei so you can see what I am talking about. Be right back.

 

[Mikeyy]

These are real bad pictures. But maybe I can show you. The stained nuclei are actually a pretty good stuff for Tahiti. The group that you can see a little luster and fisheye on is 1st grade U.S.. The last group is Giant Clam. It is whiter and more uniform. Its almost like ceramic. Anyway, I hope you can see it. Mikes 10 minute photo company.

 

[Mikeyy]

One more try.

 

[Hanaleimom]

My memory is fuzzy right now as I am still in vacation mode. Is Maxima/Giant Clam shell illegal for using as nuclei (did I read that here)? So stained nuclei are better than maxima nuclei (which is cheaper), therefore it's more economical for them to use maxima, but it's really illegal? TIA for your answers.

 

[Mikeyy]

My memory is fuzzy right now as I am still in vacation mode. Is Maxima/Giant Clam shell illegal for using as nuclei (did I read that here)? So stained nuclei are better than maxima nuclei (which is cheaper), therefore it's more economical for them to use maxima, but it's really illegal? TIA for your answers.

I'm sorry about that. Maxima is perfectly legal. Its just that good Maxima shell makes for valuable MOP (Mother of pearl). So its not used very much for Nuclei production. Although I understand that's what Josh say's he uses. And besides it has a creamy color when you make it in to Nuclei. Giant Clam is Illegal to use. Its very white. Very consistent in appearance. Like I said. Almost like ceramic. Also if you look carefully where a Giant Clam bead breaks it appears a bit frosty.

 

[jshepherd]

The pictures does not look like P. maxima mother of pearl. I believe Josh was using P. margaritifera.

The mother of pearl nuclei I have seen has striations, but they do not appear to be on the surface. The MOP beads do not seem as opaque as the mussel beads.

I would think the bead in the photo is either a really high-grade nuclei (whish would be very odd) or Tridacna.