Tin cup pearls better than a full strand?

[knotty panda]

Terry: These aren't on the website yet, right? Length, pearl size, please? Thanks!

 

[laurenb]

Oooooh, this is the first time I've seen "tin cups" I've liked... other strands I've seen are long. I'm short, err... chesty, and have a tiny neck, so anything past 17 inches gets in the way and makes me look droopy.

Do you think you might have white gold as an option on the FWs? I'm thinking a jeweler or owner would have to take that gorgeous strand apart to clean off tarnish. Is rhodium plating on silver more aggrivation than it's worth?

It seems like tin cups would be a good solution for otherwise attractive pearls that were damaged by drilling, showed wear from being on unknotted thread, or had nacre issues around the hole, if little cups were added on the sides. Have any beaders used them this way?

 

[The Pearl Outlet]

Knotty, no, they aren't up on the site yet. I've been so busy... The pictures are of 7-8mm FW and 7.5-8mm Akoya. The necklaces are 18" in length, but we'll be able to do them in any length. The issue is that they will be priced so well, especially for larger sized pearls, that I'm afraid we won't be able to keep up with demand. I have only one person trained to do these, and she only works part time for me.

Like I had mentioned before, labor becomes one of the primary limiting factors. These are hand-done with wire-wrapping at each pearl. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes of labor per necklace. That means that in an 8-hour day non-stop, a person can probably do about 12 of them.

The cost in materials between sterling and 14k is around $40. With larger pearls, say 9mm and above, the cost of materials goes up to around $80 because we'll be using such a thick chain.

There will be issues with tarnishing with the silver, so I may do them in white gold as well. The price would be affected by about $40 per necklace still.

 

[The Pearl Outlet]

Yes, cups could be used to hide imperfections and they would make assembly faster, but they are less secure, the epoxy may fail, especially with so many cups, and the look is very different.

 

[waimeamomi]

I don't know anything about pearl drilling (that's on my list to learn, maybe) but maybe with the smaller pearls you could make holes big enough for chain to pass through. I've done some necklaces like that. You then use the little (2mm?) crimp covers to hold the beads in place on the chain. You don't have to cut the chain or do the wire wrapping. Or if you want to job out some of your necklaces, this teacher can always use the extra $$. Especially now that I've developed pearl passion!

 

[pearlescence]

Black tincup -seven 10mm round AA grade pearls. . These pearls are aubergine black with some rose and green overtone in places. All metal is sterling silver and the necklace is 55cm long.
White tincup - 10mm to 11mm white pearls plus one smaller pearl hanging at the back from the toggle clasp. Rose light in the lustre. silver
I've also made tin cups in rolled gold and vermeil.
Test wearing them, they feel great and summery since they are lighter in look and feel than a full strand

 

[pearlescence]

OOOoopps, forgot to post the white picture

 

[knotty panda]

Terry: I prefer that cup look. Makes it look more finished. You could wire the cups on either end of the pearl rather than gluing on posts. I have to tell you, I got some studs from Jeremy I guess 6 months ago. I wear them 24-7. They are as secure as when I received them. I am very, very impressed. Argentium is practically tarnish proof and the same price as sterling. Plus it's easier to wrap than 14kt which will keep the labor cost down.

 

[pattye]

Really, I think they are just different looks, with a lightweight chain between the pearls, and no end cap or roundel or spacer, it is especially light, airy, summery. When one starts adding caps and more metal, or heavier chain, varying the size of the pearls, and all that, it is just a style preference. On this variation of a tin cup, I used silver roundels next to the pearl.


Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Wendy and Pattye.

Those are both lovely pieces. I am liking tin cup better and better. I would love to wear any of those!

 

[Nerida]

I agree with Caitlin - this thread has made me like this look more and more! Wendy, I think your pieces are lovely - I especially like the detail on the clasp and closure of the white one.

Pattye - I LOVE that necklace!! Are we going to see your work soon on Terry's designers' market??

 

[pattye]

Nice big pearls you used Wendy! Nice proportion of chain size to pearl, too. I lost part of my post somehow when Firefox timed out, and just now realized it, sorry.

Nerida, I am working on a couple of designs to submit for Terry's consideration. Pieces that can be reproduced with consistency, but be quite different from what he is offering is a challenge. So many times I have only bought a few strands of pearls or gems, with no assurance of getting any more. However, there is a Gem Faire coming up in 2 weeks---thanks much for the encouragement. My intention is to get a couple of designs off to him this July for sure!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Heidi]

Hi Pattye -

I hope you do find some sources that will help you create some pieces to share with a wider audience. Your sense of color, in particular, really sets your designs apart. I'm lucky just to have seen that one OR sunstone necklace in person...

 

[LLoydsJewelry]

As with most Jewelry comparisons, it is necessary to compare equals. !4k gold is much more expensive that silver, vermeil, gold filled chains. Pearls should be the same mm size, quality and type. Tin cups can be done with knotted silk, and beading wire. To read our guide to Tin cups==> go to our artfire blog by that topic. We specialize in Tin Cup style. In the White color, shell pearls are a great money saving option.

W. Lloyd Patterson
Gemologist GIA Trained and Certified

http://www.artfire.com/users/lloydsjewelry/blog/c/tin-cup-necklaces

 

[LLoydsJewelry]

We specialize in tin cup styles including a very unique no wire wrapped look invisi-Mount. Sterling Silver is becoming more of a purchased item than in the past because of the high price of gold. Tip- Use a sunshine cloth to clean yout sterling. The cloth contains a non aggressive micro abrasive that will not remove silver, but works very well. Pictures shows our invisi-mount style using 1.05 ss box link.

W. Lloyd Patterson
Gemologist GIA Certified.

http://www.zibbet.com/LloydsJewelry/artwork?artworkId=80934

 

[Ash]

At first I was not a fan of Tin Cup pearl necklaces. Recently Have been changing my mind, after I saw a a lady at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto wearing some they were the perfect accessory to her outfit. Very classy!! Does this mean I have to grow up now??

Cheers!