Help me find pearls!

daisiegg

Hi everyone, this is my first 'help me find...' post but I know you're all so good at it!

I want to get my bridesmaids pearl necklaces as their present and to wear on the day. It's partly because I think they will look lovely but also because my sister, maid of honour, has always wanted a string of pearls so I thought it would be nice. I just hadn't realised they were so expensive!

I have an absolutely gorgeous pearl necklace that my parents got me for my 21st birthday, which they found in an antique shop and cost them fifty pounds. I've had to have it re-strung recently in a good jewellers and was told it's actually worth a lot more than that and is about 120 years old - so maybe this has coloured my view of how much pearls cost, but I've been looking at the high street jewellery shops and I can't believe how expensive they seem to be!

I ideally don't want to spend more than fifty pounds per bridesmaid (there are three of them). Their dresses, shoes, hair, make-up etc is already costing hundreds of pounds!

Is it possible to find a pearl necklace for under fifty pounds? I don't care if they are cultured pearls but want them to be real pearls...i.e. not plastic! The shorter the necklace the better as bridesmaids are tiny and long necklaces hang down too low. I want a string of pearls rather than a pearl pendant on a chain. They don't have to be three necklaces the same.

Any ideas?! thanks!

jemb

I think it all depends on the pearls, ie, fresh water or cultured pearls etc. I got some from my grandparents when I was a kid. God are they cold! I think if I remember rightly, that's how you tell if they're good quality freshwater, if they're freezing by putting them on. If they're warmer they're prob fake/ plastic or something. Something to do with the density of the pearl itself and the sand it's been made from over the years. But don't quote me!

http://www.tesco.com/direct/9ct-gold-freshwater-pearl-necklace/205-6770.prd?skuId=205-6770&pageLevel=&sc_cmp=pcp_GSF__205-6770 this one is £45

http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/lisaangeljewellery/product/freshwater-pearl-necklace-in-various-colours?utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=Gifts&utm_campaign=158691 This one is only £24 and is v pretty as different shapes of pearl making it look nicer and not so regimented! x

ABLE

Hi daisiegg,

I have bought pearls over the phone from lilyo, I think it is near Bury St Edmonds. (They have a website for you to order online. )They have always been lovely and they do irregular shaped pearls too which I really like. You can get a necklace for under £50 easily from there. I got my sister some for her 21st a few years ago.

x

daisiegg

Thanks both! Yes, real good quality pearls should feel cold to the skin (mine do). Maids in the olden days used to wear them to warm them up so they wouldn't be cold when their mistresses put them on (if you believe Carol Ann Duffy...) Also if you put them against your teeth you can tell the difference between real and fake pearls....real are sort of gritty feeling...can't explain exactly but you'd know!

bubbles0169

etsy have a few
http://www.etsy.com/search?q=pearl+necklace&order=most_relevant&view_type=gallery&ship_to=GB&min=&max=50

daisiegg

bubbles0169 wrote: »

etsy have a few
http://www.etsy.com/search?q=pearl+necklace&order=most_relevant&view_type=gallery&ship_to=GB&min=&max=50

Thanks, but from what I can see most of those aren't real pearls.

serious_saver

The big difffernce in price is whether you go for real pearls which are more expensive or one of the alternatives.

Here's quite a good ebay buyers guide that explauins the difference.
http://reviews.ebay.com/Sea-Shell-Pearls-What-Exactly-ARE-They?ugid=10000000005691399

I have quite a few pearls. Some real and some man-made sea shell pearls. Whilst you can tell the difference the sea shell pearls are still incredibly lovely and they are a tiny fraction of the price of real pearls.

If you want something convincing but money saving then go for cultured pearls. They are created by adding an irritant to an oyster to force the pearl to grow. Because the oyster creates the pearl coating over the top of the irritant it's very difficult to tell them apart from natural pearls and you will find them a lot cheaper than natural pearls.

daisiegg

Thanks serious_saver, I know all that and am fine with cultured pearls if anyone can find me some cheap ones, just don't want plastic ones

LEJC

How about having a look at local antique shops or even pawn brokers...if you are able to get them re stringed then its just the physical pearls you need to buy so it may work out much cheaper....

There are a set on ebay...they may be worth a small bid just to see what they are like...or a question to the seller...there may be enough pearls to do 3 single strand necklaces....and a fantastic price if they are real....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOX-PEARLS-FOUND-OLD-LOFT-99P-/110864595095?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_FineJewellery_CA&hash=item19d00b7897

faerie~spangles

Some lovely necklaces Here

cte1111

LEJC wrote: »

How about having a look at local antique shops or even pawn brokers...if you are able to get them re stringed then its just the physical pearls you need to buy so it may work out much cheaper....

There are a set on ebay...they may be worth a small bid just to see what they are like...or a question to the seller...there may be enough pearls to do 3 single strand necklaces....and a fantastic price if they are real....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOX-PEARLS-FOUND-OLD-LOFT-99P-/110864595095?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_FineJewellery_CA&hash=item19d00b7897

I don't think these are real, see an identical box for vintage faux pearls:
http://vintagevictory.com/product/pompadour-pearls