• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Pearls

itsstillmatt

The Liberator
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
13,969
Reaction score
2,086
Originally Posted by Kent Wang
as anyone seen pearl cuff links? I would imagine them to be a very simple double-sided design. I wonder if my jeweler can up with something. Would you wear something like that?
I have some "black pearl cufflinks." They have become a big family joke because they were my grandfather's dress set, and were given to me at some point. I didn't like the setting, so I took them to a local jeweler who had to kindly break it to me that the family jewels were fakes.
 

SoCal2NYC

Fashion Hayzus
Joined
Apr 8, 2007
Messages
12,139
Reaction score
10
Originally Posted by Kent Wang
as anyone seen pearl cuff links? I would imagine them to be a very simple double-sided design. I wonder if my jeweler can up with something. Would you wear something like that?

Thom Browne for Harry Winston.
 

SoCal2NYC

Fashion Hayzus
Joined
Apr 8, 2007
Messages
12,139
Reaction score
10
I think the grey Tahitians were either $14,000 or $46,000.

The thing with pearls is that they are still very delicate and I would be weary of have something as easy to bang around on a desk and table as a cufflink.
 

LabelKing

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
May 24, 2002
Messages
25,421
Reaction score
268
I've always thought the idea of pearl cufflinks was a good one. I like the look of pearl dress sets as in a single pearl stud.
 

SoCal2NYC

Fashion Hayzus
Joined
Apr 8, 2007
Messages
12,139
Reaction score
10
Originally Posted by dopey
She would never in a million years wear a ring. That I can respect. She shot down the necklace (not that I was offering it) and the earrings. That I cannot respect and it makes me sad. I liked the earrings and loved the necklace (not that I was offering it).

Well...wanna get a drink?
inlove.gif
 

Otter91

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Messages
137
Reaction score
1
Originally Posted by dopey
I have two thoughts - while I am supposed to be interested in blue, my judgment is that pink will look better. That said, what are Keshi pink pearls?

In terms of size, I think 8.5 - 9mm are minimum starting points.


Second, as for classic shape, my guess is that the recipient will be more flexible than I will be. I will tolerate something fashionable as long as the quality is good. I am willing to pay for a name if it is a warranty of quality, but I am not interested in anyone's genius.


It sounds like you know something about this. What accounts for the color differences. Are the pearls dyed. Is the color natural. Are the species the same? What about the lustre? Do the colors compare to white? Any thoughts on the golden hue?



Dopey, if you don't mind, I'd like to field this question:

The 8.5-9mm size is getting up toward the upper reaches of the Akoya pearl size range. If you are looking for something 10mm or larger, you are best to start looking at South Sea or Freshwater pearls. We are seeing some amazing things in freshwater pearls right now coming out of China. Large sizes, very round, and beautiful colors (white as well as fancy).

As for a name warranting quality, unfortunately, it isn't quite that easy with pearls. While, of course if you go to Tiffany or Mikimoto, you will come home with a beautiful strand of pearls. But much like a diamond, you will be paying a premium for a name, and nothing else. If you take the clasp off of a Mikimoto strand, there would be no way to differentiate it from any other strand of similar quality. As pearls go, we all source our pearls from the same places (even Mikimoto now, who farms a few pearls, but the vast majority are purchased from other growers).

Getting into color, there are a few things that can affect the color of the pearl. The first and foremost thing is the color of the mother-of-pearl (the color on the inside of the mollusk's shell) of the oyster which is the host of the pearl.
To make the pearl begin formation, a person implants a bead neucleus as well as a bit of tissue from another, donor mollusk. This tissue is believed to affect the color of the final pearl as well.

Pearls can be dyed as well, however, this should be disclosed to you by a jeweler who is selling you dyed pearls. You will be amazed at the colors that are naturally available without dye! But, if someone tries to sell you a brown pearl (which are really hot right now) saying that the color is natural... RUN! Unfortunately, that color is not represented naturally.

The golden hue comes from a specific breed of oyster called the Pinctata Maxima, it is one of the "South-Sea" oysters. The color comes as specified above, naturally, or could be dyed.

The different types of pearls each come from a different species of oyster. Tahitian (aka black pearls) come from the Pinctata Margaritifera (sp?), the south sea pearls (white and golden) come from the Pinctata Maxima.

I hope this gives you a head start in your shopping.

If you would like to see any examples of what I am speaking of, let me know!


Ryan
 

Otter91

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Messages
137
Reaction score
1
Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

The thing with pearls is that they are still very delicate and I would be weary of have something as easy to bang around on a desk and table as a cufflink.


You'd be surprised, especially if you went with a South Sea Pearl. The nacre on a south sea pearl has a honeycomb-like structure that is quite durable. Tahitians are not quite as tough, but still pretty good, akoya and freshwater would show a bit more wear.

One of the owners of the company that I work for has a pair of Tahitian pearl cufflinks that have diamonds set into the pearls randomly around the pearl. They have held up for him over 10 years. Still look brand new, but of course, working in the industry that we do, we tend to be quite careful with our links/jewelry

Kent: If you are having trouble, let me know, I have a few ideas to throw your way!
smile.gif
 

Concordia

Distinguished Member
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Oct 6, 2004
Messages
7,694
Reaction score
1,657
Originally Posted by Kent Wang
as anyone seen pearl cuff links? I would imagine them to be a very simple double-sided design. I wonder if my jeweler can up with something. Would you wear something like that?


There was a photo in an early edition of Men's Vogue that caught my eye: vintage (50s) Tiffany. Can't remember now if it was two pearls connected, or one pearl chained to a round gold disc. Either way, it was something I would have considered.

One of the websites referenced above has something not quite so nice but similar, using Tahitian pearls. It's got potential, especially for formal wear/stud sets.
 

SoCal2NYC

Fashion Hayzus
Joined
Apr 8, 2007
Messages
12,139
Reaction score
10
Originally Posted by dopey
If you're buying, o.k. But don't think you're getting any jewelry out of me.

I keep a standing open invitation at Death & Co. for a punch bowl with any SF'er.
 

AlanC

Minister of Trad
Joined
Nov 7, 2003
Messages
7,805
Reaction score
97
Originally Posted by Kent Wang
as anyone seen pearl cuff links? I would imagine them to be a very simple double-sided design. I wonder if my jeweler can up with something. Would you wear something like that?

A dream set of cufflinks of mine:

PFE16BW1.jpg
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.2%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 38.8%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.2%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.1%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,152
Messages
10,578,806
Members
223,881
Latest member
Aitchdra
Top