....Ummm...let me think about that. *grin* I know what you'd LIKE to have....

indeed you do, marcia dear!

*grin* but I cannot get that for you so getting something second best...*giggle* ...or third ...or fourth...

oh marcia!! *laugh* (can't wait for your next box!!) i've gotta go! g'night luv *HUGS*

Lance, interesting stuff, and not surprising that Mikimoto is doing a DeBeers maneuver with Tahitian Black Pearls. Keep them stockpiled, scarce and pricey so businessmen like you can get rich enough to afford women like me *grin* Wolfie...heh...heh...

Thanks for all the additional info, Lance. If I were really serious about that necklace (which I can't be right now), I'd go directly to someone in the business as I have for er...other items and driven them quite crazy. Wouldn't there be a problem with the setting and design being exclusive to Zales/BB&B? When I've hit our Jewelry Row, they don't have access to the high-end designer stuff who work exclusively for certain stores.

The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival opens tonight (see Media - you can watch it live on the internet,) and The Black Pearl Gallery has some specials. Never saw one this blue: Ocean Swim This necklace has the look of a whale's tail, in 18k yellow gold and diamonds. This excellent quality pearl has a brilliant blue green color. The surface grade is A, and the form is semi-round, measuring at 9.7mm. The chain is 20 inches long, done in 18k yellow gold.The diamond weight is .08 karats. Order Now $1,575.00 Plus Ocean Blue This stunning necklace has excellent quality round pearls. The pearls are slightly graduated from 10.8 - 12.3mm. The primary color of the pearls is blue.The surface grade is B-C. The setting is 18k yellow gold. Look for the matching bracelet: Stock #: BRH43413501 Order Now $13,158.90 Plus Harmony A beautiful necklace that highlights the color range of the Tahitian black pearls, from light silver to deep blue. These round pearls are excellent quality, with a surface grade of A-B. This strand is slightly graduated from 9.-12.7mm, with 18k yellow gold spacers. There are 36 pearls strung on black silk to make a stunning addition to your jewelry collection. Order Now $24,300.00 Plus

Magnificent An elegant design with 18k yellow gold, diamonds, and an excellent quality round pearl. The surface grade is A, and the pearl measures at 12.2mm. Rainbow is the way to describe the colors that this pearl reflects. The chain is 18 inches in length. The VS diamond weight is .25 karats. Order Now $3,440.70 Plus Unique Beauty A exquisite necklace with two beautiful round pearls. The surface grade is A, and they measure at 12.5-12.8mm. The color of the top pearl is silver blue, and the pearl below is dark blue. The chain is 18k yellow gold, 20 inches in length.The diamonds add just enough sparkle. Total diamond weight is .80 karats. Order Now $7,897.50 Plus Marvelous A stunning necklace with all the right elements. An excellent quality round pearl, surface grade of A. This pearl measures at 13.8mm, and has a blue green color. The setting is 18k yellow gold, with diamonds and sapphires. The diamond weight is .50 karats. Order Now $17,082.00 Plus

Oooh, wee, Marcia. I like that Harmony design and that lariat. Somebody have a tree that grows money?

check out the url (the longest I have ever seen!) for rings http://shop.evolutionh.com/pageexpress/templates/merrie.wml&ViewStore=Yes&CategoryID=7&subcategoryid=25&siteid=32&ViewProductList=Yes&sessionid=2000428112911115&pageid=0 Sun and Moon This double pearl enhancer pendant looks great on a strand of pearls, or on a variety of chains. The pearls are very good quality, both being round, and have a surface grade of A/A. They measure at 11.-10.9mm. The color of the top pearl is silver, and the pearl below it is dark blue. The setting is 18k yellow gold. Order Now $1,756.80 Plus Drop of Love This enhancer pendant has a sweet teardrop pearl, with excellent quality. The surface grade is B, and it measures at 12.mm. The simple design of the 18k yellow gold and diamond setting show off the rainbow color of the pearl. The diamond weight is .04 karats.This enhancer pendant will clip onto any strand of pearls, or can be worn on a chain. Order Now $580.50 Plus Shipping

House male just sed " are these in geomyth??"

I love the Navy blue ones - Never saw them ! Can't wait till Lance checks them out. I thought you might wander in to check on the goodies I was posting. You seem to have second sense for when I am doing so *grin* Aloha, Karen! I would not turn any of them down, but the lariat is stunning and versatile...!

*wishful thinking* I'm getting an ordinary cultured blackpearl choker, necklace and bracelet and earrings for my upcoming birthday. It's on order.

Tell house mate that there is nothing mythological about these beauties excepting the ability of the posters to afford any one of them. They are stunning, indeed, and the luster...! The most expensive one had the largest pearl and was photographed so poorly I nearly did not post it. Marvelous is its name, and it is the largest pearl posted. Lance's is 12mm when you look at these. I am privileged to know someone who owns one of high quality and appreciable size. It is stunning on him...hmmmm....wonder if he'll ever let me wear it...*smile*

What is the origin of the pearls, Maggie? (How lovely!!!)

The Daily Mail Newspaper I think!!!! *grin*. They're nothing special, but rather fashionable right now in Britain. He's sent off for them. If it says where they're from when I get them I'll let you know. House male was referring to the prices (he was trying to be funny and springical). The jewels leave him dead (typical). I thought they were stunning.

The jewels leave him dead (typical). Quite right. v. umimportant. ;-) Hmm, Marcia, I saw lots and lots that I'd give somebody's eyeteeth for. I've never been much of an enhancer fan, but am making an exception for these. Unfortunately, my pearls are too long, but if I double them and then add a clip in the back, they are a double cho-chokers.

beautiful!

Am in a terrible quandry trying to accessorize dress for this weekend's wedding. Of all the stuff I own, the thing that looks best with the dress is costume jewelry!! Can you believe that? Am miserable and will be working to figure something out.

Mute wolfie? I goofed and posted the strands of pearls on Geo 8. They would make lovely accessories. How about a scarf and a good brooch rather than a necklace, Karen?

For those of you who prefer a simple strand of pearls: Heart of Paradise This silver blue strand has excellent quality pearls. The form of the pearls range from round to semi-round. The surface quality is primarily A grade, with a few B's. This 16 inch strand is slightly graduated from 8.5- 10.7mm. With 42 pearls strung on black silk, and a 18k yellow gold clasp, this is the necklace to keep forever. Order Now $26,550.00 Plus shipping Heart of Tahiti This is it! The finest collection of Tahitian black pearls on one strand of black silk. There is nothing but excellent quality round pearls on this piece, 43 pearls total, with a surface grade of A-with a few B's. This strand is slightly graduated from 8.8mm to 10.mm. What stands this strand apart from the rest is the high luster and bright green color of these pearls. The clasp is 18k white gold. If nothing but the best will do, this is it. Order Now $33,750.00 Plus Shipping

Gee Marcia, which one do you plan to order? Has anyone been to North Carolina where you can pick up amethyst, sapphires, and even just walking through the pasture.

If I could... I'd use the bead enhancer on a really thick gold rope or byzantine chain. I would probably need to see them in person, but those indigo blue ones are incredible. I'd have to take Lance along with me to advise on quality. Stones are my field of expertise. Pearls are his. Which would you chose?

Lance is around North Carolina, or has been, anyway. We'll have to ask him about it.

(marcia, i hit the submit button accidently). i'd have to try the necklace on to see how it looks.

(we all do that...!) Perhaps they's let you borrow the one in question for the evening to see how it feels...*sigh* In my dreams...!

Scarf and a brooch? Naw. Evening thing. IMO scarf is for daytime. Don't even own any brooches. Ah, the misery of accessorization (if that's a word). Now, if you could FedEx one of those necklaces for me to *try out* this weekend, I'd be much obliged. And I have always wanted a be-yew-ti-ful byzantine and (knocking head against wall) that other one that's like a byzantine. grrr

Wouldn't one of those bead enhancers look Sooo much better on a rich thick Byzantine?! Oh my...enough to make me think of parting with some of my emortal soul just to get one. Evening is more difficult - the pearls you already have will not suffice?

um..yeah...can't immediatly think of the one which looks like a Byzantine but would do equally. I have a large magnified phoney one and I know what you mean *head on keyboard* arrrrrgh!

I'm madly in love with the Heart of Tahiti. But oh the price -- over $33,000. Still, those black pearls with a white gold clasp. Then there's always the Ocean Blue, which is merely a little over $13,000. I can't afford that one either. I'll just look at them longingly.

Join us with noses pressed against the monitor glass! Have Drool Cloth handy!

I love pearls. They are about the only jewelry I wear. My son sent me a beautiful string of black pearls when he was in Oman. They are much smaller than these though.

Well, I chose the most expensive and huge ones they had. How lovely that he did so...I did not know they were available in Oman..! But, they have the $$ so it figures!

Had some time to kill today and popped into BB&B to see THE actual necklace. v.v. nice. Omega was a lot thinner than I'd imagine and it was a 9mm pearl. Wouldn't refuse it if someone gave it to me. Remember the white set? Didn't like it in person. However, there was another necklace there with some dangling white pearls which was much more reasonable in price and I would really really like it. Will see if it's in the catalogue somewhere. (Did I say I would really really like it?) ;-)

Please scan it if / when you find it, please! To bad about the white not living up to its billing. It looked so lovely and refined and elegant...oh, well. None of us would likely refuse it if it were given as a gift *grin* Yes, you did =)

Since this is the last night of Merrie Monarch Hula Festival and neither Lance nor I can ascertain whence commeth the lovely pearls, I saved every last image for future enjoyment just in case they close down the website. In that case, I'll post them all again (small KB/per). However I am posting two I had not seen earlier - one for Wolfie (guess!) and one Karen can share with me... Jump for Joy This happy dolphin is leaping over an excellent quality pearl. The form of this pearl is a drop, with an A grade surface. A rainbow of colors is reflected in the surface of this 8.8mm pearl. The setting is done in 18k yellow gold. Chain sold separately. Order Now $607.50 Heavenly This slider pendant has an excellent quality round pearl. The surface grade is A, and this green pearl measures at 9.7mm. This 18k white gold setting with diamonds is available in 18k yellow gold. The diamond weight is .19 karats. Chain sold separately. Order Now $1,652.40

Ugly chains...Druther hang my on a silken cord than those snake ropes! Oh well.

Share? Wishful thinking. Snake chain isn't too bad, although I hate how they catch the hairs on the back of your head. Eowww

love it!! (not the chain though)

The chains are Yew-glee to the max. Did not want to detract from the enhancer, probably. I'm gonna post one each time I post in here (or two) since I saved them all last night before they ended the Merrie Monarch deal.

They had a "Treasures Of The Czar" exhibition at the St Petersburg Art Museum Catherine The Great's wedding dress was one of the subjects shown. It was solid pearls and weighed over 40 pounds. Gorgeous.

bet she was glad to take it off (well, maybe)

can't have been very slimming ;-)

Catherine the Great was happiest out of her gowns, if her reputation is to be believed. Intelligent and restless, she liked intelligent men around her for conversation. Sounds like someone I know....

me,too

*grin* G'morning, Wolfie!

No, it is not true that Catherine II, Empress of the Russias, died while having to have sexual congress with a horse. That is what is known as a factoid, an ungrounded rumor which takes on a life of its own.

Um...did anyone Really think that happened? Sounds like petty sniping taken to a new low!

...and, Yes, I had heard it, too...

Aloha, Lance. If I am not here when you login and post, I welcome you with warm Alohas and fragrant leis...*Hugs* Wehave missed you!

From one of the most peculiarly named urls (luv it!) http://www.uselessknowledge.com/explain/pearl.shtml How do you make a cultured pearl? Sing to an oyster? No - irritate an oyster! About 4,000 years ago the Chinese discovered pearls in oysters. The inside of an oyster's shell is covered with a smooth shiny coating called mother-of-pearl. When an irritant, such as a grain of sand, gets caught inside the oyster's shell it secretes layers of mother-of-pearl to protect its body by coating the irritant. The coated grain of sand becomes a pearl. Man can force the oyster to produce a pearl by inserting an irritant into the shell. It takes the oyster two to three years to produce a good size pearl. Cultured pearls are usually not perfect, but the Japanese have discovered that if you surgically insert an irritant directly into the body of the oyster this will produce a perfect pearl. Historically, pearl divers dove up to 80 feet with equipment no more sophisticated than nose clips. The divers could stay under water for about a minute and they scooped up the shells with their hands and put them in tubs that would float to the surface. The largest pearl ever found is reported to be four inches around and two inches long.

My friend Dawn called me today to show me the pearls she was giving to her daughter for her wedding. Her great great grandfather gave them to her great great grand mother on their wedding day. He was the captain of one of the tall ships that sailed to and from the orient. He had the necklace made in Japan especially for her. They are given to each daughter to wear on her wedding day and then they go back into the safe deposit box.

Tell us what they looked like! How special! They will disintegrate without being worn, btw. They need to be in contact with body oils to sustain the luster. It will chalk up otherwise!

They are really beautiful. Quite a long string about 20 inches it looked to me. they are strung every five years on silk. They wear them for special occasions. Each daughter gets them on her wedding day and on her 30th birthday when she gets to keep them for a year. They are kept in the safety deposit box when they aren't beihg worn. All perfectly matched. They have a very slight pick glow to them. They are very creful to take good care of them. They have lasted for over a hundred years. They restring them themselves because they are afraid of them being switched.

They are wise about the restringing!!! How delightful to be able to wear such regal pearls with the slightly rosy cast - and how lovely they must be on a beautiful bride. *sigh* Thanks, Lucie!

Okay Marcia, I'm here. But I warn you, you'd get much more out of me if the Vulcanism topic was actually about Spock ;-p So...the topic is pearls, yes? I'm afraid I don't know all that much about it, but like all good females I have an opinion ;-) Even though I rarely wear them, I love pearls--so milky and round and sensuous, are they. When I graduated from high school my parents gave me a strand of pearls. At the time, it was THE thing to have. I went to a very proper sort of high school where all the cool girls wore pearls and I often felt out of place because of it. It underscored the difference between us. Most of them were the children of diplomats and CEOs. My father installed safes for a living ;-) On the upswing, that profession allowed him to become friendly with many jewellers, hence the graduation gift. I heard somewhere that pearls represent tears. Anyone know if that's true? Doesn't seem very appropriate to me as I've always considered them such a friendly, warm kind of thing.

Sweetie, Did you graduate from New Rochelle High School? I did and it is/was an exact copy of your high school! For our senior pictures we HAD to wear dark sweaters and a strand of graduated pearls. Mine were not real at the time since I was headed for Penn State and a dorm room was not a good place to take good jewelry. I'm still waiting for my first strand of real pearls. Thin you might be interested in Vulcanism - purty pix in there of eruptions. Cfadm wanted to work the local varsity team's name into a topic, so I did on Geo2. No pointy-eared stoics in there! Welcome, and Mahalo for posting. I am honored by your presence!

I'll bet that Mr. Spock would know that Vulcanism gets its name from Vulcan the Roman god of volcanoes, fire, and the forge.

Indeed, and he would be incredulous to find that the Hawaiian team from UHHilo chose Vulcans as their team name. Most curious, but it was the UHH ones for which the topic was names. Sorry, Spock! Well I tried another white stony horizontal bar. I call these coprolite...

much better! *grin*

Still look like chewed straws *lol* but at least they have more dimentionality than the wrought iron ones did. Thanks, Wolfie...but there is still something lacking - need long skinny white one which do not look quite so abused!

Lance is in deep *bleep* - nothing heard from him yesterday... so much for devotion!

(Marcia) Sweetie, Did you graduate from New Rochelle High School? I did and it is/was an exact copy of your high school! No, not in New Rochelle but it sounds like a similar place. For our senior pictures we HAD to wear dark sweaters and a strand of graduated pearls. I'll do you one better: for graduation we had to wear floor length white gowns and carry a bouquet of roses. Of course, all the girls had their pearls on as well. It looked like a mass wedding... (Marcia) No pointy-eared stoics in there! Hey, hey...watch it! His blood burns under all that stoicism. It's the quiet ones who leave bruises (ooop! I didn't say that) ;-p (Cheryl) I'll bet that Mr. Spock would know that Vulcanism gets its name from Vulcan the Roman god of volcanoes, fire, and the forge. Aah, well that would explain why the planet Vulcan is so hot and...red ;-) At least someone did a little research before giving it that name. All hail the Roddenberry! ;-p

I am trying to imagine carrying bouquets of roses - but they were nosegays. *sigh* luckily my grandmother told me about the old days when ladies carried them...;) Oh my! I think I have a short list of where you might have gone to school....betcha it was all girls...that frustration makes us lusty for life, ya know! Can that be the cause of all of that drool?! It is so good to see you posting in my conference. I am truly amused and honored by your comments! More on Vulcanism elsewhere, but like all volcanoes they are cold and unresponsive on the outside ant 2000�F on the inside!

LOL! No, it was a co-ed school, but very, very small and very, very Catholic. All that repression definitely has something to do with my drooling. My graduating class was 37 people so, since there weren't many choices, everyone had...er...dated, for lack of a better word...everyone else during those 4, glorious years. By the end it was positively incestuous ;-p Aren't you sweet...no need to be honored, honey...I'm in a chatty mood ;-) I have to find a topic here I know something about, though. Can't contribute much, ya know. What other Conferences do you host?

Crafts, Garden and SpringArk I co-host with Wolfie. Maybe History, not sure. Hey, check the attic and basement. Maybe you can find something for Geo 17 Archaeology? I have topics all over the place - Hawaii in travel and loads in Food *grin* Geez, sounds like you went to Rye Country Day!!! Did you make your debut, too??!

Oh, and since when did you need to know anything about anything to post in here. If you use confifty you will see I am all over the Spring and I know just enough to get myself into trouble in almost any subject! Gi and Elena and Alexander discussed the fine points of tango in Bioresgions....! We drift off topic with some regularity. Please take off your shoes and make yourself at home...and think of something which would look better than these coprolite horizontal bars!

(why? I've grown rather fond of them (bars that is)....... shoes are definitely off, onto second cup of coffee since house male has gone back to sleep and not drunk his ... definitely not on topic ..... babble .....yawn ..... sorry, very late night last night)

How about some gray-green marble bars.

then I could make the hyperlinks green too....must not clash, you know! Did not find any skinny long green marble ones and the fat ones are just out of proportion... I'll play with it tomorrow when I will not disturb the sleeping Spring. Wiggling toes...ahhh!

Then Nan will get an email...*grin*

LOL Maggie - you are too much *hugs*

(Marcia) Then Nan will get an email...*grin* :-) As I said, feel free to ask. If you found a bar you did like, but was the wrong color, I can certainly change that for you.

Gotcha *hugs* and thanks!

my oma gave me a three strand amber necklace. it is made of polished nuggets and due to age, it appears to have lost moisture. will inspect it closely for bug leftovers! because i don't want to ruin it completely, won't wear it during the summer here. i'll scan it in for you later.

How lovely! Check for those little critters in there. Can't wait to see it!!

i know i promised a pic of oma's string of amber. but last night, i had it under my big magnifying glass (the one i use to cross stitch) and found a bug. i almost fell out. it has legs and wings. now i'm afraid that it was put in after the fact. but, the age of this piece is apparant and i don't think it's fake. but still. so i'll try to make a decent scan and see if we can get a good pic of this bug.

here's the piece with the bug. i don't think you can see it though...

Wow, can't see the bug, but it is a beautifully clear amber. Take care of it - it is very soft. I am so envious.

it has numerous chips in it. wonder if i can use the magnifying glass and the scanner to help you see the bug. i'm telling you, it's in there! i had to tape that piece down so it would lay on it's side. it's too bad you can't see it. and i scanned the whole necklace but the pic came out so big that even lview couldn't handle it. will have to rescan and try again.

Send it to me and let me try to downsize it. Hard to tell I am dying to see it.

http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp?nest=/scripts/detail.dll?frames=y!tpl=tsv!item=tsv&mhproduct=mastheadptsv.gif&mhtitle=mastheadttsv.gif this is a link to qvc's today's special value--a single tahitian pearl with a chain.

and if you check this out a day after i've posted it, you'll need to do this: http://www.iqvc.com and type in the search button the item number J66118.

Ok, Ijus tgot sent to Richard Simmons' get skinny offer, Hmmm. trying to tell me sumthin? Even Walmart had Gorgeous Black pearls here this year. Sears too. I did not get one - think I am destined not to ever have one. Which is ok. lots of stuff I don't yet have. Alexandrite back on finger... not going to remove it.

did you try the second link with the item number? you just put the item number in the search button (the richard simmons is for today's (jan 1) special value)....

try this link: http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp?nest=%2Fasp%2FIsItemNumberRedirect.asp&search=SQ&frames=y&referrer=QVC&txtDesc=J66118&x=19&y=10

Thanks Wolfie, that is a great price and a nice size. Really pretty! Oh, heard from Lance! The dear is up to here in finishing his degree so he can think about Black Pearls more of the time and even post a few things for us again. Happy Me!!!

Okay, Wolfie and Marcia, 'fes up -- are both, or either, of you the proud owner(s) of some beautiful black pearls?

Not I...not yet. Not even a single pendant, which would please me exceedingly.

me either, tempting as it was!

Yup, I see them every day I go shopping in various stores including Walmart!!! I want one in a silvery or purple shade... I think, but would turn none down!

wal-mart has them? wow!!

ours also has Aloha Shirts....

The question is would you wear your silvery or purple pearls with an Aloha Shirt? Or would you only wear the pearls with a vintage, circa 1950, rayon Hawaiian shirt?

*scratching chin pondering* (not that a wolfie would be caught in pearls and a hawaiian shirt, mind you *grin*)

...and Mu'umu'us too...I wear them with my mu'umu'u (long dress in aloha print in any style) We coul dhide lots of Wolfie fur under a long Muumuu