Pelosi's Pearls

[DJCNOR]

I know that politics generally has little to do with fashion, but I found this article interesting in terms of thread potential. Maybe it needs to be joined to the other thread involving the recent trend in huge jewels. Or maybe it can be a thread about politically inspired trends (Palestinian scarves? Jackie's pillboxes?). In any case, this from the news:

Pelosi's pearls
STRIKING, CLASSIC STRANDS DEFINE NEW SPEAKER'S SIGNATURE STYLE
By Donna Kato
Mercury News

They're now being called Power Pearls.

As worn by Nancy Pelosi, a strand of pearls now represents elegant authority -- a description that's also been used to describe the congresswoman, the first female Speaker of the House.

As the highest ranking woman in the country, Pelosi's recent fashion choices have been scrutinized almost as much as her political profile. While media pundits and bloggers have debated the color of her Armani suits and the rotation of her Italian shoes -- Ferragamo? Manolo? -- it's been her double-digit millimeter South Seas and Tahitian pearls that have garnered the most attention.

Especially the mixed-color strand of marble-sized spheres she favors with dark suits and tweeds.

``It's `unmatronly' and unique. It shows she's not afraid of innovation, and that's a powerful image,'' says Eve Alfille, a jewelry designer and founder of the Pearl Society who estimates them to be 13 to 14 millimeters in size.

The much-photographed necklace was worn to a news conference the day after her re-election in November and soon after, a pearl wholesaler was fielding dozens of calls for the style, according to the Los Angeles Times. The highest quality strand of similar pearls can cost $20,000 to $80,000.

www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/16459206.htm

 

[BaroqueRockstar]

interestingly...
mr blackwell put pelosi on his best dressed list
she's a politician, which means that she doesn't have that much flexibility, but honestly, armani suits and pearls are blah IMO.

 

[Belapuente]

In my opinion, the most amazing necklace Mrs. Pelosi has, is the Golden South Sea Pearl necklace. I personally ignore the quality of the pearls, (if they have any imperfections, flaws, picks, etc. ) but from what I have seen they are very round, lustrous, and have a beautiful golden color, and seem to be well matched. Golden South Sea pearls are the rarest and most expensive of South Sea Pearls. It takes years to match up a necklace like Mrs Pelosi's.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Has anyone found any good pictures of Nancy wearing her pearls?

 

[Belapuente]

Nancy Pelosi's Pearls

I have pictures of Nancy Pelosi wearing her pearls but somehow I cannot upload them. The attachment button is not doing anything. Maybe I can e-mail them to someone who can post them. Mrs. Pelosi has the most amazing SS pearl necklaces I have seen. She is very lucky to afford them. South Sea Pearls are rarer than diamonds. Someone said that diamonds shine by themselves whereas pearls make a woman shine. I believe this is true, the luster of pearls match the shine in our eyes. Chanel herself said that a woman needs miles and miles of pearls. I personally find pearls fascinating, they are alive after all.

 

[SomethingElse]

Here are a few couple of Ms. Pelosi in pearls... but she is hardly the originator of the pearl in politics...

lantos.org . nypost.com

 

[Belapuente]

True, Mrs. Pelosi is not the pioneer of pearls in politics, I believe Mrs. Clinton, and Mrs. Rice have a penchant for pearls as well, ..BUT I do not recall seeing anyone with AT LEAST six different South Sea necklaces of that caliber. These necklaces are very rare. Mrs. Pelosi is a very lucky woman....and very distinguished I must say.

 

[SomethingElse]

^ Oh yes, I didn't mean to come off as being disparaging. I greatly respect and admire Ms. Pelosi.

I love that Jackie O. almost always wore paste pearls. So New York.

myyearbook.com

 

[Salvatore]

I've never noticed, but pearls are uncommon for women in politics?

 

[Spacemiu]

I just love nancy

 

[ilaughead]

In my opinion, the most amazing necklace Mrs. Pelosi has, is the Golden South Sea Pearl necklace. I personally ignore the quality of the pearls, (if they have any imperfections, flaws, picks, etc. ) but from what I have seen they are very round, lustrous, and have a beautiful golden color, and seem to be well matched. Golden South Sea pearls are the rarest and most expensive of South Sea Pearls. It takes years to match up a necklace like Mrs Pelosi's.

Thanks for the information, I really had no idea that they could be so rare!

 

[Belapuente]

You guys should check out if you have a chance a Dove Silver Tahitian Pearl. Imagine a pearl with the color of the lightest side of aluminum foil. To die for.

 

[farren fashion]

^^ tons of girls where i live have tahitian pearls. they're all over in hawai'i.

 

[Belapuente]

In Geneva you can see them only in a few fine jewelry stores. The stuff you see here is amazing, they try to bring the best.

I heard pearls are very expensive in Hawaii? Is that so?

 

[farren fashion]

I'm not entirely sure. I'm not really big on jewelry, so I don't have anything that's expensive. The only pearls I have in my family are vintage and my family isn't big on pearls. I did look up some prices from a local jewelry company.

This necklace is priced at $3,670. It kind of reminded me of the necklace Pelosi was wearing.

SOURCE: mauidivers.com

 

[Belapuente]

That is a nice necklace. It has 13 tahitian pearls. And the rest are just gold beads. What size of pearls are they, do you know? Do you know anything about the quality of the pearls?

 

[Belapuente]

vintage pearls can be expensive. i.e. natural pearls.....very rare and soooo expensive.

 

[farren fashion]

That is a nice necklace. It has 13 tahitian pearls. And the rest are just gold beads. What size of pearls are they, do you know? Do you know anything about the quality of the pearls?

Here is some information on the necklace:

A 14K yellow-gold necklace set with thirteen round Tahitian Pearls, 11-12mm and blackish in color, and forty-two gold bead spacers. Seventeen inches in length with a 14K yellow-gold clasp set with six faceted round Diamonds totaling approx. 0.03 ct.t.w.

source: mauidivers.com

 

[Belapuente]

Honestly, not worth the price. In Geneva you pay that for an A quality strand of the same pearls. You could have something like that with quality for a lot less, but with a little legwork.

1. I wouldn't buy anything other than 18K gold, below that is not good quality. Above that its too soft. 18k is optimum. Try to find on Ebay or other sources like that for 18k gold beads. Once you tap into that market you will not believe all the sorts of beads available. In the same venue you can find a much nicer clasp, the one they are showing is not only 14k, but the diamonds are so poor. There are six and they account to only 3% of a one karat. They do not even tell you about the clarity nor color of them. Just to say that there are diamonds and hype up the price. Please do not waste you money like that.
2. With the $ they are asking you can buy a few strands (40 cm.) of those pearls at the Pearl Fair in Hong Kong in September. Actually with that money you can go to HK buy one strand and come back.

3. The bigger the pearls the rarer they become, and pricier too.

4. If you want to go cheaper you can find some chinese pearls that come in wonderful colors.