pick a pearl setting

[Sandy321]

WOW

Thanks for the heads up - JC Penny still has their sterling necklaces on sale 50%off!!

 

[jennyraye]

Kohl's is having a huge sale on fine jewelry right now. Dd and I got sterling silver chains to go with our twin pearls today. Not just plain links, but very nice, yet delicate designs. Original price $35 each--sale price $13.99, plus an additional 15% off total purchase with a coupon I got by email from Kohl's. I wound up getting another sterling necklace for her for Christmas--total cost was $40 or less for all three. Check them out! They're having their late night/early bird sale tonight and tomorrow, too--may mean additional savings.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We've been wearing our carriages for awhile now and the silver is wearing off (copperish looking underneath). I think I'm going to order 2 more carriages and then coat them with clear nailpolish - thoughts anyone on if that will make them last longer?

 

[That'sNotVeryMagical]

I just wanted to share; I ordered 5 carriages from this site: http://www.topearl.com/wg43-18kgp-wish-pearl-pendants-cages-wholesale-p-14044.html

And they let me purchase them at the wholesale price ($0.90), so the 5 carriages plus shipping cost me $7.50, after $3 shipping. I got them the other day.

 

[angiefry]

I am so glad I found this thread! I cant wait to do this. Will be spending our first Christmas in Disney this year and think this would be really special for
DD9 and I to do together.

 

[mickeymouse1017]

I just wanted to share; I ordered 5 carriages from this site: http://www.topearl.com/wg43-18kgp-wish-pearl-pendants-cages-wholesale-p-14044.html

And they let me purchase them at the wholesale price ($0.90), so the 5 carriages plus shipping cost me $7.50, after $3 shipping. I got them the other day.

Thanks for posting this. I was able to order the other one that my DD had been wanting and got it for the wholesale price for 1. The entire thing with shipping was cheaper than anywhere else. Thanks!!!

 

[inkkognito]

I bought two carriages online and I really love them. They are a lot heavier and sturdier than I expected. I picked two pearls in Japan today. One was a 7-1/4 and the other was 7-1/2. The 7-1/4 fit in the carriage just perfectly but the 7-1/2 is definitely too big. The carriage won't close because the pearl is too big. I could wear it but being slightly open, it doesn't look right.

7 1/4 is definitely the limit for the carriage. I picked my pearl today for my birthday (heads up for other b-day people...they don't accept the b-day gift card) and got a pinkish pearl that is 7 1/4 and fits exactly in the carriage with no room to spare. Whew! I'm so glad I got just the right size.

 

[inkkognito]

Quick addendum to my earlier post: I wrote an article about my pearl picking experience, complete with photos of the entire process. Click here to read it. It really was a lot of fun, and I'm still shocked at my luck in getting a pearl of exactly the right size for my carriage.

 

[fakereadhed]

Great job on the article!

 

[luvmyfam444]

Just back & attempted this @ DTD's kiosk. There was a woman named Mary working, who we thought was pleasant @ first. DD(6) goes into the little bowl of about 10 oysters with tongs to pick out her oyster - all that was fine - she cleans it - talks it up how pretty it is (she got a golden one) and yadda yadda. Didn't tell us the size - I had to ask her.

Then she quizzes me on what I'm gonna do with it - I need to buy from her - I can't remember what she said I needed to have - but whatever it was I couldn't get anywhere else (a mounting maybe?) I told her no I didn't need anything but the pearl she still is pressuring us saying we MUSt get it - I tell her I have something - she says what - a cage? I say yes - she then asks me what size pearl I need 'cause its not a one size fits all kinda thing. I said I don't know & that I'd deal with it later.

NEXt dd (3) we try to get to pick one & she decides to cry & say she doesn't want one (she was a bit cranky) I was gonna do it with her - give her the tongs & help her but Mary said - odn't make her do it - she's not old enough -SOOOO she wouldn't let us buy the other pearl. DH got TICKED & let her know it that if he wanted to buy something he could if he wanted...he wanted to go back & buy from the other girl working there just 'cause - but I wouldn't let them get any more of out money...

SOO the whole pap was a disaster for us - oldest dd didn't want oneI asked her to go 1st & she said no...so my 3 little carriages sit here empty so much for a nice little magical surprise....

 

[luvmyfam444]

BTW - I bought some organza ribbon @ WM & the clasp & it made an adorable necklace - SOOO easy to do!

 

[gk90]

Sorry that it didn't work out luvmyfam444, maybe you can try again next trip? The CMs in Epcot Japan are very nice and don't pressure to buy a setting.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

ditto gk90 - I'm sorry it didn't work out for you!

The CMs in Japan are really nice we weren't pressured at all. In fact they watched us put our pearls into our carriages and even admired them.

 

[inkkognito]

Ditto on no pressure to buy a setting in Japan. I put my pearl in my carriage right there, and the girl was very nice. No mention of buying anything.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

Hi y'all! I'm in WDW now and am just back from the Japan pavilion at Epcot. Picking a pearl is my favorite souvenir! Yesterday morning I was the first customer of the day. Pulled a 7 3/4 mm pinkish white pearl. The CM bagged it and I went on my way.

Tonight, I had DH w/ me. Decided to get another to make a double ring. Pulled a 7 1/4 blue pearl!! It's gorgeous with the other one.

Today must've been a lucky day... Saw a very rare (yet small) bright bluish pearl and a big ol' honkin' 8 3/4 mm both set into jewelry when I picked my ring up

 

[two*little*birds]

We went to DTD two nights ago and stopped at the Pearl Factory.

DD got a pretty white/pink pearl that was 7.5mm, and we set it in a 14k yellow gold sun pendant ($139.99).

I got a 7.9mm creamy champagne pearl and set it in an “infinite love” pendant set with a small .03 diamond ($189.99).

We also got DFIL's fiancé a pearl (pinkish), set in a plain 14k yellow loop/pendant ($29.99).

We got the first 2 pearls for $31.98, and the 3rd one was free.

I'll post pictures tomorrow.

 

[luvthemouse71]

Just back & attempted this @ DTD's kiosk. There was a woman named Mary working, who we thought was pleasant @ first. DD(6) goes into the little bowl of about 10 oysters with tongs to pick out her oyster - all that was fine - she cleans it - talks it up how pretty it is (she got a golden one) and yadda yadda. Didn't tell us the size - I had to ask her.

Then she quizzes me on what I'm gonna do with it - I need to buy from her - I can't remember what she said I needed to have - but whatever it was I couldn't get anywhere else (a mounting maybe?) I told her no I didn't need anything but the pearl she still is pressuring us saying we MUSt get it - I tell her I have something - she says what - a cage? I say yes - she then asks me what size pearl I need 'cause its not a one size fits all kinda thing. I said I don't know & that I'd deal with it later.

NEXt dd (3) we try to get to pick one & she decides to cry & say she doesn't want one (she was a bit cranky) I was gonna do it with her - give her the tongs & help her but Mary said - odn't make her do it - she's not old enough -SOOOO she wouldn't let us buy the other pearl. DH got TICKED & let her know it that if he wanted to buy something he could if he wanted...he wanted to go back & buy from the other girl working there just 'cause - but I wouldn't let them get any more of out money...

SOO the whole pap was a disaster for us - oldest dd didn't want oneI asked her to go 1st & she said no...so my 3 little carriages sit here empty so much for a nice little magical surprise....

Like others have said..go to the one in the Japan pavilion. You buy the pearl first-you pay and they give you a ticket. Once you pick the pearl, they put it in a baggie and you can do what you want with it. Never have gotten pressure to spend outside my budget or to purchase a setting, for that matter.

You are not the only person to have a bad experience at the one in DTD..you should call and let her boss know that she was rude to you, and that you won't be going there anymore.

 

[h0pe]

I went this past May, and followed this advice, and I got one BEAUTIFUL white pearl which was 18 1/2 mm!

So Ugly is better! lol

 

[two*little*birds]

Here are the ones we got from DTD, first one is for me, second one is for DD. DFIL's fiancé is already wearing hers.

 

[mskayjay]

Just back & attempted this @ DTD's kiosk. There was a woman named Mary working, who we thought was pleasant @ first. DD(6) goes into the little bowl of about 10 oysters with tongs to pick out her oyster - all that was fine - she cleans it - talks it up how pretty it is (she got a golden one) and yadda yadda. Didn't tell us the size - I had to ask her.

Then she quizzes me on what I'm gonna do with it - I need to buy from her - I can't remember what she said I needed to have - but whatever it was I couldn't get anywhere else (a mounting maybe?) I told her no I didn't need anything but the pearl she still is pressuring us saying we MUSt get it - I tell her I have something - she says what - a cage? I say yes - she then asks me what size pearl I need 'cause its not a one size fits all kinda thing. I said I don't know & that I'd deal with it later.

NEXt dd (3) we try to get to pick one & she decides to cry & say she doesn't want one (she was a bit cranky) I was gonna do it with her - give her the tongs & help her but Mary said - odn't make her do it - she's not old enough -SOOOO she wouldn't let us buy the other pearl. DH got TICKED & let her know it that if he wanted to buy something he could if he wanted...he wanted to go back & buy from the other girl working there just 'cause - but I wouldn't let them get any more of out money...

SOO the whole pap was a disaster for us - oldest dd didn't want oneI asked her to go 1st & she said no...so my 3 little carriages sit here empty so much for a nice little magical surprise....

I am just back from WDW as well. I picked 2 pearls from DTD and literally walked away from that witch Mary because she was so rude. I had a very nice lady help me and got two nice pearls but they were both uncermoniously dumped into one bag with no sizes noted or anything when I indicated that the seting prices were more than I expected. I didn't realize that you could not get those pearls set at the Japan pavillion so I "had to" pick a few more while I was at Epcot. I took my original pearls back to DTD to try to find something nice and affordable for my pearls (they are ridiculously expensive for anything other than the most basic of settings) and Miss Miserable was working again. She is so pushy and snotty to people that it is embarassing. Once they realized we were trying to be careful with what we were purchasing, they totally ignored us. I had on two of my pieces from Epcot and folks asked where I got them and you can bet your butt I told them where and how much they were. Suddenly it became an issue that you "shouldn't set pearls in sterling silver". HUH???????? They're just unreal over there and I am really sorry I gave them any business. I have my two pearls from them that I will take to a jeweler here to have set and I don't care if I pay the same amount as I would have there for the settings....it's the principal. And let me also clearly state that while the DTD folks were quite snooty in their comments about the women working in Japan ("oh they just bring those girls from Japan for 6 months and they don't know what they're doing. We've been in business for over 80 years"), the folks in Japan NEVER said anything rude about the Hawaiin pearl people but rather politely said they could not set the pearls and they were very sorry about that.

For anyone who is going to jump in and say you get what you pay for or any other comments about us being cheap or anything similar, please....we spent a ton of money and I do mean a ton again this trip. I just think it is really uncalled for to carry only white and yellow gold pieces and make the majority of folks who are looking for something pretty and fun as an affordable keepsake feel really crappy about what they are trying to do.