I bought this as a gift before a theater date. I'm on a budget but wanted to give her something memorable. She has commented on pearls so this necklace seemed like a good bet. I inspected them carefully and was pretty impressed. They are NOT gem quality and would look pretty dull next to some high end pearls but they are lovely for what they are. They gleam in candlelight and have the weight and warmth you would expect. She loves them.  I hope to give her a double strand of AAA pearls one day soon. Till then, these made a terrific gift. I an NOT saying what I spent.