“It’s Joctober:” Braves fans embracing Joc Pederson, pearls pandemonium

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but for Joc Pederson and Braves country, they’re all about the pearls.

The excitement for the pearl necklaces is at an all-time high thanks to Pederson.

“I’ve seen black chains and gold chains but I saw the pearls and I liked them. So I reached out to my jeweler,” the outfielder said after he hit game-winning HR in Game 3 of NLDS.

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Once fans started noticing Pederson wearing pearls, the pearl pandemonium started.

Rhonda Jacobson, the vice president and co-owner of Cumberland Diamond Exchange, started seeing a new type of customer interested in pearls.

“Mostly men — never sold a strand of pearls for a man,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson says there are two types of pearls people can purchase: fresh water and salt water pearls. From what she can see on tv, Jacobson says Pederson is wearing a very good strand of pearls.

“They look very nice size, consistent in shape and color. Looks like it might be 24 inches since it’s hanging a little below his uniform,” she said.

The prices of pearls range from $200 dollars to $10,000. It just depends on the type of pearls you buy.

“Color, shape, size, never how it’s finished with gold or silver,” she said.

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Durability wise Jacobson says the gold chain is still the best for an athlete to wear. If they do decide to wear pearl, the key is to make sure they are knotted in-between each pearl, so if it breaks, you only lose one pearl.

She also says to clean them after every wear.

“T-shirt wipe them off and store them in a dry cool place and they will be ready to wear for the next game,” Jacobson said.

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While Mastrangelo was inside the jewelry store, a longtime Braves fan walked in to purchase a set.

“It’s Joctober. If me wearing a strand of pearls can get us over the hump, I figure it’s better than sacrificing goats. So let’s wear some pearls,” Travis Ellis said. “This year is going to be different, We lost Hank Aaron, Knucksie and Sutton. So what better way to honor them than to bring home a ring.”

If you are looking for a more affordable option, the Braves Clubhouse was selling them for $3 Monday. But after Pederson’s 3-run pinch hit home run, they sold out immediately.

The store manager told Mastrangelo they will be getting more pearls if the Braves advance to the NLCS.

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