Recent content by Pearl Dreams

It was interesting!

The authenticity guarantee is optional under $500, and when it's there, it's added at checkout; that is what I see on current and completed listings.

My understanding is that the seller is only obliged to offer authentication service for jewelry if the price is $500 or more.

Not keshi and not south sea. Bead nucleated Chinese freshwater pearls.

Tahitian, I'd say.

Immediate impression, confirmed on closer inspection: dyed freshwater pearls. The appearance of the blemishes, the general appearance of the luster and surface, and a bit of oil-slick color all point to fwp.

Some terminology may help you. Real pearls are either cultured (farmed pearls) or natural (wild pearls, rare and very expensive, created in nature by mollusks without any human intervention.) The pearl market has been a cultured pearl market for the past century. Imitation (fake) pearls are...

Yours are cultured akoya pearls. (Cultured pearls are real pearls.) The ones on the right...I'm inclined to think they are cultured Chinese freshwater pearls, based on shapes. Would that be a deal breaker, if they were not Japanese akoyas?

They appear to be dyed freshwater pearls from China.

That is a graduated vintage akoya strand made by Mikimoto. These strands sell well on eBay. Do a search to see what strands with that clasp (or another silver clasp, with the Mikimoto mark) sold for recently. That should give you an idea of how to price it.

It has a lot of surface flaws that interfere somewhat with luster. A round SSP necklace of this size would cost a lot more if better quality. I think you realize this. Reading between the lines, you don't love the quality-- am I right? If so, $3000 is too much for a necklace one doesn't love...

I see you also marked a few pearls with dull spots. Nothing can be done about those spots, and it wasn't anything you did.

Hi Zsofife! You have a strand of baroque freshwater pearls there; they are first harvest pearls. (Keshi are second harvest pearls-- they form when a mussel is put back in the water after the first harvest pearls are removed.) They do not appear to be knotted between the pearls. The rubbing of...

Folks, I'm going to take a little break from Pearl Guide for a while, but I'm okay. I'll be back!

Yeah, I think I've settled on their being baroque akoyas. An unusual necklace, to be sure. :)