A marvelous inheritance

[ta_kuhn]

Hello I am very glad I found this site! As I have a marvelous inheritance to share with you.
First the facts, I inherited a box of miscellaneous beading things and broken jewelry from my step grandmother whom I had never actually met, a long story not important except in the fact that I have no idea where the things in the box were purchased from.
After all the normal brouhaha dealing with the estate and legal stuff I put the box with my beading things and slowly started to go through it. Of the junk in the box it was the silk beading thread that caught my eye but it was the several strands of pearls with broken strands that I was surprised and delighted to find in plastic zip bags in the bottom of the box that I have had repaired that I wish to learn more about.
I am attaching the photos and would enjoy any information you can share.

The bracelet is about eight inches long and the clasp and bars are 14k white gold and natural sapphires and there are a total of 100 pearls.
The necklace consists of three strands the top is 47 pearls, the second is 48 and the bottom is 50 the clasp is a filigree 14k white gold

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

They look like baroque akoyas on the first image and vintage off-round akoyas on the other. Both sets present as nicely matched with thick nacre.

All in very good condition and worthy of the effort taken to repair them.

 

[jshepherd]

Exactly! If those are old, they look like a great find. The luster looks great, so the nacre is thick. Do you know when they were acquired?

 

[Marianne]

What a special find at the end of your treasure hunt! The bracelet findings are very special. Lovely all around

 

[ta_kuhn]

X-Ray

X-Ray

I know nothing about them as pieces of jewelry but I was told the best way to find out if they were cultured or not was an X-Ray as a friend of my family is a dentist I asked him if he would X-Ray them for me and he did. I have no idea what the X-Rays mean but i hope that an expert can tell me more.
bracelet
bracelet
necklace
necklace
necklace

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

I know nothing about them as pieces of jewelry but I was told the best way to find out if they were cultured or not was an X-Ray as a friend of my family is a dentist I asked him if he would X-Ray them for me and he did. I have no idea what the X-Rays mean but i hope that an expert can tell me more.

Gee. I wish everyone who submitted pearls for opinion were as thorough as you!

The X-Rays speak volumes. First, they confirm the pearls as cultured, because the shell bead nuclei are present, clearly good quality beads and round. Secondly, they show the thickness of the nacre, which is significant. Thirdly, they show the overall condition of the pearls as solid, free from major cracks, inclusions or fillers. Fourthly, most of the pearls present with a nice layer of chonchiolin (a proteinaceous layer from juvenile growth) This layer often displays the signature quality of the grafter who created them, as healthy with a good rate of growth. Conchiolin will very often "bring out" the colors of the layers and offer a little bit of cushion, which helps protect the pearls from shock damage.

 

[ta_kuhn]

Thank you! I try to be thorough in my investigations. It is very good information and I am glad to know that they are cultured, but now the question that is driving my husband crazy is replacement coast as he insists that all my good “read valuable” jewelry is insured for at least replacement value can you point me in the direction I need to find this out?

 

[Caitlin]

How precise an amount do you wish? the nacre really is thick on those!
I'd put the 3 strand baroque in the mid-100's and the four strand almost round in the couple thousands. Then double it cause they will be hard to replace!

 

[pattye]

Those are marvelous! Perhaps worth taking for appraisal if you can find someone who knows their pearls. The quality of the gemstones could add much to the value. I hope you will wear them often and enjoy them. (Please don't stick them in a safe deposit box, which is a very dry environment, and not good for pearls.) But probably you already know that.

 

[ta_kuhn]

Actually the bracelet is too small for me, though I would love to get it sized for me we can’t afford that with taxes and the holidays coming up but I wear the necklace. Can anyone tell me how to find a local pearl expert as I am not having any luck and all the jewelers say they must send them out to someone.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Even without appraisal, you can insure jewelery for any amount, provided it's reasonable. It would be unreasonable, perhaps even fraudulent to insure a twenty dollar strand of freshwater pearls for a million dollars.

Caitlin's assessement of insured value is reasonable. This group's overall report of the pearl's authenticity, origin and condition are also reasonable. I think the pearls themselves are accounted for sufficiently.

If anything, what you need is an appraisal of the sapphires and the settings.

Take lots of photos, keep those Xrays and the documentation from the Executor of your relative's estate.

 

[AMc]

Those smaller-cut Sapphires look like they've got pretty good color, but it's hard to tell for sure without having them in front of you; eye-clean, good color Sapphire melee (2.0-4.0mm stones) often run about $350-$400p/ct. 2.0mm stones generally weigh about 0.3cts each depending on the cut.

I am in love with your bracelet, by the way.

 

[GemGeek]

Good for you! Those pearls are gorgeous.

 

[KarinK]

Such a pity you can't wear the bracelet. It's amazing. But the necklace is not bad either What a treat to find such a surprising treasure.

- Karin