"Akoya" on Ruby Lane?

Renna

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Sep 19, 2013
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http://www.rubylane.com/item/600588-257-1894/GORGEOUS-Akoya-Cultured-Pearl-Sterling

This is really interesting. The photos are good quality, and large, there's detailed information about the pieces.....but I'm still leaning towards fake. Although not necessarily that the seller is intentionally ripping people off, just seems wrong. You can see marks on the pearls , and bumpy surface, and did Mikimoto EVER use sterling?

I don't even know if they were around in the 40s; akoya pearls don't interest me as much as other sorts because thin nacre, color treatment, crazygonuts pricing, yadda yadda yadda. But I've trolled Mikimoto's website once or twice, just to gape like the peasant I am, and I just can't reconcile the $1,000+ jewelry on there with what I'm looking at in this ad.

Experts, opinions? Any advice on reliable places to find actual 1940's jewelry? (It's my spirit decade. :p )

PS I wasn't thinking of buying these so definitely no fears of soul-crushing. I'm torn between PPs blue akoyas (and white metallic freshies, and silver peach, and gold peach, and silver lavender...sigh) and the all-natural blue-and-yellow Tahitian strand recently discovered on Ebay. ;)
 
I say akoyas. If you look at the topmost pearl on the brooch (the second pearl from the right) it has a surface mark that looks like an akoya to me.

I can't speak to the Mikimoto brand, not knowledgeable about it.
 
hi renna, i actually own a midcentury mikimoto brooch in sterling silver, they do exist! i posted pictures of it on a antique graduated akoya strand over in the show us your pearls forum. the set you posted doesn't have the mikimoto "m in a clam shell" halmark thats on all their pieces, it's a very pretty akoya set though!
 
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