Ask the experts..

[barbaradilek]

I have two small Pearl necklaces,one with an18 ct turquoise set clasp,the other with a 14 ct white gold clasp,both are about 14” long.Iv candled the larger pearls which all show up differently so I’m guessing not cultured.Neither strand is knotted but between each Pearl is a smaller Pearl,or piece of mother of Pearl.I haven’t seen this before.Was there a reason for the Pearl spacer,or was it a fashionable fad?

 

[CortezPearls]

Nice strands Barbara! Any idea of the time period they were assembled or created? The turquoise clasp looks more "vintage".
The pearls could be natural or they are keshi pearls or even small freshwater pearls. Good photos by the way!

Using small keshi/natural pearls as spacers in necklaces is not particularly uncommon. At the Cortez pearl farm, we used this technique to attain longer sizes and use less cultured pearls, to avoid hitting a higher value on the necklaces.

 

[barbaradilek]

Thanks “El Cortez” I obviously don’t look at the right websites! The turquoise clasp is antique I think,the strand was bought at an antique fair in Scotland about 30 years ago.The other is a recent find,the clasp is modern,but the length is unusual for a modern necklace,and I wondered if they had been restrung.Someone must have thought they were worth giving them a heavyv14ct clasp.Being blessed with a scrawny neck I can ,and do wear them together.

 

[BWeaves]

They're both lovely necklaces. I think the keshi spacers are cool looking.

 

[CortezPearls]

I can imagine that someone wanted a specially tailored item...after all, this is not your traditional necklace. So, you got the best this person wanted for herself.
Again: a very nice find!

 

[amti]

Beautiful strands! I often put keshi in between pearls for interest, and because I love keshi. The keshi look like akoya keshi to me- very high luster, the shapes, and the sizes. I wonder if they were added to lengthen the strand. I have a gold chain that used to belong to my grandmother (who passed away in 2009 at 99 years old) that was 14 inches. People had skinny necks back then!

 

[CortezPearls]

Nice to see you back amti

 

[jshepherd]

They sure look like they could be natural strands!