Can Someone Help With Old Pearl Ring

[OliviaPerez]

I've had this ring for almost 10yrs, it use to belong to an old lady who had it since she was in her late teens maybe early 20's. The pearl is real I have done the tooth test, I just don't know what kind and don't know where I can get it appraised. It's very a unique and interesting ring I would love to know how old it is and its value, can anybody help and guide me in the right direction on what kind of pearl it is and getting it appraised!?

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Great looking ring! I am not qualitifed enough to tell you much about the pearl, but the ring itself is a treasure. I think I can see a 925 mark inside? That is sterling silver. That would rule out European in most cases as older European pieces were hallmarked or had the 800 silver mark, and by appearances I think it is an American ring, and possibly a one of a kind artisan piece. Are there any other markings inside the ring?

Daddys Little Pearl

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Very round pearl = probably a cultured akoya. The patina does make it seem to be silver. Such an interesting design!

Checking eBay, here is a listing of sold rings from highest to lowest price, using the search terms "art deco pearl ring (sterling,silver)" (You could try other search terms as well.)

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?LH_S...=art+deco+pearl+ring+(sterling,silver)&_sop=3

 

[OliviaPerez]

Thank you, no other markings just the 925 on the inside.

 

[OliviaPerez]

Thank you, I will check it out. Are pearls normally very round or have some sort on dent/shape to it? Is a cultured akoya a very common pearl? Thank you for your help!

 

[Caitlin]

What an interesting list. There is another pimple pearl that just needs the pearl!

 

[KarinK]

Thank you, I will check it out. Are pearls normally very round or have some sort on dent/shape to it? Is a cultured akoya a very common pearl? Thank you for your help!

Hi Olivia,

A single akoya is a very common pearl. The value of the piece would be in the design.

- Karin

 

[Pearl Dreams]

...Are pearls normally very round or have some sort on dent/shape to it? Is a cultured akoya a very common pearl? ...

Akoyas (which are saltwater pearls) are round because there is a round bead inside serving as a nucleus. The oyster lays down nacre over that bead, but typically the layer is very thin. The longer the oyster is allowed to stay in the water laying down nacre, the greater the risk that the pearl will develop an off-round to baroque shape. This is one reason why top grade round akoya pearl strands are costly-- to have that great luster, they need thicker nacre, and relatively few pearls with thick nacre will still be round. Matching them into strands is therefore harder as well. But a single pearl, as stated, is not so costly.

Most cultured freshwater pearls do not have a bead nucleus, and most are not round, although culturing techniques have improved greatly and more pearls are produced nowadays that are nearly round.

If you look at photos of antique jewelry (e.g. royal jewels) and antique ornaments studded with natural pearls, you don't see many round shapes among them.

 

[Amrita]

Your ring certainly has an interesting and unique design, Olivia! Welcome to P-G!

 

[pattye]

Welcome Olivia,

Agree with the others, a most attractive and unique ring! As the setting is sterling rather than karat gold, and the ring is from an unidentified designer, even with a cultured pearl, the value at most will be in the hundreds, not thousands. You probably wouldn't want to spend $100 or more for an appraisal.

 

[OliviaPerez]

Your ring certainly has an interesting and unique design, Olivia! Welcome to P-G!

Thank you Amrita, I'm going to try to get apprised.

 

[OliviaPerez]

What should a real pearl look under a black light?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I have looked at various of my pearls under a black light and they are not all the same. Some looked purple and some fluoresced blue-green. What does your pearl look like?

By the way, cultured pearls are considered "real pearls". But they are cultured, not natural.

 

[OliviaPerez]

I have looked at various of my pearls under a black light and they are not all the same. Some looked purple and some fluoresced blue-green. What does your pearl look like?

By the way, cultured pearls are considered "real pearls". But they are cultured, not natural.

Not if you can tell the color on the attached picture, mine looks almost like a fluoresced yellow-green.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Cool photo! I have a small penlight black light which I had to juggle to take this photo-- it's my cultured metallic white freshwater strand.

This one pearl looks yellowish blue-green, but the adjacent pearl fluoresces purple.

 

[OliviaPerez]

Cool photo! I have a small penlight black light which I had to juggle to take this photo-- it's my cultured metallic white freshwater strand.

This one pearl looks yellowish blue-green, but the adjacent pearl fluoresces purple.

Thank you, I see what your talking about. I want to find out what kind of pearl it is, I will see if I can find a place tomorrow. If I do I will post it, where I live there are not to many places.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I'm sure it's real nacre, anyway-- an imitation pearl would not fluoresce that color; it would reflect back the purplish light.

An XRay would show definitively whether there is a bead inside, but getting the pearl tested would be pricey. Sometimes with a strong backlight the striations in the bead nucleus can be seen.

 

[OliviaPerez]

I'm sure it's real nacre, anyway-- an imitation pearl would not fluoresce that color; it would reflect back the purplish light.

An XRay would show definitively whether there is a bead inside, but getting the pearl tested would be pricey. Sometimes with a strong backlight the striations in the bead nucleus can be seen.

Thank you Pearl Dreams, this might sound like a dumb question...x-ray as in the one's we use on ourselves! ? Lol

 

[Pearl Dreams]

X-rays can be done by some testing labs when there is reason to think that a pearl is natural. The bead shows up on the X-ray.

I think the GIA does this testing, but there is a fee for such services, of course, and personally I would not want to pay the fee unless I had very good reason to think I had a natural pearl. Frankly, I do not think you have one (very round pearl, relatively lower luster, looks like a quite ordinary cultured akoya.) I would not be doing you a favor if I encouraged you to pay for testing.

 

[OliviaPerez]

X-rays can be done by some testing labs when there is reason to think that a pearl is natural. The bead shows up on the X-ray.

I think the GIA does this testing, but there is a fee for such services, of course, and personally I would not want to pay the fee unless I had very good reason to think I had a natural pearl. Frankly, I do not think you have one (very round pearl, relatively lower luster, looks like a quite ordinary cultured akoya.) I would not be doing you a favor if I encouraged you to pay for testing.

Thank you, reason I was asking is cause I know someone who works doing x-rays in a lab. Thank you I won't pay to get it x-rayed!