Freshwater or Akoya?

[icephoenix]

Hello all, been lurking and learning a lot, but still a lot to learn.

I bought this lovely 24" (6.5-7mm) two-strand necklace on ebay, and the seller had no info, so I once I got it I took it right to my local jewelry store for their opinion. Both sides of the clasp test as genuine 14kt, so that's one great thing. The jeweler I spoke to thinks they're freshwater, but noted that they do have a slight pink hue that makes him wonder if they're Akoya.

So looking at pictures, particularly of Freshadama, I don't quite know if there's a simple way to know the difference. I'm interested, but not really enough to send them away to an expert, so x-ray is unlikely.

Another thing about this necklace that baffled me and the jeweler is its knotting. The three end pearls near the clasps are knotted between each pearl, and then a patch of four pearls about 6 inches from the clasp (on both ends of both strands), but the rest is unknotted. They will ask their pearl knotter if perhaps that was a sloppy repair job, but otherwise we both found it very strange. Anyone have any idea?

 

[jshepherd]

It looks like you've got a double strand of akoya pearls - really nice quality too.

I'm curious though, what about them made your jeweler think they are freshwater?

The knotting is strange, especially for the US. It is a pretty normal way of knotting in Japan, especially or the old graduated strands. They knot near the clasp and leave the rest unknotted. That said, the knots don't look old.

 

[BAS]

I have a triple from Hong Kong that originally came knotted only between the last three pearls on either end of each strand.

And I have a triple golden akoya that was recently reknotted "old school" the same way -- only between the last three pearls on either end of each strand.

I like the look of necklaces without the knots between each pearl, and they drape beautifully, but I worry about losing a bunch of pearls if the silk ever breaks. (I'm less and less a fan of silk thread in general because it stretches more easily than synthetics.)

 

[icephoenix]

I don't know if anything in particular about the pearls made him think so, but now I think about it he did seem to have a personal preference/bias for freshwater pearls in general (because they're solid nacre and he's apparently seen well-loved Akoya pearls that were practically worn down to the nucleating bead). Still, though, any tips of differentiating between Freshadama and Akoya just based on sight? I've never seen Freshadama in real life before and I find the photos indistinguishable from Akoya.

I know in Asia it's more fashionable to have no knots between the pearls (except, I suppose, to secure the ends near the clasps), but I find it odd that this necklace has small sections in the middle that are knotted. I'm happy you think the knots don't look very old, so maybe the thread is still quite strong, but nonetheless I'm nervous to wear the necklace too much without getting it completely knotted.