Inherited pearls from grandmother

[sjnwillis]

Hi,

I inherited these pearls about 20 years ago and know nothing about them other than they are real and were a gift from my grandfather to my grandmother (they were very well off!). The clasp has a sterling mark on the back, and is very discoloured - needs cleaning.

Could anyone help with what pearls they are and the value?

Many thanks,

Samantha

 

[Caitlin]

They are how long and how big? Could we see a shot on a white paper towel shooting the full necklace as well? The tiny pearls on the ends, how many mm are they?as well the the size of the big pearls in front? How about a shot of the back of the clasp. I have never seen one quite like that one. I like it.

They have a wonderful luster!

 

[sjnwillis]

They are how long and how big? Could we see a shot on a white paper towel shooting the full necklace as well? The tiny pearls on the ends, how many mm are they?as well the the size of the big pearls in front? How about a shot of the back of the clasp. I have never seen one quite like that one. I like it.

They have a wonderful luster!

Thank you for getting back to me! I will take some better pictures of the pearls for you soon and upload them as soon as I can. I will also try and measure the pearls, they are all fairly small and I would think the smallest ones are around 1mm in diameter and the largest are around 4-5 mm in diameter. I will also get the shot of the back of the clasp, though I can tell you it's a plain silver backing with a sterling stamp in the centre.

I shall provide you with more information soon.

Many thanks,

Samantha

 

[Caitlin]

I look forward to seeing the new photos. My guess was that the smallest pearls were very small. This is not your typical 3.5 momme akoya so the more photos the better to see what it is. Whatever they are, I think they are beautiful- very beautiful.

 

[sjnwillis]

Hi,

Here are some more photos of the necklace. The necklace is roughly 45cm in length, and the pearls are about the sizes that I quoted beforehand. I hope these help.

Many thanks,

Samantha

 

[Caitlin]

They are real pearls, alright, the only question is -what kind? It looks like they were restrung from the new-looking gimp on the ends. The clasp won't polish up? It is cute though.

Except for the clasp, the size of the tiniest pearls makes me think it might be not just real pearls but natural pearls, as using such tiny pearls is typical of many natural pearl necklaces, and even the largest pearls at 4-5mm is typical of a natural pearl piece from Persian Gulf pearls. The roundness of all the pearls makes it a more valuable piece if the pearls are natural, though the roundness also makes it far less likely, even if the pearls are very small Most of the wild, natural pearls are visibly off round.

A silver clasp on natural pearls is almost unheard of, though it is typical of older akoyas I am just thinking, pondering,even if the pearls are very small I really don't know.

If the pearls are akoyas, which by the odds is most likely, then this necklace was a custom job using very tiny keshi pearls. I hope someone else will come by and take a guess.

My guess: a specially created akoya pearl necklace, but I would believe it if they were natural, wild pearls.

In any case it is has beautiful and lustrous pearls and you can proudly say they are real. I hope you wear it.

 

[pattye]

Looking forward to additional photos also!

 

[lisa c]

Hi Samantha, welcome! Could you take a peek at the drill holes of the largest pearl, with a magnifying glass? check inside the drill hole, looking to see if you see layers and a bead center? That'd be helpful!

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

A silver clasp on natural pearls is almost unheard of, though it is typical of older akoyas I am just thinking, pondering,even if the pearls are very small I really don't know.

If the pearls are akoyas, which by the odds is most likely, then this necklace was a custom job using very tiny keshi pearls. I hope someone else will come by and take a guess.

While these present as natural, it's not without serious concerns. I too agree they are likely akoya keshi pearls for the simple reason of the silver clasp and overall matching.

Apart from assisting the OP with identification, the reason I'm commenting on a strand of cultured pearls is because these are often faked as naturals by simply replacing the clasp. Even the most savvy pearl person can be misled by this and as such cannot emphasize enough the importance of accredited lab analysis and incontrovertible provenance.

That said, it's a lovely and delicate strand.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

...I would think the smallest ones are around 1mm in diameter and the largest are around 4-5 mm in diameter.

But have you actually measured them?

 

[sjnwillis]

More photos

More photos

Hi,

Thank you for all your comments. I have attached a photo of the back of the clasp, I tried to clean it up a bit. It says 'sterling'.

I measured the pearls, the largest is 6mm and the smallest is 1mm. I'm afraid they are too close together for me to look through the drill holes.

The pearls were restrung when I inherited them, and the clasp is the original.

Many thanks,

Samantha

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Looking again at the photos in post #4, the tiny 1mm pearls on the end are round, too. Wouldn't keshi be more off-round? I'm thinking it's a custom-made akoya strand. I love the luster, and the clasp is attractive also.

I'd be inclined to restring them with PowerPro (the 10# size, very thin, could pass through the tiny pearls; see my restringing tutorial stickied on the Lowly Beaders Club forum.) This would give you the chance to remove the clasp to get the tarnish off without risking damaging the pearls. But use a method that leaves the patina in the recessed areas-- no dips or brushing tarnish removing polish into the crevices-- you want to preserve that antique look.

 

[sjnwillis]

Thank you all for your help with identifying my Grandmother's pearls last year. Do any of you know a good place to go in London the UK to have the pearls valued and insured? I do not want to be ripped off!

Any help that could be provided would be great!