Pearl crosses and coral ... from North Sulawesi Province?

[Unicorntouch]

Please help me find some-one
able to estimate a value for these pearls.
I would like very much to sell them,
but have only wild guesses about their worth.

Here's some photos.
The necklace is 18 "
with 21 pearl crosses,
and 22 red coral beads.

The largest crosses are 1 1/2 inches by 1 inch.

It's been in my family quite a while
and I understand that it was made in the 1700's
in Indonesia,
and probably from the Christian communities there
in North Sulawesi Province.
( The first translation of the Bible into Indonesian was in 1629 )

Each pearl was grown from a tiny cross
implanted in the oyster shell.

All help appreciated.
David Unicorntouch

 

[jshepherd]

It appears you have Chinese cultured freshwater pearls. They aren't old either. I wouldn't put more than a decade old.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi mr. unicorn touch

Indeed, you are tetched by fantasy!

Sorry to have to tell you that those are Chinese cultured freshwater pearls first grown in the cross shapes in the last 15 or so years. NOBODY cultured freshwater pearl crosses back then- buddhas, maybe, but not crosses and it was in china only.

The clasp is bottom of the line and the red beads look like red beads. I doubt the gold colored ones are real gold either. I could put a necklace like that together for about $6.00. Or buy a dozen of them for $3.00 each at the gem shows. Nevertheless it is a kind of pretty design- if you want a ring of crosses around your neck.

People come up with the most creative stories about the origin of their pearls, but this one takes some kind of a prize! What a fantasy. If you believe it or tell anyone that, you are sorely mistaken. What a convincing sales pitch- complete with the irrelevant details about bible translations from the 17th century!

This story is out there with some of Zeide Erskine's stories about the origins of her pearls.

Don't even try to sell it with that spiel.

You could fairly get about $50.00 for it, based solely on the fact that it was designed and made- but anymore than that would be outright fraud.

 

[pearlescence]

Here's one of the crosses made as a solitaire pendant
sorry, not 1700s, but China in the last few years and costing just a few $

 

[pattye]

That's a nicely finished cross, Wendy. I have a few strands of these pearls, too!

 

[Caitlin]

I guess I chased him right out of here!

Fools rush in... but I know that one well, from personal experience, LOL. At least the OP is anonymous so we can't see him/her blush. Or get angry that their sales pitch was ruined -over here, at least.

Nevertheless, this pearl story is a keeper among fantasy pearl stories....! We will have to compile some in a thread someday!

 

[Sutrisno]

Oh they would be a riot to read i bet Caitlin.

 

[Caitlin]

Yes. I'll have to remember to put it on a to-do list. I forgot about it as soon as I wrote that post.LOL