Pearl Finds and Confusion

[Beans]

Greetings! I've been making myself a little crazy trying to figure out how to tell dyed freshwater pearls. I have a pretty good idea regarding peacock pearls (sorry if my terminology is incorrect) but I'm not sure about this button pearl necklace with purple/mauve (potato?) pearls. And I also wonder if the clasps, being gold or silver, reflect the value of the piece.

I would love and appreciate knowing anything about this cute thing. The clasp is 14kt gold and I'm showing it taken alone (using the flash) and also with a peacock pearl necklace that has a sterling clasp (which I'm sure are dyed).

 

[Lugana]

Hello Beans, all pearls in your photos are color-treated. The metal karat of clasps usually shouldn't be used in identifying the value of pearls unless it's an antique piece. For example, in Japan many high-end pearls are mounted with sterling silver clasps, while in some countries clients would insist on gold clasps with their strands. Hope your wave of pearl interest builds up!

 

[GemGeek]

The clasps may be marked 14K and just be plated brass. Beware! See this article.

 

[Beans]

The clasps may be marked 14K and just be plated brass. Beware! See this article.

Thank you! Yes, I have a gold testing kit and have yet to test it.

 

[Lugana]

The clasps may be marked 14K and just be plated brass. Beware! See this article.

Unfortunately, true. China counterfeit everything, including gold stamps. Such pieces have never been to a laboratory and have been domestically marked with a hammer-on stamp. Luckily it rarely happens in countries other than China but still contributes to the feeling "is there anything in this world I can still solidly trust??"..

 

[Beans]

Unfortunately, true. China counterfeit everything, including gold stamps. Such pieces have never been to a laboratory and have been domestically marked with a hammer-on stamp. Luckily it rarely happens in countries other than China but still contributes to the feeling "is there anything in this world I can still solidly trust??"..

I have some jewelry stamped .925 that can fool the eye but under a 10x loupe, there are tell-tale signs that something's amiss. I did test the gold clasp and it tested positive for 14kt gold.

China made knock-offs are plentiful in the thrift shop where I get many of my best finds.

 

[Katbran]

Pretty, dyed, inexpensive freshwaters. I'm surprised anyone put a 14k clasp on them to be honest though that clasp isn't terribly expensive but still I would have expected gold plate. The clasp would retail for around $40 as a guess which is more than the pearls would cost.