TahitianDreamin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2015
- Messages
- 50
Hi all, long time lurker, finally registered and first-time poster. I want to start off by saying HI!! and that your collective wisdom has given me SO much helpful information, and I am very grateful! So thank you all.
So, I have been on a pearl buying RAMPAGE in the last few months, with a bunch of things acquired through various means. Mostly ebay but a little estate/thrifting as well. Please don't judge me!! I'm a bartender by night and a bargain hunter by day. Makes for easy conversation with my customers at least!
So, onto the pearls! I will say first that all of these have passed the "tooth test," though I was nearly fooled by one (I was on the fence about it tbh) that ended up being painted glass or something. It got me because it was very heavy - heavier than what I think is an akoya strand (below) but I finally noticed a *TINY* peel on one of them. OK, here goes:
The first are these: These were a thrift store find.
View attachment 34432View attachment 34433View attachment 34434View attachment 34435View attachment 34436
I'm pretty sure they are freshwaters since they are so irregularly shaped, but they are BIG, like 13mm long. No clasp. About 56" long. I'm probably going to sell them on ebay. They are very pink as you can see. What do you think I should start them at?
Second, another thrift store find. These have a 14k fish hook filigree clasp, they are in BAD shape as far as needing a restringing. I THINK they are akoyas, what do you think? They are about 6.5-7mm I think, I have a cruddy pair of calipers that I carefully used on them
My second question: I live in Brooklyn so I want to take them to American Pearl or Pearl and Clasp in Manhattan to get them restrung. Do you guys have an opinion on either of those places? Also, Do you think they are in such bad shape that I will be laughed out of the store?
I compared them to the pearls on my Mikimoto earrings (also an ebay find, and not on this list because they are currently AT mikimoto getting appraised, because I wanted to confirm their authenticity, but if you want to see them search ebay sold listings for "mikimoto 14k white gold" and they sold for 150. I love them LOVE THEM and I am wearing them on my wedding day in three months (eeeee!!)) and they looked OK. Not amazing at all, OK. But, I realize this is like, apples to oranges. Sorry for the long vignette.
View attachment 34437View attachment 34438
OK, these are my two favorites:
This one is a thrift store set, necklace and earrings, the pearls measure ~6.5mm:
View attachment 34439View attachment 34440
And my wedding bracelet, the pearls measure 8mm and the clasp tongue is stamped 14k, and the diamonds tested as real at two jewelry stores (I always bug my local guy when I get stuff on ebay ). My bigger question is do you guys have any idea as to the design/history of this clasp and the previous earring/necklace design? They seem like they were pretty common designs back in the day but I am trying to figure out exactly when that was.
View attachment 34441View attachment 34442
Sorry if I messed up the attachments or if I omitted any relevant information. I'll be happy to share anything else I know.
Thank you all for having such an amazing and supportive community!
So, I have been on a pearl buying RAMPAGE in the last few months, with a bunch of things acquired through various means. Mostly ebay but a little estate/thrifting as well. Please don't judge me!! I'm a bartender by night and a bargain hunter by day. Makes for easy conversation with my customers at least!
So, onto the pearls! I will say first that all of these have passed the "tooth test," though I was nearly fooled by one (I was on the fence about it tbh) that ended up being painted glass or something. It got me because it was very heavy - heavier than what I think is an akoya strand (below) but I finally noticed a *TINY* peel on one of them. OK, here goes:
The first are these: These were a thrift store find.
View attachment 34432View attachment 34433View attachment 34434View attachment 34435View attachment 34436
I'm pretty sure they are freshwaters since they are so irregularly shaped, but they are BIG, like 13mm long. No clasp. About 56" long. I'm probably going to sell them on ebay. They are very pink as you can see. What do you think I should start them at?
Second, another thrift store find. These have a 14k fish hook filigree clasp, they are in BAD shape as far as needing a restringing. I THINK they are akoyas, what do you think? They are about 6.5-7mm I think, I have a cruddy pair of calipers that I carefully used on them
My second question: I live in Brooklyn so I want to take them to American Pearl or Pearl and Clasp in Manhattan to get them restrung. Do you guys have an opinion on either of those places? Also, Do you think they are in such bad shape that I will be laughed out of the store?
I compared them to the pearls on my Mikimoto earrings (also an ebay find, and not on this list because they are currently AT mikimoto getting appraised, because I wanted to confirm their authenticity, but if you want to see them search ebay sold listings for "mikimoto 14k white gold" and they sold for 150. I love them LOVE THEM and I am wearing them on my wedding day in three months (eeeee!!)) and they looked OK. Not amazing at all, OK. But, I realize this is like, apples to oranges. Sorry for the long vignette.
View attachment 34437View attachment 34438
OK, these are my two favorites:
This one is a thrift store set, necklace and earrings, the pearls measure ~6.5mm:
View attachment 34439View attachment 34440
And my wedding bracelet, the pearls measure 8mm and the clasp tongue is stamped 14k, and the diamonds tested as real at two jewelry stores (I always bug my local guy when I get stuff on ebay ). My bigger question is do you guys have any idea as to the design/history of this clasp and the previous earring/necklace design? They seem like they were pretty common designs back in the day but I am trying to figure out exactly when that was.
View attachment 34441View attachment 34442
Sorry if I messed up the attachments or if I omitted any relevant information. I'll be happy to share anything else I know.
Thank you all for having such an amazing and supportive community!