Please help evaluate these pearls - what do I have?

[Frink]

I bought these via internet auction to give to my wife for Christmas. While demonstrating to my daughter how the fish hook clasp works, the string broke at the fish hook. I plan to have them re-strung after the holidays, providing the pearls justify the cost. Re-stringing will actually cost more than I paid for the string of pearls. The string is 16" long, the pearls are a very consistent diameter of approximately 5.9 millimeters, and the clasp is 14kt white gold. The pearls appear very round to me, and are gritty to the teeth. Their color I would describe as "pearl" ; maybe ivory would be a better description? I have difficulty seeing into the hole of the pearl that has come off the string, I can't see an obvious nucleus or anything.

I hope the attached photos help. Pearls are difficult to photo! No natural sunlight outside today, so the photos are under fluorescent lighting at work. I've included a photo with pearls in my hand to give a better idea of their color. We have a light table at work, so I've included a photo that shows the layers inside the pearls. Thanks so much for your help!

 

[jshepherd]

What you have appears to be a strand of short-cultured akoya pearls. Short-cultured pearls are not left to develop nacre over the bead implant long enough in the mollusk, so the nacre is paper thin. Unfortunately, after a few months there won't be much left but the original beads. You could get them restrung and that will cost $15 to $25 on average, but they really aren't worth much.

 

[Caitlin]

That back lighting photo is cool. I can see the bands on the nuclei. That alone may signal the nacre is thin.

 

[Frink]

Thanks for the prompt replies! I have just a couple of additional questions. How old are these "vintage" pearls? Are these recent QVC/TJ Max material, or older department store? With what I paid for them, restringing, and all shipping I'll be out around $50 total. Am I correct in assuming that is about what these are worth? My wife won't be wearing these every day, so she can get some use out of them. Is there any harm in her just wearing them out? In the mean time, I can educate myself on both pearls and her taste, and buy her some really nice pearls in the not too distant future. Thanks again for your time!