Rice Krispies or Akoya keshi?

[himezakura]

I bought this (second-hand) necklace at a local church sale, thinking the small pearls were rice krispie or some other kind of low-quality freshwater pearls, but once I actually started taking it apart for restringing and looking at them more closely, I started thinking they might be akoya keshi instead?

I mean, it would make more sense, given that they're strung with the round akoyas, right?

Next to some somewhat similarly-shaped freshwater

Now with part of a strand of new akoya keshi bought from Etsy dangling from the top for comparison

I dumped the freshwaters out from the bag for better comparison (new akoya keshi still peeking out, center top)

So, in everyones' professional opinions, are they freshwater, or akoya keshi?

Also, the clasp came with these little end-caps(?), that I was planning to remove, since the end-knots of the cord were visible (and dirty and janky-looking), but it turns out those are also 14k, so... Does anyone know how these should be strung so that they're professional-looking? Or could tell me what they're called so I might find tutorials/examples? Thanks~

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I lean toward freshwater baroque pearls, just because I've had some very lustrous ones like those in the past.

Here is a tutorial on how to use the bead tips:

Bead tips how-to (firemountaingems)

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

I agree, they look like nice quality freshwaters to me too. I've got some that look just like that. The bead tips are pretty easily removed since the cap is only "bent around" the jump ring (they don't look soldered). So if you prefer to restring with silk and French wire, just remove the bead tips and string that way. I agree with you, I'm not a fan of those knots showing at the clasp, especially since you are depending on a knot in that bead tip holding everything that's strung on the thread. I think bead tips were a faster way of creating necklaces and putting them on clasps "in the day." The method most of us use is far more time consuming and a bead cap allowed a jeweler to let the consumer pick the pearl string and pick the clasp at the time of sale. Let us know if you decide to use the bead caps.
Nice find. Looks like you'll have some pretty new pearls and lovely 14K findings to redesign and restring!

 

[pearlescence]

I concur that they are freshwater, if the gold/peach colour is accurate. That is typical of freshwater pearls. But they are little darlings. I'd probably remove the gold beads and the bigger rounds and let them speak out on their own - maybe one long strand which you can wear long or doubled.

 

[himezakura]

Thanks all, for your valuable insights and recommendations~ and for the tutorial link!

I agree, they look like nice quality freshwaters to me too. I've got some that look just like that. The bead tips are pretty easily removed since the cap is only "bent around" the jump ring (they don't look soldered). So if you prefer to restring with silk and French wire, just remove the bead tips and string that way. I agree with you, I'm not a fan of those knots showing at the clasp, especially since you are depending on a knot in that bead tip holding everything that's strung on the thread. I think bead tips were a faster way of creating necklaces and putting them on clasps "in the day." The method most of us use is far more time consuming and a bead cap allowed a jeweler to let the consumer pick the pearl string and pick the clasp at the time of sale. Let us know if you decide to use the bead caps.
Nice find. Looks like you'll have some pretty new pearls and lovely 14K findings to redesign and restring!

Oh, I hadn't realized the bead tips were removable! Yep~ with that revelation, I immediately removed them, and they're now in the findings dungeon until I can decide on a way to use them that I won't find offensive to imagine.

I concur that they are freshwater, if the gold/peach colour is accurate. That is typical of freshwater pearls. But they are little darlings. I'd probably remove the gold beads and the bigger rounds and let them speak out on their own - maybe one long strand which you can wear long or doubled.

Yes, right after posting this thread yesterday, I placed them in a white washi paper box, where they looked very much freshwater-toned... It's probably that those darned akoyas these were strung with were just so peach-y, it made me think the freshwaters looked cold enough to be ambiguous.
And I definitely won't be putting them with the rounds again- I'm quite sure they were the culprit behind the impression that they are low-quality rice krispies in the first place! They're in the soap-water bath right now, but I wanna do some finer sorting by shape, luster, and surface condition before brainstorming about what to do with them (+sigh, some sections were quite damaged by wear).

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

Thanks all, for your valuable insights and recommendations~ and for the tutorial link!


Oh, I hadn't realized the bead tips were removable! Yep~ with that revelation, I immediately removed them, and they're now in the findings dungeon until I can decide on a way to use them that I won't find offensive to imagine.


Yes, right after posting this thread yesterday, I placed them in a white washi paper box, where they looked very much freshwater-toned... It's probably that those darned akoyas these were strung with were just so peach-y, it made me think the freshwaters looked cold enough to be ambiguous.
And I definitely won't be putting them with the rounds again- I'm quite sure they were the culprit behind the impression that they are low-quality rice krispies in the first place! They're in the soap-water bath right now, but I wanna do some finer sorting by shape, luster, and surface condition before brainstorming about what to do with them (+sigh, some sections were quite damaged by wear).

Sounds like the kind of fun everyone on this site enjoys! Can't wait to see your REWORKED strands once they are done Thanks for sharing and glad we could help you learn. I've learned so much on this forum, and learn something new every day.

 

[heartofawareness]

I bought this (second-hand) necklace at a local church sale, thinking the small pearls were rice krispie or some other kind of low-quality freshwater pearls, but once I actually started taking it apart for restringing and looking at them more closely, I started thinking they might be akoya keshi instead? View attachment 464254
I mean, it would make more sense, given that they're strung with the round akoyas, right?
View attachment 464255View attachment 464256
Next to some somewhat similarly-shaped freshwater
View attachment 464257
Now with part of a strand of new akoya keshi bought from Etsy dangling from the top for comparison
View attachment 464258
I dumped the freshwaters out from the bag for better comparison (new akoya keshi still peeking out, center top)

So, in everyones' professional opinions, are they freshwater, or akoya keshi?



Also, the clasp came with these little end-caps(?), that I was planning to remove, since the end-knots of the cord were visible (and dirty and janky-looking), but it turns out those are also 14k, so... Does anyone know how these should be strung so that they're professional-looking? Or could tell me what they're called so I might find tutorials/examples? Thanks~
View attachment 464259View attachment 464260

Hi @himezakura! Looks like you found yourself a little treasure at your local church sale. I tend to stay away from garage sales, flea markets, and the like thinking I don't want to waste my time (most of the time it's 'junk') however, there are some nice treasures to be found if one just takes the time...enjoy!!