Rice pearls?
- Thread starter landyray
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pattye
Pearl Scholar
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- Dec 26, 2005
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Nice find, Landyray! These appear to be the "rice krispie" pearls from China, definitely real, but without a bead nucleus. As for age, probably from the 90's or earlier. Is the clasp marked? It may be karat gold, and the beads might be as well, they don't appear tarnished. A wearable style for sure!
Last edited:
Ash
Well-known member
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Hi Landyray,
Welcome to the forum. I agree, they would be from the 1990's or earlier as Pattye mentioned. A word of note though, there were some glass "pearls" made like this in the mid-late 90's as well. Try rubbing two pearls together to be sure. If the rubbing feels gritty they are real, if smooth most likely the glass ones. Hoping for the former it's a lovely find. A real classic beauty twist style and piece to be sure. (One of my favorite styles.)
Cheers!
Ash
Welcome to the forum. I agree, they would be from the 1990's or earlier as Pattye mentioned. A word of note though, there were some glass "pearls" made like this in the mid-late 90's as well. Try rubbing two pearls together to be sure. If the rubbing feels gritty they are real, if smooth most likely the glass ones. Hoping for the former it's a lovely find. A real classic beauty twist style and piece to be sure. (One of my favorite styles.)
Cheers!
Ash
BeadersSecret
Professional Rethreader
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- Mar 23, 2006
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There where indeed simulants of the rice crispie type pearl - they where often in multi-strand necklaces at the time and often used in a twisted strand style.
Here is a picture of an early glass cored simulant from 30+ years ago. The client didn't want it in the strand as it was 'crooked' - and when you look at the close up image the reason for the crookedness is quite clear.
When the rice crispie pearls came out they where a bit of a sensation and of course like anything in vogue, the copying commenced and simulants where plentiful.
Here is a picture of an early glass cored simulant from 30+ years ago. The client didn't want it in the strand as it was 'crooked' - and when you look at the close up image the reason for the crookedness is quite clear.
When the rice crispie pearls came out they where a bit of a sensation and of course like anything in vogue, the copying commenced and simulants where plentiful.
CortezPearls
PG Forum Admin
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Interesting! I did not know about these glass imitations...I just never imagined that one would go as far as making an imitation of a pearl that was amazingly cheap to produce!
I actually found some of my wife's "old jewelry", things she wore when she was a girl in the 1980's...and there were these rice krispy pearls there! Added a pair of earrings she told me are coral (need to inspect them to make sure)...the color came out very saturated!
I actually found some of my wife's "old jewelry", things she wore when she was a girl in the 1980's...and there were these rice krispy pearls there! Added a pair of earrings she told me are coral (need to inspect them to make sure)...the color came out very saturated!
