Some help and value idea on this inherited pearl necklace please

[Lee Mc]

Hi all

I would appreciate some help with this pearl necklace I recently inherited from my grandmother.
She left some other truly stunning jewellery and wondered if these also might be "the real deal" as it were.
Its a lovely necklace with 58 7.5-8mm pearls and a 14ct gold floral clasp with inset pearl and 4 small rubies.
I don't know if they are cultured or natural or have any value.
They don't appear to be all completely uniform in shape and they are gritty on the teeth or when gently rubbed together.
Hope I've provided enough info for some help , if more pictures are required that's no problem.
Thanks in advance

Lee

 

[pattye]

Lee,

Welcome! We could see the quality of your pearls better if you could retake the photos on a white paper towel. Not glamorous, but we can see the luster and any blemishes much better. Blemishes and irregularities in the nacre help to identify whether the pearls are akoya or freshwater, so we like close up photos of them. Very nice size pearls, less common for necklaces to be as uniform in size, and cultured pearls . The pearls are much too round to be naturals. Do you have any idea when and where your Grandmother might have gotten the pearls? Certainly a lovely inheritance from your Grandmother.

 

[Lee Mc]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply.
I've taken some photos in natural light on white paper , the paper towels have colour on them lol
I couldn't believe how much it showed how dirty they are.
Anyway , more info , she lived in South Africa for most of her life but travelled extensively mainly to Singapore and Australia.
She bought ALOT of jewellery , diamonds and gold whilst in South Africa and that seems to be where the substantial part of her wealth
was placed so I think there is the most likely , we've found countless receipts for the rings chains watches and diamonds but none so far for
this necklace , although there is still alot to go through.
We were astonished to find all this in metal shipping chests unopened from when she came to England in the early 2000's.
Anyway heres some more pics.
And again thanks so much for your help.

 

[GemGeek]

Beautiful! Dirty, but DANG they are beautiful.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Look at the luster!

 

[BWeaves]

They look like akoyas to me. Give them a good wash and then restring them.

 

[Lee Mc]

How would I go about cleaning them ?
What should I use ?
Also how do I find out what they're worth ?
My girlfriend has taken a shine to them but wont wear them if they're worth a lot.

 

[pattye]

You've got some real beauties there! Round cultured Akoya for sure. Lovely clasp, too. Difficult to put a value; if you're having other jewelry appraised, you might want to have this strand done. For some idea of value, check Ruby Lane (RubyLane.com) for comparables. Please let us know if you find a receipt for this piece or more pearl jewelry. (ebay is not a good option at all~peeps are selling everything but the kitchen sink as akoya.)

Your Grandmother must have been an fascinating person, with great taste in jewelry if this necklace is an example, and had lots of great stories to tell!

Pearls are more stylish than ever, so I hope you will wear this necklace in memory of your Grandmother.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

To clean them, use a very mild soap and warm water solution or liquid baby wash. Don't use detergents. Some like to use Dr. Bronner's unscented liquid castile soap. Target and others carry this.

Use bottled water for this, especially if you have hard water. This is because of the scum that forms when soap and the minerals in hard water combine. You don't want that scum forming on the pearls-- it's very hard to get off. (I found out the hard way with some mother of pearl beads.)

Let them soak in the warm soapy solution for 10 or 15 minutes, then use a soft cloth to remove the grime you see. Many of us use a soft microfiber cloth. Swabs are good for getting into the tighter spaces -- notice how grime collects between the pearls.

Then rinse with the bottled water and lay them flat on a clean towel to dry. The silk needs time to dry-- silk stretches when wet. A day or two will do it.

 

[pattye]

Lee, sorry your post hadn't shown up when I wrote my reply. How nice your girlfriend is interested in this necklace. You might also use a soft old toothbrush to clean the clasp ONLY, not on the pearls themselves. No toothpaste either, just the soapy soak, suggested by Pearl Dreams.

 

[CathyKeshi]

That necklace and clasp are very beautiful!

 

[JerseyPearl]

Yes, very pretty indeed!

 

[KarinK]

I'd say, let your girlfriend wear them! They are not considered very valuable (idea for checking prizes in above posts) and in my oppinion it would serve them much better to be worn with love and kept in the family

- Karin

 

[Tucs]

Lovely necklace, your girlfriend should definitely wear it and enjoy it.