Some Help with gift I was just given

[E.E.C]

I was just given a necklace
it is just beautiful, but I know nothing about pearls.
The woman that gave it to me, said it was her mom's
it is strung small to large-then back to small.
the clasp has a diamond in it, the only name on it I can find is
Yard Inc.
on the back of the clasp.
I am guessing the year to be in the 1920's
Can you help me, what is its worth, should I have it appraised?
the box it came in has the name Frank A Gendreau Jewelers WInter St Boston ( I did google them and the 1920's time frame would have been correct )
Any help would be great.
thank You,
Erin

 

[E.E.C]

 

[jshepherd]

It may well be worth your while to get the necklace appraised. Use the search feature on this Site to find Sharon Wakefield - she is a good pearl appraiser.

The strand looks as though it could be akoya, although from the 1920's I would expect to see a little more aging. It could possibly be faux as well...

 

[Valeria101]

THIS 'Yard Inc.' ?

If it turns out, it would be one of the places where perfect and perfectly matched natural pearls are a possibility. Ya' never know... Wonder if Yard might not have an appraisal service for estate pieces in-house. You might want to ask - at the very least, they may confirm if the hallmark is theirs to begin with.

 

[Raisondetre]

I'm just curious - if someone's not going to sell the necklace would the appraisal mainly be for insurance purposes? I buy what I like and have never really formally gotten anything assessed for value.

BTW, very impressed with your Chinese on the AOL blog, Jeremy. You write like a native, probably better than I do since I haven't used it for so long even though I speak the language very fluently. I'm going to show my mom your blog. I'm so going Berlitz when I learn Japanese and Korean. I'm sure you read alot though.

 

[jshepherd]

With a shape that perfect they cannot be natural. I do not believe a perfect round full natural strand exists on record. "Round" pearls are more of an invention of the last hundred years.

I am glad you enjoyed the blog. I was asked by AOL to do it for their Chinese portal. It is linked on their home page: http://www.chinese.aol.com/

It is in the bottom right section of the home page next to an immigration blog and a realty blog. I am not sure if this will show up in every browser, but this is how AOL titled it: 珍珠传奇

 

[E.E.C]

thanks.
I would like to know what the worth is, because I WILL not keep them. I will make her take them back, or sell them and give her the money, she needs it.

I am helping this woman move, and she has more antiques then the road show does.
while we were cleaning and moving she pulled out the jewels and made me take them she said her dad always bought her mother pearls.
the store that I mentioned was a very famouse store in its day.

the pearls themself are not perfect- looking at them up close I have looked at them under the scope and they have some lumps and the like.

Good Idea to call the store , I shall do that. they are in NY- Raymond Yard retired but the store is still open.

 

[E.E.C]

web site that I found.
http://www.raymondcyard.com/raymond/history.asp

the box they were in - why I think they are from 1920's
http://www.joycejlrs.com/AboutUs.htm

 

[Caitlin]

Hi EEK

That link you put up is the same one as valeria told you about in post #3, wherein she also said you could confirm the hallmark as being their's. If it is, you found the answer.

Even if you didn't see Valeria's post, you came to a good conclusion. The clasp is lovely and in keeping with their style. I don't think Mikimoto was in full business in the twenties so a historical guess would be in more in keeping with faux. Real/natural pearls of that shape and quality would be worth 10's of thousands, but it does not look like a natural strand- nether the shape of the beads nor the lack of enough graduation in size, variation in color.

I hope you will tell us what Yard inc says.

 

[E.E.C]

I got this as a reply from them.
"It is very possible that they are, especially since they are stamped Yard.

Thank you for your email.

Robert M. Gibson
President
Raymond C. Yard, Inc.
at the Carlyle
35 East 76th Street
New York, NY 10021
Tel: 212 717 7150
Fax: 212 717 7150
rayyard@aol.com

and this :
"They look lovely. But I probably would not be able to tell you anything about them without seeing them. In order to see if they are natural pearls and not cultured, they must be certified by the G.I.A. I"

I dont know if I have someone local that can look at them and KNOW what they are talking about , or not?

thanks

 

[jshepherd]

Don't spend money on the GIA cert. That is really not needed. The pictures clearly show that the necklace is not a natural. The GIA cert would simply tell you the same thing, and the test would probalby cost as much as the value of the strand.

I really think you best bet is to get an honest appraisal from a professional. I would definitely suggest Sharon Wakefield for that. Many people from this forum have used her services in the past.

 

[E.E.C]

thank you !
I will do that!

 

[Valeria101]

An appraisal would take less money and time than a lab report... If you go for it, I hope you might consider sharing the outcome here too

Too bad there is no ID service with Yard, it would have been great to have an appraisal from them matching the origin of the strand.

But... the point is moot if the pearls are costume after all. And they do look 'too good' in the picture, no matter how much I'd want them otherwise