Some of my Cultured :) Pearls

[Bodecia]

First lot has a beautiful white gold clasp with diamonds, not too big though. The pearls are stunners, well in my humble opinion, although I am not sure what exactly they are. Nice size too around 8 mm if I remember correctly. Maybe I should go pull them out of their silk baggie and check Only thing is I need to go on a neck diet so they will fit. Bit tight at the moment so I can only drool over them and wonder where they came from.

Anyway some photos to follow -

Bodecia

 

[Valeria101]

I am not sure what exactly they are...around 8 mm if I remember correctly.

Wow! How interesting...

Any chance they could be fancy Akoya? Those are rather unusual, but a few years back, before the current craze for mix & matched strands of all types and colors, that would have been one o a few possibilities for a fine strand not matched in the traditional sense... I think. And even these are matched two by two.

How long is it? If choker doesn't work, it could double for a bracelet, if you bear the thought.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi,

Don't really look like Akoya to me but then who knows. They have very suble colours, blue/silver, whites and golden/apricot colour. Nothing glaring or overpowering.

Even as a bracelet would be a little tight but also there is the worry and wear factor plus one has to go out somewhere fancy to wear a bracelet, well a pearl one at least .

They are matched very well in the two by two fashion and do look enough to take one's breath away but I would still love to know what they actually are if anyone is brave enough to venture an opinion.

Calling the experts, again

 

[xeresana]

They are very pretty. Maybe an extender would make them more wear-able?

 

[Casey.R]

I love the colors on that piece and the clasp of course.

 

[Bodecia]

They are very pretty. Maybe an extender would make them more wear-able?

Hi all and thanks,

I am not sure how an extender would work. Do you have any photos or Links for extenders. I worry when I wear one of my beloved pearl necklaces or rings, whatever and would and extender be perfectly safe.

I love them too and the colours, well just the whole thing and I haven't been able to wear them yet

Still would love to know what kind of pearls they actually are. The colours are even more subtle than the photos show. The pink colour is quite pale actually, not really a peach or apricot. Just a blush of pink or in the light I am under.

And yes the clasp sets them off beautifully. Not to bold, just beautifully refined, even with diamonds

Bodecia

 

[jerin]

Hi Bodecia,

your pearls are lovely! The roundness would suggest them being Akoya, otherwise they could be very fine natural coloured Freshwaters or heaven forbid - fakes.

I don?t know. But as you say the colours are very subtle they could be either one. I haven?t seen natural rose coloured Akoyas and it is because for that reason I think they could be freshwaters? Who cares. They look great. Have you asked Jeremy for his opinion?

 

[Cathybear]

Have you done the tooth test? That would rule out immitation. They are LOVELY!

 

[Valeria101]

Hi,

Don't really look like Akoya to me but then who knows.

Well, they do look like the more pleasant natural colors of Akoya to me, but then.. it is just a picture and I am not an expert. All I have are memories of pearls seen, I don't have any examples to show. You might be amused to find out the foolish prices such things can go by...

Recently, there was a passing offer of untreated Akoya in silver shades 'round here.

https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1979&highlight=untreated+akoya

The light golden and pinkish tally too. Especially since you are saying their colors are even more subtle in person then in the pictures.

Now, if this guess is right and they are akoya. Then you should have a good chance of finding one or two more pairs to mix in in appropriate places and lenghten the strand without spoiling its look. Even whites.

 

[Bodecia]

Hi Cathybear, yes I did the tooth test. Always do it as soon as I receive pearls. Of course sometimes it is not even needed it is just "ohh no" on site. But I like to check with my teeth. Cathybear you are Australian too aren't you?

Hi Valeria101,

Well, they do look like the more pleasant natural colors of Akoya to me, but then.. it is just a picture and I am not an expert. All I have are memories of pearls seen, I don't have any examples to show. You might be amused to find out the foolish prices such things can go by...
Recently, there was a passing offer of untreated Akoya in silver shades 'round here.
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/sho...ntreated+akoya
The light golden and pinkish tally too. Especially since you are saying their colors are even more subtle in person then in the pictures.

They do look very similiar to the earrings in the site you included. And the colours are more subtle, nothing garish but delicate white, blue and the pink is not really pink it is more like a very pale golden colour. I will try to take accurate photos of them soon. Batteries still need charging, have to find my charger. You are right I might eventually be able to find (I hope) extras that will match them to add in at the ends of the strand but the colours are so subtle that the blues and pink/gold might be hard. The white/silver should be achievable.

++++

The Centre pearl is actually 10 mm and from there they go down ever so slightly bit by bit to 7 mm. Maybe they are genuine vintage Akoya and by the sizes that sounds likely.

Regardless I do love them, just a pity it is such a short strand.

To all who have offered opinions, thank you. Much appreciated. The clasp does look like it is genuine Art Deco or very close to that era. Not quite the sharper lines of deco but maybe even a bit before. Who knows but it really doesn't appear a modern repro.

Thanks again, Bodecia

 

[Cathybear]

Hi Cathybear, yes I did the tooth test. Always do it as soon as I receive pearls. Of course sometimes it is not even needed it is just "ohh no" on site. But I like to check with my teeth. Cathybear you are Australian too aren't you?



Thanks again, Bodecia

Yes I'm an Aussie, way up top in Darwin. Well, whatever they are, they're stunning, and I love the colours in them
Cathy

 

[Ashley]

Hi There Bo!

I would venture a guess that the Silver/Grey (and I do believe they are Akoya) could possibly have been treated with Silver Nitrate? Almost every 'black' cultured Akoya pearl available on the international market pre-1960 were treated in this manner. The color is somewhat stable, and since the Silver salts settle in the conchiolin layers of the pearl, not adhere to the pearl's surface, the outer nacre layers of the Akoya will remain a semi-translucent white. The Japanese began using this technique extensively around 1930.

Have you had a chance to examine the pearls' drill shafts? The next time you have them strung, I would definitely take the opportunity to shine some strong light in that direction and see if the color of the nuclei might provide additional clues regarding treatment possibilities.

Additionally, the tooth test, while tried-and-true, is not 100% effective- cultured pearls that have undergone luster enhancements can throw you for a loop! The best course of action (other than contacting a lab), would be to peer down the shaft with a strong flashlight and at least 10x magnification.

If that is the original clasp, then I would definitely rule out any kind of Freshwater pearl- nucleation techniques were not that advanced back then! I also think that if the black pearls were irradiated, you might have noticed some color fade over the years...

That is an exceptionally beautiful necklace by the way!!