Swoon!

[purlgurl]

Guess who I recommended, for the re string, so that she gets to see more than the pictures????

 

[Caitlin]

I know mine are natural and the first strand on this thread has some typically natural shapes. My pearls are fairly round, but there are a few similar in shape to the first picture.

Bernadette for the restring?

 

[knotty panda]

Sounds as though someone somewhere down the line misunderstood "Dead Sea" for "Red Sea." That would be my bet.

 

[barbie biggs]

So, every once in a while Grandma does have the real thing!
Yeah Grandma...

The Dead Sea is dead. Nothing grows there except some weird bacteria.
Bacteria as we know, don't make pearls......

I thought bacteria (or virus) was the cause of pearls.

barbie

 

[Miriam Reed]

The Red Sea sounds like a good probability.

 

[BeadersSecret]

Sounds as though someone somewhere down the line misunderstood "Dead Sea" for "Red Sea." That would be my bet.

That's how legends are born through Chinese whispers

I am really cynical from working in a valuation/repair department for many years.

The "Hungry thirties" gave birth to many a family heirloom taking on a life of its own that eventually came unstuck in the cynical Seventies as the caches where distributed according to grandma\grandpa's last will and testament.

It wasn't unknown in the past for a good strand of pearls to be sold and replaced with a closely matched simulant (so that Hubby wouldn't notice) when the family was under financial pressure - all would be okay until years later when someone from the family would bring in the precious strand that grandpa had paid months of salary for - only to be told they where simulants. ( Boy is that a minefield )

Hubby - has a tale from a place he worked - where the watch started out as a yellow "resin" cased watch that become lost in transit and by the time it was "resolved" with the customer and insurance\courier etc had become a yellow "gold" cased watch.

I'm not casting nasturtions at Purlgurl's post - more how the story behind an item can take on a life of its own - and the care we should take in potentially "feeding" the story - when communicating with a customer.

 

[pearlescence]

Indeed. I see many a strand which were grandma's 21st birthday ones. All too often they are imitation - the best possible option from the early years of the last century before Mikomoto got started for many a doting father.

 

[Nerida]

Indeed. I see many a strand which were grandma's 21st birthday ones. All too often they are imitation - the best possible option from the early years of the last century before Mikomoto got started for many a doting father.

Yes, just did one of these before Christmas for a customer - these were her "first" fiance's engagement gift to her of his grandmother's pearls. Ooops!!

 

[pearlescence]

I mentioned these family pearls before in a strand about should we tell or not (that they are not real)

 

[jas932]

I tend to decide on a case by case basis.

Do you generally tell, or not?

julie.

 

[pearlescence]

Generally I dissemble a bit to see the general feelings involved then usually aim to be honest. After all if I say nothing and can't identify non-reals I'm not much of a pearl person. I usually emphasise that real pearls cost huge money back when these were purchased and even good fakes were a stretch for a doting dad, so should still be valued.

 

[Alison]

Gorgeous pearls! I agree with those who say Red Sea. The clasp has got to be platinum, and is Edwardian (1900-1920) in style rather than 1920s, although of course older styles can always continue to be made in a later period.

Everything about them indicates natural pearls. I would add one thing to the comments of others -- if the length allows it, I would have these pearls restrung without knots between the smallest pearls (except of course for a few near the clasp). Also, if there are any badly decayed or damaged small ones, I would have them removed.

I have found through experience that knotting between every tiny pearl accentuates the color and shape differences between them. They are more pleasing to the eye without knots.

I would keep that clasp with the necklace. Its value is commensurate with the original value of the pearls, and the historical accuracy remains.

Please post photos once the necklace is cleaned and restrung (and I assume certified), as it will be spectacular!

 

[knotty panda]

I mentioned these family pearls before in a strand about should we tell or not (that they are not real)

The "real or not real" question is always a prelude to how much are they worth. I am very honest. I am not an appraiser. My sole purpose is to string them, real or faux. I might comment on the shape, but that's as far as I go. Regardless, they are always beautiful, no matter what. If the customer is interested in having them restrung, then they have value to them and that is all that matters.

 

[pattye]

I would not want faux pearls passing through my hands, when someone feels they are real, then the owner later finding out from someone else they are not real--wondering if I had switched pearls--we've heard the "switched pearls" story before--so gently pointing out to a person what we are seeing that indicates they're faux pearls, (often back in the 60's and 70's costing hundreds of dollars at a good jewelry store) and showing them at the time they are leaving the pearls for restringing is appropriate and honest.

Might add--it is easy for me to be vague when talking about genuine pearls' worth.

 

[Caitlin]

I have never had anyone ask me to restring plastic or glass bead pearls, so far, when they didn't know what they had. Just lucky I guess.

 

[purlgurl]

Just to tease you all, the same customer brought in more of his loot, which I quickly photographed, & will post tomorrow. There are some incredible pearls, alongside some truly amazing diamonds, with some lacklustre strands as well.

 

[purlgurl]

Ok, quite a few pics here, so I'll divide them into a few posts. The jewellery is from his great grandmother, who lived in the goldfields. Im learning to guess their possible age and origins. Any expert opinions encouraged!

 

[purlgurl]

More, one with an interesting clasp, with gorgeous microscopic pearls, and another, with a silver clasp, similar to one my Nana wore in the 60's.

 

[purlgurl]

I love the little bow. The Amethyst is set in rose gold, and the back of the bail. Most of the rest seems to be yellower, so perhaps a piece composed of collected elements. The chain has the prettiest grey/lavender pearls, with a bigger central one, suggesting it could be worn without the bow.
What do you think?

 

[Caitlin]

Thanks for sharing such a lovely collection. It really adds to our treasure trove of natural pearls! What an education!