Thrift store finds :)

[gpine1991]

Hello! I love treasure hunting and I decided I had to have pearls . My sister bought me some stuff from China that claimed to be real, but they weren't gritty and didn't have the luster I wanted... so I hit the thrift stores! Within a couple weeks,I found these..... they were all really cheap (necklaces $5 each, the bracelet was $2). Anyone know what I have and what quality they are? I'm not into reselling, but if I'm going to treasure hunt for pearls, I want to be sure I look for the right stuff, and don't (as my mom would say) "fill up on junk". LOL. I've been reading every pearl guide I can find and looking at a ton of pics, but it's hard because they all look so similar to me still I took the best pics I could, but I couldn't find my measuring tape (we just moved!)
Thank you so much!!!!!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

gpine1991, you came to the right place to ask.

They are all cultured freshwater pearls from China. The peacock/black ones in tbe first photo are dyed. The peach/lavender colors of the 3rd photo are natural colors. And white freshwater pearls have all been bleached.

All of these are solid nacre-- no bead inside to make them round. They are very durable and you can get many years of wear out of them! They are not junk, but also not valuable. Chinese freshwater pearls are very common, and baroque is the commonest shape. But that doesn't take anything away from your enjoyment of them, especially as they were inexpensive.

Stick around here and you will learn a lot more about pearls!

 

[gpine1991]

Here are some close ups. All except the dark ones say 925 on the clasp.

 

[gpine1991]

That is so cool! Thank you I was trying to add more pics, but I guess you didn't need them Thank you so much. I'm glad they're not all dyed. I'd rather natural colored ones! I'm going to keep looking for more pearls! I figure i I get too many, I'll give my sister some for her birthday . Our thrift stores don't know anything about pearls so I guess I might get lucky one day. I love these anyway. They are so beautiful to me

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Looks like some quartz chips between the white fwp. The faceted clear beads could be glass/crystal.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

If you think about it, baroque solid nacre pearls look closest to what natural pearls used to look like, before they began culturing pearls with a bead nucleus about 100 years ago.

It's a wonderful thing that anyone can afford pearls today, when one considers that they used to be worn only by royalty and the wealthy.

 

[gpine1991]

Looks like some quartz chips between the white fwp. The faceted clear beads could be glass/crystal.

Yes! They are little glass bits. I bought the matching bracelet too. I figured at $5 a piece, I couldn't go wrong. I've been wearing pearls every day now! My mom told me I was suppose to save them for evenings and special occasions, but what's the fun in that?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I think it's more likely the odd shaped chips are quartz than glass (safer, too.)

I don't believe in saving our nice things for special occasions. Life is too short for that. Years ago while I lived overseas I had a purse I was saving for a trip...it was stolen while on that trip. Its replacement was saved for my trip home to the USA, but one of the first times I used it, I rested it on the floor briefly, and a pet rabbit that I was not aware my acquaintance had ate a hole in it.

Nope, not saving stuff any more. We use our crystal and good china all the time, and I wear my priciest perfumes whenever I wish. I wear my best pearls to Walmart.

 

[gpine1991]

I think it's more likely the odd shaped chips are quartz than glass (safer, too.)

I don't believe in saving our nice things for special occasions. Life is too short for that. Years ago while I lived overseas I had a purse I was saving for a trip...it was stolen while on that trip. Its replacement was saved for my trip home to the USA, but one of the first times I used it, I rested it on the floor briefly, and a pet rabbit that I was not aware my acquaintance had ate a hole in it.

Nope, not saving stuff any more. We use our crystal and good china all the time, and I wear my priciest perfumes whenever I wish.

That's what I told her! If I died tomorrow, all my prettiest stuff would just go to someone else, never enjoyed by me. Besides, I have seen students come college class in their PJs, with their hair in curlers and a towel and no one cared LOL (serious, no kidding)... I guess I can wear my pearls!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

LOL! Definitely wear them-- it won't hurt them.

What does affect them is contact with cosmetics-- hair sprays, perfume, lotions. Put your pearls on last.
After wearing them, wipe them with a soft clean cloth (I like microfiber) before putting them away, and every few wearings,or if wearing them on a hot sweaty day, run a damp hand over them and them wipe them, to remove sweat and skin oils. Do not use jewelry cleaning products on them; pearls are porous and are harmed by most jewelry cleaners.

Pearls have a soft surface and can be scratched by other jewelry. Many of us keep our pearls in little cloth pouches, but you could just use a little cardboard box to separate them from other jewelry.

 

[gpine1991]

LOL! Definitely wear them-- it won't hurt them.

What does affect them is contact with cosmetics-- hair sprays, perfume, lotions. Put your pearls on last.
After wearing them, wipe them with a soft clean cloth (I like microfiber) before putting them away, and every few wearings,or if wearing them on a hot sweaty day, run a damp hand over them and them wipe them, to remove sweat and skin oils. Do not use jewelry cleaning products on them; pearls are porous and are harmed by most jewelry cleaners.

Pearls have a soft surface and can be scratched by other jewelry. Many of us keep our pearls in little cloth pouches, but you could just use a little cardboard box to separate them from other jewelry.

I will do that!!! Thank you! I have them hanging on this little necklace rack I have, but I'm going to look on ebay and see if I find little pouches for them so they stay beautiful!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

The reason I don't hang my strands is that they are knotted and hanging would stretch the silk. Wire wrapped pearl necklaces won't stretch. But the silver might tarnish more, exposed to air.

 

[GemGeek]

You picked out a fun group of pearl jewelry. You've already received excellent advice, so I'll just say, wear them in good health and enjoy!