so... it's too fresh to get into why I am looking at these pearls, but can anyone tell me anything about them based on these photos? all I know, is I have a photo from around 1983 w/ her wearing one pair, and that they are a bit grit to the teeth. I recall back then around age 6, being told by my dad about all of that... he bought a lot of things at auction, but that's another kettle of whatever.
typical mom's pearls inquiry
- Thread starter tpaine77
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Pearl Dreams
Pearl Enthusiast
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Welcome to Pearl Guide!
I have the distinct impression that both necklaces are imitation pearls. The way they are finished (the way they attach to the clasp) is low end. The pearls themselves are very uniform in size, color, luster, lack of overtones...all of which tend to be true of imitations rather than real, cultured pearls. But grime can obscure luster.
Have you checked the clasps for any metal marks? It is unusual for real pearls to have base metal clasps, and it is very unusual for imitation pearls to have karat gold clasps. Some real pearls and some imitations have sterling silver clasps (925).
Here are a few tests you can do on your own.
1. Rubbing test. (Also called Tooth test, but please don't use your tooth to test. I have stopped recommending this. Teeth are harder than pearls and can scratch them).
First wipe them clean with a damp soft cloth, preferably microfiber, to remove surface grime which can influence the test. (Pearls accumulate oils from skin, cosmetics and air pollutants.) If they are very grimy they may need to be cleaned better, with mildly soapy water. Then rub two of the pearls of each necklace together gently. If they glide smoothly, that indicates they are imitation. If they seem a bit resistant/sticky, that is grime. If they feel gritty, they are more likely to be real-- but I recall one reader who said he felt grit but the pearls were very obviously fake. Even my high end Majorica imitation pearls glide smoothly when rubbed gently together.
2. Temperature test. Real pearls are cooler than imitation ones. To test for this, you need control pearls-- i.e. pearls that you know are fake or that you know are real. Place the control pearls and the ones to be tested in the same room for half an hour or so (to eliminate that variable.) Then hold them briefly to your lips. Lips are very sensitive to temperature and you will be able to detect if your pearls are cooler than, or the same temperature as, the control pearls.
3. Loupe test. Real pearls are very smooth looking at 10x magnification (jeweler's loupe.) Obviously you would look at a spot without a visible blemish. Imitation pearls have a slightly coarser appearance. Again, it helps to have a control strand to compare with. If you don't have one, visit a local jeweler, ask to use their loupe to look at your pearls and compare with a real strand they are selling.
4. Older, much worn imitation pearls may have areas where the coating has flaked away, revealing the glass bead underneath. Or they may not. They may have beveled drill holes-- better imitations do not. They may have relatively larger drill holes; again, better imitations do not. (Real pearls are sold by weight so they have very small drill holes.) My high end Majorica fakes have small drill holes-- but they are still fake!
5. Blemishes -- even very good genuine pearl strands have some surface blemishes. If you see any blemishes, photograph them and post them. Imitation pearls may have flaws in the surface but they look different than those of real pearls.
Just a word here: Imitation pearls were very commonly worn by my late mother's generation. She had a strand of Majorica imitation pearls given to her by her mother that she thought were real, and she loved them. My late mother-in-law had a strand of Prestige imitations that her husband gave her. They both thought they were real, as did the rest of the family. Only after they passed away did I get to examine them, and it was clear then that they were fake.
Jackie Kennedy's famous 3 strand pearl necklace was fake-- made for her by Kenneth Jay Lane.
Barbara Bush's pearls were similarly made by KJL and were also fake!
When the 5 strand pearl necklace of wealthy NY socialite Caroline Astor was examined after her death in 1908, no fewer than 90 of the pearls were found to be fake! (https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/12/19/106724184.html?pageNumber=10)
Coco Chanel wore imitation pearls.
Kate Middleton wore fake drop pearl earrings, when she was single.
I could go on and on.
All of which is to say that there is no shame in imitation pearls-- they have a place-- and they can still have great sentimental value. If you feel that way about them, you can wash and restring them and wear them happily! I have a tutorial on how to do that stickied in the Lowly Beaders Club section.
I have the distinct impression that both necklaces are imitation pearls. The way they are finished (the way they attach to the clasp) is low end. The pearls themselves are very uniform in size, color, luster, lack of overtones...all of which tend to be true of imitations rather than real, cultured pearls. But grime can obscure luster.
Have you checked the clasps for any metal marks? It is unusual for real pearls to have base metal clasps, and it is very unusual for imitation pearls to have karat gold clasps. Some real pearls and some imitations have sterling silver clasps (925).
Here are a few tests you can do on your own.
1. Rubbing test. (Also called Tooth test, but please don't use your tooth to test. I have stopped recommending this. Teeth are harder than pearls and can scratch them).
First wipe them clean with a damp soft cloth, preferably microfiber, to remove surface grime which can influence the test. (Pearls accumulate oils from skin, cosmetics and air pollutants.) If they are very grimy they may need to be cleaned better, with mildly soapy water. Then rub two of the pearls of each necklace together gently. If they glide smoothly, that indicates they are imitation. If they seem a bit resistant/sticky, that is grime. If they feel gritty, they are more likely to be real-- but I recall one reader who said he felt grit but the pearls were very obviously fake. Even my high end Majorica imitation pearls glide smoothly when rubbed gently together.
2. Temperature test. Real pearls are cooler than imitation ones. To test for this, you need control pearls-- i.e. pearls that you know are fake or that you know are real. Place the control pearls and the ones to be tested in the same room for half an hour or so (to eliminate that variable.) Then hold them briefly to your lips. Lips are very sensitive to temperature and you will be able to detect if your pearls are cooler than, or the same temperature as, the control pearls.
3. Loupe test. Real pearls are very smooth looking at 10x magnification (jeweler's loupe.) Obviously you would look at a spot without a visible blemish. Imitation pearls have a slightly coarser appearance. Again, it helps to have a control strand to compare with. If you don't have one, visit a local jeweler, ask to use their loupe to look at your pearls and compare with a real strand they are selling.
4. Older, much worn imitation pearls may have areas where the coating has flaked away, revealing the glass bead underneath. Or they may not. They may have beveled drill holes-- better imitations do not. They may have relatively larger drill holes; again, better imitations do not. (Real pearls are sold by weight so they have very small drill holes.) My high end Majorica fakes have small drill holes-- but they are still fake!
5. Blemishes -- even very good genuine pearl strands have some surface blemishes. If you see any blemishes, photograph them and post them. Imitation pearls may have flaws in the surface but they look different than those of real pearls.
Just a word here: Imitation pearls were very commonly worn by my late mother's generation. She had a strand of Majorica imitation pearls given to her by her mother that she thought were real, and she loved them. My late mother-in-law had a strand of Prestige imitations that her husband gave her. They both thought they were real, as did the rest of the family. Only after they passed away did I get to examine them, and it was clear then that they were fake.
Jackie Kennedy's famous 3 strand pearl necklace was fake-- made for her by Kenneth Jay Lane.
Barbara Bush's pearls were similarly made by KJL and were also fake!
When the 5 strand pearl necklace of wealthy NY socialite Caroline Astor was examined after her death in 1908, no fewer than 90 of the pearls were found to be fake! (https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/12/19/106724184.html?pageNumber=10)
Coco Chanel wore imitation pearls.
Kate Middleton wore fake drop pearl earrings, when she was single.
I could go on and on.
All of which is to say that there is no shame in imitation pearls-- they have a place-- and they can still have great sentimental value. If you feel that way about them, you can wash and restring them and wear them happily! I have a tutorial on how to do that stickied in the Lowly Beaders Club section.
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