vintage necklaces - Akoya?

[AnnetteRene]

Hello there! I've recently picked up several vintage pearl necklaces. I'd love some input on them!

I have an interesting pearl and rhodonite (at least I think it's rhodonite) necklace with a 14k box clasp in the shape of a flower. I'm thinking these are akoyas?? Has anyone seen a necklace like this before? It seems very unusual to me. I haven't seen pearls matched with this stone before.

Next up is an older double strand necklace with a sterling clasp that I initially thought was a Mikimoto (I've seen an older Mikimoto with an almost identical clasp). Alas, no Mikimoto hallmark. But, I'm still thinking akoyas? Whatever they are they need a serious clean! Something I'll look up how to do in these threads.

Next up is a simple single strand with a 14k clasp. Not sure what these are but they are pretty!

And the final double strand necklace just looks like cheap shell/coated pearls to me..? I got them in a lot of other jewelry I was purchasing. The clasp seems very cheap yet unusual.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[pattye]

Great finds, thank you for sharing the photos! The pearls with the sterling clasp appear to be Akoyas, but the other 3 strands look like freshwater. The pearls with the rhodonite appear to be slightly flattened, which would be characteristic of tissue nucleated freshwater pearls.
Is the gold tone double strand clasp marked at all? Is it one of those that slides apart?

The single strand with gold clasp is difficult to call because the shape of the pearls may be skewed by the angle of the photo.

 

[AnnetteRene]

Thank you for the quick reply! You've got a very keen eye! I can't pick up the "flattening" that you describe in the rhodonite necklace. There are such subtle nuances with identifying pearls...I definitely haven't gotten the hang of it yet!

I've taken more pictures to try and get better camera angles. Sorry for the poor lighting, too. The sun is setting and I'm not getting good natural light at the moment.

That cheaper clasp does say 14/20 on it so it's gold filled. Very lightweight. It's unusual, though! It is a type of box clasp.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I also think the pearls are all freshwaters apart from the necklace with the silver clasp.

However I am not sure the pearls with the silver clasp aren't imitation, and would like to see more photos.

 

[BWeaves]

My two cents. The double strand, and the single strand with the fishhook clasp, both look like akoyas to me. The strand with the pink stones, the pearls look a bit off-round to me, so I thought they might be freshwater pearls. The large double strand looks like very inexpensive freshwater pearls.

I think you made some pretty good guesses as to what the strands are!

And I think they'll all improve with a good wash and restringing.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

These look eggy to me, like FWP.

AnnetteRene, to test for imitation pearls, rub two pearls gently against each other or against the edge of a front tooth. Real nacre is a bit gritty/resistant while imitation pearl-like coatings are smooth.

 

[AnnetteRene]

I also think the pearls are all freshwaters apart from the necklace with the silver clasp.

However I am not sure the pearls with the silver clasp aren't imitation, and would like to see more photos.

They all passed the tooth test!

 

[AnnetteRene]

Thank you all for your help! I think what was throwing me with the rhodonite necklace is the pearl in the clasp. It doesn't look like a freshwater to me...or is that just me? I'm wondering if the clasp was added on from another necklace. Either way, it looks nice on!

And now that I've been staring at them - the rhodonite pearls on the string definitely are not perfectly round. Are all akoyas supposed to be perfectly round?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Akoyas have a bead inside and quite a thin layer of nacre, so they are usually round. Or at least expected to be round. But there are lower quality akoyas that are semi-round or baroque.

 

[BWeaves]

The pearl on the clasp will usually have nothing in common with the pearls in the necklace. Clasps are normally bought already made. Only high end pearl vendors, like Mikimoto, will actually make their own clasps with their own pearls, to match the rest of the pearls in the necklace. Kamoka also uses their own pearls in their clasps. I have a couple necklaces with freshwater pearls, but the pearl in the clasp is akoya.

 

[amti]

Does the clasp with the pearl have any markings? And is it 14K? That clasp IMHO doesn't look like the type of clasp that would come with that necklace, so I am wondering if someone made it and added that clasp to it. I agree that the last strand and the single strand are FWP. I can't really tell about the first strand. The pearls do look worn though, although it could be the lighting. I also need more pictures of the double strand with a silver clasp to see if they are real pearls. If they are, then they look like akoya to me too.