| When you are holding the pearls roll them back and forth. It would probably be easiest for you to do this on a surface - like a piece of paper.
If you are able to the nucleus "blink" it is a sign of nacre that should be a little thicker than it is. The blinking is discoloration or banding in the nucleus. It would go around the nucleus in a band, so when you are turning the pearls they would appear to blink. This is not really an easy thing to look for (unless the pearls are really bad) so you need to pay close attention.
In relation to monetary value, this is heavily dependent on the quality of the strand. The strand does not apparently come with "papers" which are, unfortunately, often the most valuable part of a vintage strand. It would be a collector's piece, and does have that value, however. |