[smetzler]

Today very good friends came to spend a sunny Sunday with us in the mountains, and she wore the choker below, one of her less formal pieces (pearls in the 6mm range). It was purchased by her husband on a working trip to Tokyo in the 1970s. He had gone to Victor's Pearls, having been forewarned to stay as far away from Mikimoto as he possibly could. While round Akoyas were the objective, apparently a salesman at Victor's couldn't resist suggesting these.

I was impressed and insisted on taking a picture.

Clearly these are all-nacre pearls. Freshwater (original Biwa) or SS keshi?

[Nerida]

Beautiful strand... and nice photography, too. The 70's?? I didn't think Biwa were as nice as this then. There are a few that look different - the one to the R of the gold bead in the lower left of the photograph, and the one closest to the clasp at either end. Hard to tell completely from the photograph though.

[pattye]

Steve,

Nice of you to take the photo. Was thinking Biwa's were around until in the 80's--Nerida spotted those rather round pearls also--somehow the strand in general doesn't look keishi shape to me, but then maybe I haven't seen that many SS keishi-------??? I just like to guess---LOL It's a lovely strand--

[smetzler]

Let's widen the range of options. If anything these pearls look similar in their range of sizes/shapes/colors to poe pipi (large ones at that!).

Our friend will be very pleased to read the favorable opinions. She has cared for the pearls well over the years.

[pattye]

Yes, the pearls seem to have that translucent quality and soft golden champagne color--------it's nice to know they are loved and cared for--sounds like you had fun talking pearls------

[Kevin Canning]

hmm, FW(biwa) or keshi with the round shape that a couple of the pearls show would be rare indeed. Although the shapes don't scream CFWP, I can't help but leaning that way because of those few roundish pearls. Impossible to say from that picture though, what do you think?

[Valeria101]

Originally Posted by Kevin Canning

hmm, FW(biwa) or keshi with the round shape that a couple of the pearls show would be rare indeed...

Add-ins, perhaps ?

[smetzler]

Originally Posted by Valeria101

Add-ins, perhaps ?

Our friend mentioned she was suspicious of the loss of pearls after one cleaning/restringing, so perhaps there was some substitution to retain length. Pearls were not counted prior.

Was hoping that the era and the location would help ID these, but perhaps the Tokyo emporium offered a wide enough range at the time that narrowing origin would remain difficult.

[laurenb]

Originally Posted by smetzler

Our friend mentioned she was suspicious of the loss of pearls after one cleaning/restringing, so perhaps there was some substitution to retain length. Pearls were not counted prior.

It's rather terrifying how often that suspicion seems to arise.

Several of the beader-jewelers here have mentioned quick stringing for clients... really seems like the way to go in terms of keeping the customer calm and the goods safe. Anyone ever heard of a straight-out "have knotting/cleaning kit, will travel" service?

[waimeamomi]

Oh, I can't imagine knotting under pressure!! I do think that anytime I take a strand to redo, I will count the pearls with the client there, just to make them feel good. I would never take a strand in without taking a reference picture first. Maybe with the person holding it! The pearls are beautiful, whatever they are!

[Nerida]

I think that is exactly what Knotty does, from memory.. knots pearls in front of clients.
Sadly, I see lots of people who don't get their pearls restrung because of fear of theft. I was talking to an Indian woman one day who said she and her sisters had several strands of old natural pearls - none of them wearable due to breaks and fragility in the string... and way too scared to take them anywhere at all to be restrung!
Very sad.

[knotty panda]

Originally Posted by laurenb

Anyone ever heard of a straight-out "have knotting/cleaning kit, will travel" service?

That's what I do, only they come to me. Iced tea, coffee, japanese silk and pearl gab is the specialty of the house. They see everything I do.

We were typing at the same time, Nerida!

[Nerida]

Originally Posted by knotty panda

Iced tea, coffee, japanese silk and pearl gab is the specialty of the house.

sounds perfect...

[purlgurl]

Originally Posted by laurenb

It's rather terrifying how often that suspicion seems to arise.

Several of the beader-jewelers here have mentioned quick stringing for clients... really seems like the way to go in terms of keeping the customer calm and the goods safe. Anyone ever heard of a straight-out "have knotting/cleaning kit, will travel" service?

I photocopy beads submitted for re stringing, in front of the client, (it may have been an idea from Bernadette, my pearl guru), and make sure to tell them their necklace will feel shorter, as it has stretched with wear.

My workshop is right out in the open, in the middle of the shop, so they are welcome to stay & watch. It was designed specifically to combat that other urban myth, that jewellers substitute stones. If people do decide to stay & watch, they will see exactly how difficult the whole process would be, removing a stone, sorting through a selection to find one with exactly the same dimensions, colour, clarity etc etc, and replacing it, repairing the setting, polishing, & rhodium plating.
People can be so suspicious... but i have to admit, those pearls Nerida identified do look different.

[pattye]

All useful ways to help the customer better understand and create trust--thank you for mentioning them--