How to identify this strand?

[jody]

Hi,

When I visited my sister last week she gave me this graduated double strand of pearls (though the clasp is broken). I took these pictures without a flash, since the flash pics came out bleary. They are not this yellow as shown in the pictures, but not white either.

I don't know if they're real? I would do it since some of the pearls seem like glass (a couple of smaller pearls look different).

Any thoughts? I wasn't quite sure what to do with this...and my sister can't remember where she got them. There doesn't appear to be any identifying marks on the clasp. She thought one of my girls might want them? Interesting to note....I can take the strand wrap of it around my wrist and looks kind of neat with the exception the clasp. Voila, instant bracelet.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jody

[lisamla]

Lucky you to get such a nice gift. Try taking pictures with the pearls on a white paper towel and use the macro feature on your camera if you have it (tricks I learned from reading threads on PG). This will allow you to take clear close ups. Then, identifying the pearls may be easier.

I like the clasp. Its pretty.

[jody]

Thanks for the photography tip. Are these photos any better?

[lisamla]

Yes, your second set of pictures is better. Can you get even closer - like a few pictures of only a couple pearls?

And did you try the tooth test? How do they feel when you rub them along the bottom of your teeth?

[Valeria101]

Small akoya, methinks... although the transparent, iridescent lustre also fits older costume pearls. I couldn't tell in a million years one from another in picture (and often on folk's wrists and necks too ) Both types wear away: on the akoya the nacre thins into oblivion, on the fakes it often cracks from near the holes and peals in small patches - the type of wear is distinct and easy to tell up close. The 'nucleus' is different too; on most fakes it is not a MOP bead inside, but some other stuff - translucent resin, glass... And often the weight of the costume pearls is way different; the older glass ones are allot heavier then real pearls, the vast majority of resin-based ones are much lighter. That's theory though: it takes handling a few strands to get to feel the right from wrong weights. Because of the weight thing, the strands drape differently too.

I doubt that the clasp is any indication of the type of pearls... the strand appears to have been restrung (see the findings not matching the clasp?).

By now, it isn't obvious finding either cultured o costume pearls or in this typical vintage size & graduation. So if you like he look, hold on to them I'd say.

Restrung as they are, with two (or four) center of 'graduation' , the resulting long strand should look great. The pattern isn't very common... no idea why. Chanel (over)does it with chain links and huge costume pearls... I find it nicer with subtle, small pearls though.

Just a thought.

[jody]

Yes, the double strand just fits around my neck and when I hold it up, very dainty indeed. Maybe having it restrung into one long strand might be really nice, thank you for the suggestion. I don't have anything that long (about 28 inches in length). I see what you mean about the clasp not matching the findings. Thank you for the information and will look into having it restrung for a longer necklace.

[Perle]

I can't really tell from photos, either, but if I had to guess I'd say vintage akoya? Second pearl from the clasp (and a couple others) seem to be blinking? Overtones a bit uneven? Creamy color partly due to aging? A few slightly off round, so maybe not faux? I'm not an expert, though.

Whatever they are, they look very pretty. A long necklace sounds beautiful.

Perle

[jody]

I haven't had a chance to take the double strand to my usual jeweler to get an idea of re-stringing costs since its about 25 minutes away from me. However, today was out and took it to a local jewelry store about 2 miles from my house. I got an estimate...and just wondered if this was correct? They said they charge by the inch...there are roughly 30 inches with the double strand, but would like it make it into one graduated strand. There are a couple of pearls (the smaller 3mm ones) that wouldn't be used and wouldn't need a clasp, so probably talking about 27-28 inches when do...just a rough estimate by me since the person who restrings wasn't there, just got an estimate from the owner. I was given a price of almost $150. Any thoughts? Is this about right?

[Ashley]

Some of the pearls in the close-up shot don't look completely round- is that me, or the picture?

$5 per inch for stringing sounds about right for most brick and mortars that will string pearls- still hurts though!

[Mandy]

Some of the pearls look rather non-round to me as well but I don't think most of us can tell why that is. Did the pearls get banged up a bit? Do some of the pearls have missing nacre to give it the odd shapes? If these were vintage akoya I would think that good roundness would be seen throughout the strand, but perhaps not *shrug*.

[Ashley]

That is the initial thought, but early Akoya were not always true round- they didn't have the same culturing techniques perfected yet either-

[pattye]

If that is the going rate for restringing, it certainly is great motivation for learning how to knot one's own pearls!!!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[jody]

Question...are pearl bracelets ever graduated or are they best when the pearls are all uniform in size? I was thinking of taking this 15" double strand (see above pictures) of pearls and having two bracelets made for my twin girls, almost 11. The strand was given to me by my sister and not sure which relative it came from. However, the bracelets would need to be graduated in length and not sure about the look of this. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Jody

[pattye]

Hi Jody,

Graduated bracelets look fine, but----in my limited experience when using pearls or other gem beads, the heavier ones that are in the center of a graduated bracelet strand will tend to make it roll to the bottom of the wrist with the clasp up on top, as that section is lighter. Then I end up fiddling with the bracelet. I have tried to compensate for that tendency by adding a couple of short dangles by the clasp, to give it a little more weight. If the bracelet is fairly tight it rolls less, but for growing girls, that probably isn't the best idea. I would be interested in hearing others comments, too.

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

[Casey.R]

Have you done the tooth test?