What kind of pearls do I have/what is the approximate value?

[rbwaite]

I've had these pearls for a few years. I'm a novice when it comes to pearls. Does anyone know what kind of pearls these are and what the value might be? Also, is the approximate age able to be determined? Thanks in advance!

The clasp says 14k

[Pearl Dreams]

You have "rice krispies"-- freshwater pearls from the 1980s/early 1990s. I gave my SIL a strand like that at Christmas in 1993.

They don't have a high value but are an attractive strand that you could wear and enjoy. Check for a hallmark on the clasp; if the clasp and the 9 gold colored spacers are gold, they will have a little more value, but still not high. See eBay completed listings for the value that buyers are currently assigning to these pearls.

[Caitlin]

Those look to be the earliest Chinese freshwater pearls, known as rice krispie pearls, from the late 70's. They have fabulous orient- that iridescence that plays on the surface- and they are a lot of fun to wear. Alas,they aren't very valuable. If the gold balls are also real gold, they, and the clasp, are worth far more than the pearls. I can buy a strand with no clasp like that today, at Jay's Indian Arts, in Tucson, for about $4.00, well, maybe $6.00. In a second hand store from time to time, for about the same. With no gold. That necklace must have been made when these were the only freshwater pearls in play. When rounder smoother pearls became technically possible, these gradually become no longer grown, though crafts places like Jay's and bead stores still carry some

[Caitlin]

Lisa wrote about these recently- http://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/arc...hp/t-4654.html. Apparently the ones with the gold do have some value.

[jshepherd]

I'll also add that if they are the old Rice Krispie pearls, they were likely cultured in the Cristaria plicata (cockscomb pearl mussel) freshwater shell. When the Chinese switched to the Hyriopsis cumingi (triangle shell) they were able to start culturing more symmetrical shapes.

[Caitlin]

Cool tidbit! I figured the technique got better!

[rbwaite]

Hmmm, thanks for the info! So I bought these at a tag sale with a mixed bag of jewelry and paid a whopping $0.50! I brought them to a consignment shop a few months back(not knowing that they were real). A couple hours later they called me and asked me if I was aware that they were real. I had no idea that they were but they asked me if I would be ok with it if they priced it at $109.95 and if I wasn't then I could pick them up. I chose to pick them up so they must be worth a little something if they were to price it that high???

[Caitlin]

You would get 40-50% on consignment? If you don't want to wear them, that sounds fair enough.

[Caitlin]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw...earls&_sacat=0 The prices are all over the place!

[rbwaite]

Hmm...thanks for the info! I bought these pearls along with another mixed bag of jewelry at a tag sale for a whopping $0.50. I brought these pearls to a local consignment shop a few months back with no clue that they were real. A few hours after I dropped it off they called me and asked me if I realized that the pearls were real. They asked me if it would be ok for them to price it at $109.95 or I could come and pick them up. I chose to pick them up because they take 60% of the sale. So if they were going to price them that high, they must be worth a little something right??

[rbwaite]

Thanks Caitlin, I checked out the ebay listings and this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ladies-14k-F...item3cc767376a looks like the exact necklace that I have. The poster said she had it appraised and it's worth $300. hmm

[Caitlin]

Appraised for what purpose? Insurance maybe, but they are worth what someone will pay. I didn't look to see if there are any completed sales for rice crispys like yours, but if you put that one on watch, I guarantee you won't see it sell at that price.

That company says they sell at wholesale prices----my foot.

I did just look. There are no completed sales for the last 90 days. Those two listings run out tomorrow, but I think she will just relist them.

[Pearl Dreams]

Here are completed listings-- the actual sale prices (or non-sale, in this case) show the value buyers are placing on these. Current listings are all about the optimism of the seller....

http://www.ebay.com/csc/i.html?_saca...mplete=1&rt=nc

Also, consignment shops tend to overprice-- at least around here they do. When they don't sell, they mark the items down by 50%, and then they sell. Consignor gets 40-50% of that.

[lisa c]

I was watching and bidding on a couple of rice krispie necklaces around Thanksgiving 2011 and the turn of the new year (the western one, January). One was 6 strands, 14kyg finding. I dropped out pretty early, I think it finished above $30-$45. I tried to find it on my watch list, couldn't.

Maybe they're finding their value/place as a rarity now. Its deserved, I think. I also think those of us who remember when they were so inexpensive will keep the value relatively subdued for a little while longer. I wonder how many dealers still carry them, and for how much?

Thanks Caitlin, for your area's RiceKrispie strand cost at a shop.