Newly inherited set of beautiful pearls

Mamyefruge1

New Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2012
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Hello everyone! I'm new to this site but it was recommended highly by several different sites. I've recently inherited a set of pearls and I wanted to get some input from others about them. The main questions I have about them are real or not, type of pearls and possible value. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Mamye :D
 
Hi..welcome
We need a little more to go on to be able to give you any information. Can you check out the instructions on the evaluation forum where you will find a listing of what's needed. Thanks
 
And as for if they real: try rub two of them gently against each other or on a tooth. If they feel gritty rather than smooth, they're not fake.

- Karin
 
Welcome, Mamyefruge1!

To better help you we need the following:

• Whatever you know about where the pearls came from, their history.
• Photos in good focus of your pearls, taken against a white background (like a paper towel) in diffuse daylight (not direct sunlight), without flash
• Some of the photos should be closeups so we can see the surface of the pearl, any flaws, the drill holes etc.
• A closeup of the clasp front and back can be helpful. Tell us any markings that are on the clasp.

Clues you can use yourself:
• When you rub 2 pearls near the clasp together gently, is it rough or smooth? If rough, they are more likely to be real
• If you get a chance to look at them through a loupe (a 10x magnifier-- all jewelers would have one, and should let you look at the pearls with it) is the surface rough or smooth? (This is the opposite of the rubbing test: if rough, imitation; if smooth, real nacre.)
• If there are swirls of "nacre" near the drill holes, that is a buildup of fake nacre (fish scales + lacquer coating used to imitate nacre, also called "essence d'orient")
• Is there is a chipping away of the coating/nacre near the drill hole, revealing a bead underneath? Possibly a bead-nucleated cultured pearl.
• Is there a flaking away of the coating? May be fake, or low quality akoyas.
 
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