Found these old pearl like gems left in the basement, looking for opinons

[zachs3]

Hi everybody, I recently found this small old case of what looks to me like some type of pearl but I am not sure because I'm no to familiar with gems and pearls. They were left in my basement hidden away by the previous owner. As you can see some of them have brown dust on them but it seems like it will come right off with some proper cleaning. I have taken some pictures and I was wondering what all of you think, and if you guys could help me to distinguish what these things actually are and if the have any value? Thanks so much!

 

[dkan 168]

They are not pearls, sorry. They look like jade to me, however, I could be wrong.

DK

 

[lisa c]

Hi, welcome! They look like milk glass beads from an older necklace to me.

 

[Caitlin]

They look very dirty, but they are not pearls.

 

[pattye]

Perhaps you could give these beads a bath, and post another photo. How many beads are there? Is there a clasp with these? Please include the broken one again; looks rather like pale green jade to me also; some beads seem to show a mottling of green and white.

 

[lisa c]

Wow, what a difference a monitor makes! On my phone I can see the greenish and mottled look. At the library computer they looked like milk glass. I can't wait to find out what you've got.

 

[lilliefuzzysocks]

Could they be this http://www.ebay.com/itm/12mm-Brazil...1933?pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item2a2287f54d
OR
http://www.ebay.com/itm/269ct-Natur...535?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336d5be6ef

 

[KarinK]

Off hand, they look like some of the beads I've bought from Fire Mountain Gem through the years - inexpensive material for fun jewelry.

- Karin

 

[zachs3]

There are 30 beads in all. I'm guessing they are decently old because they were left in my house by the original owner over 20 years ago, when we moved in. They were hidden away in secure place in this old little jewelry box, it seems as if they broke off of a necklace and that's why 2 or 3 of the beads got broken. I tried cleaning them off as good as i could without ruining them, and I have attached the pictures to this message. Thank you all for your input, its very kind and I appreciate it a lot! Anymore thoughts, I would love to hear what you all think.

 

[Marianne]

Hi,
Thanks for posting the washed beads. The color could be Amazonite, but am not sure that that stone was being offered in round beads 20 years ago. The broken bead looks like it could be glass.

 

[GemGeek]

Is the broken bead shiny at the break? Jade and a number of other stones would be dull and granular or uneven. I love a mystery!

And thanks Ms LFS for making me want Aqua beads!!!!!

 

[Adeline Leigh]

amazonite of a lesser quality tend to be this sort of blue (well, a tad darker) but less even in colour, and definitely more grainy.

other robin egg blue beads are turquoise (these aren't) and possibly peruvian blue opal (the jelly and gemmy sort has this colour but usually is transparent or transluscent). lower quality peruvian opal can be dyed a similar sky to robin egg blue but they usually leave traces of the dye, think it because of the porous nature of opal.

these beads are obviously dyed (drillhole is white) and looking at how in the cleaner pic, the colour is so even, i don't think they are gemstone. possibly faux, resin or milk glass possibly.

nevertheless, still fun to have have a go at guessing

 

[Marianne]

Hi Adeline,
To my knowledge, Peruvian opal was not offered in round bead shapes 20 years ago either. The fracture is consistent with the appearance of a glass bead.
Again, just guessing........

 

[pearlescence]

If I remember my geology glass fractures conchoidily (in a shell shape)

 

[dkan 168]

When cleaned, they no longer look like jade to me.

DK

 

[pattye]

Looking more like some type of vintage glass to me also.

 

[Adeline Leigh]

Wow, Marianne, you are good! You can even date them from the shape of the beads That means faceted gems are modern day 'evolvements'...?