CFW or Biwa?

M

Mary-Contrary

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Feb 13, 2020

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• Nov 10, 2025

• #1

Thrifted, definitely needs cleaning & restringing.

But, are they CFW or Biwa? These are definitely vintage, makes me wonder if they were from when CFW was sold as Biwa. In person they have very nice peach-rainbow overtone

 

Pearl Dreams

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• Nov 10, 2025

• #2

I'm going to guess CFW because the pearls I received in 1980 marked "Biwa" are very lustrous by comparison.

 

M

Mary-Contrary

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• Nov 10, 2025

• #3

Pearl Dreams said:

I'm going to guess CFW because the pearls I received in 1980 marked "Biwa" are very lustrous by comparison.

Click to expand...

I wonder if I washed them and then re-photographed them on not a stormy day would make it easier to tell what they are

 

Pearl Dreams

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• Nov 10, 2025

• #4

I don't know but here is a close up of my "Biwa" pearls in daylight.

Whether they originated in China or Japan, either way they are freshwaters.

 

CortezPearls

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Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

• Nov 11, 2025

• #5

These all look like tissue nucleated Chinese freshwater pearls to me.

 

M

Mary-Contrary

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• Nov 11, 2025

• #6

Awesome! I’ll clean them and string them into something fun and not worry about anything

 

pattye

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Oregon

• Nov 11, 2025

• #7

There isn't really a way to tell where your pearls were cultured, but what you do know for sure is freshwater cultured and all nacre! Definitely a fun find!

 

A

A Breaker

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• Wednesday at 1:44 PM

• #8

Really interesting shapes....well strung to show that off!!!

 

M

Mary-Contrary

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• Wednesday at 3:25 PM

• #9

It was crazy filthy, I need to wash it an additional time and then restring it. I’ll post it again when I finish, it’s such a cool, unusual necklace

 

A

A Breaker

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• Wednesday at 7:04 PM

• #10

Mary-Contrary said:

It was crazy filthy, I need to wash it an additional time and then restring it. I’ll post it again when I finish, it’s such a cool, unusual necklace

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Been there!!! Have one Rice pearl necklace...looks like the owner slept with foundation on her face, on top of the pearls! Eewww. Shocking...but they did come out with good luster.

 

M

Mary-Contrary

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• Thursday at 9:33 AM

• #11

A Breaker said:

Been there!!! Have one Rice pearl necklace...looks like the owner slept with foundation on her face, on top of the pearls! Eewww. Shocking...but they did come out with good luster.

Click to expand...

I never cease to be amazed at how totally filthy people get their jewelry!!! I bought a sonic cleaner at one point after I thrifted a bunch of earrings that were mostly grime, absolutely crazy what came off them. I have an akoya strand I almost gave to my kids because I was sure they were shot but after I washed them 3 times, wow. Unrecognizable! I bet you’re right about the foundation on everything, explains why so many strands are just beige