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It looks like a real Mikimoto clasp. Yes, you may find blemishes on some of the pearls. That does not mean they are fakes. Mikimoto carries a range of different qualities. There is no way to tell what year the strand is from as far as I know.

Why not squeeze the butterfly bale together so it becomes a single loop? It looks like there's a knot in the middle of the bail now that is also getting dirty. You could also set a 14k bead next to the pendant on either side to cover the knots.

I've seen large clam shells at furniture stores, but they are much more prevalent in Asia. There's an area in China where they farm tridacna for the shell, so there are a lot of different things made from it there. I've never been in the market for one though so I haven't spent much time with them.

Yes, you wouldn't want to ship the shell overseas. It's protected by CITES.

I have seen giant clam shells for sale at stores. They are usually used for display in homes, offices, etc. The piece you have is nicely polished, so I imagine it might retail for $200 to $300.

The original poster learned in another thread this is not a pearl. What you have is not a pearl. It is a piece of shell it has no value. As you can see here at the following link, many people have come here with pieces of shells like this promoting them as pearls...

These are Quahog pearls -

I don't see Quahog pearls here. Three could be clam pearls, but I'd need to see additional photos. The others are beads.

Nice pairing with that blue bi-color! :love:

Yeah, for the most part we don't see that in Hong Kong. There is no local or tourist traffic, just wholesale buyers. So there are a lot fewer games.

Most wholesale buyers prefer the Hong Kong shows over the mainland. It's a lot easier to find what you want, and to understand pricing structures when vendors are lined up in booths. But affordability and price depends on you no matter where you choose to go. If you are unfamiliar with the...

There is a Hongqiao market in both Shanghai and Beijing. The one in Beijing is much better suited for your purposes. As for the hand-carry, it depends on where you're going. If the pearls are loose or unknotted, there is no duty. But if you hand-carry, you still have to claim them and arrange...

If it's your first time to buy pearls, Hongqiao in Beijing would be the easiest to start. Zhuji is more of an advanced trip. You will get taken advantage of in either place, so it's best to get your feet wet at Hongqiao. Your second question doesn't really have an answer. Someone could say $5...

It appears to be a blister pearl. The pearl has grown attached to the shell. Blisters are not considered very valuable. Whole pearls, detached from the shell, are valuable.

You've got a vintage Mikimoto strand that has never been strung or worn - quite interesting. The seals are attached to the strand in order to import the pearls into the US without paying a duty. They are "temporarily strung for ease of transport." I have one of these in my personal collection.

Here is a link to the Gems & Gemology article - https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/gems-gemology/fall-2017-labnotes-natural-freshwater-fish-pearl

Translation - A one-of-a-kind pearl valued at $5,000,000 The story behind the fish-pearl A jewel that landed in the GIA laboratory, a natural pearl that strangely resembles a fish. Shortly after, I received news from its owner, Lebanese merchant Stéphane Rawadi, who told me the story of this...

This is not a pearl. This is a piece of shell. We have seen many of these fake giant clam pearls on this forum - https://www.pearl-guide.com/threads/more-fake-tridacna-gigantic-pearls.462338/

I just received the photos, so didn't get a chance to examine them in person. I responded and asked what the bead was composed of. He responded the nucleus was a pearl powder synthesis. It sounds like he is describing a sort of reconstituted nucleus made from shell. If that's the case, it would...

This is a strand of dyed Chinese freshwater pearls. You did really well for $40! "s/s RD ENH peacock cult fwp 3 piece set" probably means Sterling Silver, Round Enhanced peacock cultured freshwater pearl 3 piece set. The pearls are near round, enhanced (dyed) cultured Chinese freshwater with a...