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Would the warmer water temperature of Australian waters increase the rate at which nacre is laid down, and would that reduce the luster compared with Japanese akoyas?

You are in good company here with your fellow pearl collectors!

I bought a set of the gold and silver tone. They add about 1.5" of length to your necklace. You lift one half at a 90º angle to open the clasp (easy), so it can't be pulled open from the weight of the strand. opened:

Today I'm wearing my vintage 6.2-9.0mm akoyas, which I've posted before. These have thick nacre, and a pretty 14K diamond clasp which is usually not visible from the front the way I wear it. This was a serendipitous consignment store find back in 2018. :) I've been to that store many times...

I see you there at 3:21 too! :)

Wow, good catch! On USA Amazon it's on sale for $39.99...

Sure looks like a rock.

Having seen more photos and having read the backstory of these pearls, I think they are cultured freshwater pearls from China. These are solid nacre-- there is no bead inside to make them round. If you want to restring them, it would not be hard to do that. Here is my tutorial...

Can you give us more information? What is the size? Where did you get it? Do you have more of them, or is it just this one drilled pearl?

A lot of women of previous generations wore fake pearls, proudly. Sometimes they didn't even know they were fake. My father in law gave a pearl necklace to my MIL-- both of them thought the pearls were real, as did the whole family. Only after they passed did I get to see them close up. Fake...

They did help, but sad to say, they are fake. This photo in particular was particularly helpful. They can still be a sentimental strand to clean up and wear! I have a restringing tutorial that is a sticky on the Lowly Beaders Club section of the forum if you wish to do that.

I have personally never found imitation pearls to feel like real pearls when rubbed together, not even the very high end Majorica brand imitation pearls. Imitation pearls made with glass or plastic beads are also warmer than real pearls. The temperature difference can be felt when they are held...

Real pearl nacre should feel a bit gritty when pearls are gently rubbed against each other (don't rub hard enough to make dust)! But sometimes people mistake what they are feeling. Fake pearls can feel a bit resistant when rubbed together if they are grimy. In any case you won't get the...

I think they may be imitation.

I'm leaning that way too but I don't want to call it without more photos.

They could be akoyas or they could be imitations-- I can't tell because the first few photos are out of focus. Please take better photos of the entire strand and a few more close-ups, including close ups of any flaws you see in the surface of the pearls. If there are any areas where the pearly...

That is a nice wearable size.

I would say yes, freshwaters.

"Orbit" clasps are also knowns as interlock clasps (see Bella Findings) or sometimes interlocking oval (or round) clasps. The silver ones I have are rhodium plated to prevent tarnishing.

@nacre_newbie, Glad you didn't overpay for them. :) If you wish to take the CPAA's "Pearls As One" course, I'll send you a code to take it for free. Check your messages. www.pearlsasone.org