Can you help identify this clasp

[sara]

I'm told that these pearls were purchased in Tokyo in the late 1966s and are Mikimoto. I searched but can't find a clasp quite like this. It says sterling on the side. I also have not seen this combination of white and black as a double strand. Any help much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[CortezPearls]

It's a really nice looking strand. And it is an interesting combination.

Never seen that clasp as a "Mikimoto" clasp. Looks like a Poinsettia flower design to me and I've never heard of Mikimoto using one. Some of our forum members are quite knowledgeable with clasps, hope one can at least chime in!

How big are the pearls? Could you snap some good photos of the area near the drill holes?

I believe the box is a Mikimoto box indeed, repurposed to hold this necklace...but I am not convinced. The "black pearls" look dyed to me. They have really great luster and the colors are deep and vibrant. But I think I see some "bubbles" and the peeled off skin that is sometimes seen in dyed pearls.

White ones have nice luster and depth, seem thickly coated. Shapes definitively not round, more leaning to an ovalish-egg shape so this makes me think they are not Akoya, thus hoping the info on the size can help gain deeper insight.

 

[sara]

Thank you for your response. I'm not sure if this helps clarify anything, but here are some more photos. In fact, you may be right that this strand was put into a Mikimoto case because I've just found the receipt from the Mikimoto purchase. It's all a bit of a mystery, but they were in Japan in 1966 so anything is possible. I'm noting that the date of purchase was my mom's birthday so that must have been why she got them.

 

[CortezPearls]

Great shots. I love the Mikimoto Receipt! I mean...it is historic. And if you look at it there were several items purchased: earrings, bracelet and necklace. No mention of white or black pearls....just necklace US-11853. My guess: that necklace was a white Akoya necklace. This necklace was repurposed years later, and an extra necklace purchased (the "black" one) and the original clasp would not work, so they got this clasp too.

 

[sara]

Great shots. I love the Mikimoto Receipt! I mean...it is historic. And if you look at it there were several items purchased: earrings, bracelet and necklace. No mention of white or black pearls....just necklace US-11853. My guess: that necklace was a white Akoya necklace. This necklace was repurposed years later, and an extra necklace purchased (the "black" one) and the original clasp would not work, so they got this clasp too.

Yes. It is a mystery to me what happened to the brooch. I do have two pairs of earrings, one with white pearls and one with black and white that match this necklace. (There originally was a black pair as well, but one is missing.)I'm currently having them switched to pierced backings so that I can wear them. So, do you think these pearls really are from Mikimoto, then?
Thank you so much with your help with this!

 

[CortezPearls]

I believe the white strand is an Akoya strand...could be from Mikimoto: its near impossible to actually tell pearls from a "brand perspective" unless you have a certificate, a receipt, the clasp or any other telltales that scream "Brand Name", and even so: you can place pearls in a different box, give someone a receipt for another good, change the clasp or even the pearls.

So, unless you have someone telling you: Yes, I got this item at a Mikimoto shop in Ginza back in 1975 and I have never re-worked it in anyway...then you can be sure(r).

I think the necklace is very nice, and those "black pearls" are really nice looking. The combination works great.

 

[jshepherd]

They do look like they could be old akoya, and it's possible they strand and earrings have been reworked.

The receipt is really strange. It has the dates backwards. It says the year is 24, the month is October and the day is 66. Maybe they screwed up when they wrote it, but that seems unusual. If the year is 24, that would be Showa 24, or 1949.

 

[sara]

They do look like they could be old akoya, and it's possible they strand and earrings have been reworked.

The receipt is really strange. It has the dates backwards. It says the year is 24, the month is October and the day is 66. Maybe they screwed up when they wrote it, but that seems unusual. If the year is 24, that would be Showa 24, or 1949.

I think they just wrote the date European style, i.e. day of the month, month, year and ignored the Japanese kanji. Since my parents were Westerners, they did it that way. Their visit was on October 24, 1966. They were in Japan for a medical meeting and my father kept detailed trip diaries, so I checked and sure enough this is the date. It was my mom's birthday. It's all sentimental for me because I ended up living in Japan for 13 years!

 

[jshepherd]

That makes sense, and what a great birthday gift!

The clasp seems very generic without any markings. It does make me think perhaps a black strand was added to the necklace later on.

 

[lilliefuzzysocks]

Mikimoto jewelry trademarks their items with a clamshell with a M in the center. Do any of these pieces have their trademark?

 

[CortezPearls]

I think they just wrote the date European style, i.e. day of the month, month, year and ignored the Japanese kanji. Since my parents were Westerners, they did it that way. Their visit was on October 24, 1966. They were in Japan for a medical meeting and my father kept detailed trip diaries, so I checked and sure enough this is the date. It was my mom's birthday. It's all sentimental for me because I ended up living in Japan for 13 years!

I think this is the BEST REASON to ENJOY this piece...the story, the memories...the closeness. May you wear it close to your heart!
And you may consider restringing the necklace, maybe separating the black and the white pearls, so you can have 2 necklaces and have one closer to the original one as well.

 

[linda.wald]

It is a very common sort of clasp. I found this one in just a few minutes online:

2 Strand 8.5mm X 8.5mm Square Box Filigree Clasp in Sterling - Etsy

This Clasps & Clips item by BeadSourceInc has 50 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Reseda, CA. Listed on Dec 8, 2022

www.etsy.com

 

[CortezPearls]

It is a very common sort of clasp. I found this one in just a few minutes online:

2 Strand 8.5mm X 8.5mm Square Box Filigree Clasp in Sterling - Etsy

This Clasps & Clips item by BeadSourceInc has 50 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Reseda, CA. Listed on Dec 8, 2022

www.etsy.com

Thanks for sharing this @linda.wald
It makes it easier to see that there was some work involved in making the "new" strand.

 

[Katbran]

It certainly seems like they were reworked into a double strand - that said it would be a good idea to get them cleaned and reknotted if it hasn't been done for years. It's very pretty ! Keep an eye out for a loose Miki clasp.. your mum might have saved it .