Didn't realize what I had.. and still dont know.

[Susanaschner]

Hello Everyone!
These pearls were my great grand mothers and I am 55 for reference.

My mother's family had hordes of money. Some of the family still does, some do not. I am on the decidedly do-not side. Way back to the 1900s they were from Russia.

Anyway here's what I've got.. these pearls are gritty on the teeth and I can see slight inclusions if you examine them very closely. I could not get these inclusions to show up in a picture.

There is no stamp or makers mark of any kind. I believe the gemstones are in a blackened platinum setting over 18k gold. I would expect nothing less from that side of my family.

The pearls are perfectly round, all of them. I lost 4 pearls when it broke. Please forgive me! I was wearing them at the time and they just got away from me.

The emerald are brilliant green but have inclusions (? Is that the right word)

Anyway please peruse the pictures and post any questions. Any advise would be so very much appreciated because I'm going to have to sell these babies as soon as I am sure I am not getting ripped off.

I am booking an appraisal appointment today. I live in South Florida right in between Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton. Miami is not out of reach either. So if anyone knows anybody I should go see down here, please let me know!
Thank you so much,
Susan

 

[jshepherd]

It looks like you have a strand of vintage akoya pearls.

 

[BWeaves]

I think the blackened findings may be silver over gold, as the silver would tarnish. It was a common way to get a white metal look before platinum became popular in the 1890s. Silver would tarnish. Platinum would stay bright white. Being next to pearls, the findings would be next to impossible to polish unless the pearls were being restrung.

 

[pearlescence]

The metalwork is fabulous. It is probably worth much more than the pearls. The findings could be polished, but you might want to deploy a professional polisher to do it. In any case it would need to be re-strung to maximise re-sale value so cleaning and buffing can happen then. Be careful. With your family history this might even be historically important. With no maker's mark or hallmark to identify maker or metal it would fall to an expert in antique Russian jewellery to give you a decent valuation.

 

[Susanaschner]

Thank you so much!

 

[linda.wald]

The diamonds look like rose cuts, set closed back, so yes, probably silver over gold. They wouldn't set the diamonds in yellow gold since it makes them appear yellow. Also, emeralds almost always have inclusions. It is a gorgeous bracelet!