Fake, Imitation, Laguna, Faux, Majorica, Majorcan, Swarovski Pearl Photos, Stories

[Caitlin]

Indirect light shows the nuances better than sunlight- as in the shade or an overcast day. Maybe when its not actually raining...

These are faux pearls from England, a friend of mine used to wholesale these and now closing down after his wife died. They are 25 years old, circa 1980, heavier than real pearls for the size, knotted nicely too. No way to do pix in the sunlight, Nashville is in a week long cloud with rain, these were photos under an Ott lite, darker photos without flash, lighter ones with. Will try for better photos later.View attachment 20470View attachment 20471View attachment 20472View attachment 20473

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Wow, thanks Pearl Dreams, this thread is becoming both fun and also very educational! Will post photos of more of my fakes this evening.

Daddys Little Pearl

Antiques Jewelry & Sacred Treasures

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Education is the name of the game here!

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

More examples of faux pearls, one shot without flash. The three necklaces to the left of the silver gray are more of the pearls made in England. The silver ones are marked Japan. On the right two vintage pearl necklaces, the white ones very lightweight, the ivory ones of good weight similar to that of real pearls. Next photo closeup of some of the high quality clasps used in the better faux. Last three shots of one necklace that may not be that old, strung with a variety of pearl shapes to mimic real ones, notice the faux rice krispies
Daddys Little Pearl

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

And yet more imitations, first an elegant necklace with pendant, followed by Majorica pearl earrings in original box and two well done faux rings. The larger single pearl ring is from the English maker as well.

Daddys Little Pearl

Antiques Jewelry & Sacred Treasures on Ruby Lane

 

[pattye]

The rice krispie pearls are even in different shapes! So many good examples. The majorica earrings with the gold leaves are elegant. I'm a sucker for leaves. Thank you for showing the clasps also.

 

[Caitlin]

I would never have thought the rice krispies would be duplicated! The real ones used to cost $2 retail for a small hank! There is some good-looking stuff in those photos!

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Caitlin, it is actually really scary and certainly explains why so many people get fooled. After I posted these I was amazed how real some of these look on our forum. When I first found this forum a week or so ago, I was so curious how one could verify a pearl by photos, and now you know why. The old fakes, the ones our moms and grandmoms had, you know, the ones that peeled and flaked with wear, well those were easy to identify, they had no luster even when new, and no reflection at all, but in the last 20 years or so it is amazing how good the fakes have become. What I wish we could find out is how all these fakes are created. I have read on some internet sites about fake pearls that are created by applying ground up pearl material over glass, which I think is even more scary, as that would pass the scratching two together test and possibly others and might take a near expert to identify them. I may try matching up some of my fakes with similar real and post those together to see what difference shows up. frankly some of my fakes are prettier than a lot of the real pearls I see in stores. And yes I am amazed they faked the krispies.

Daddys Little Girl

 

[pattye]

Here is good authoritative information about the Majorica company of Spain and how they make their imitation pearls. http://www.musy.net/Heusch-1/Heusch-2/Heusch-3b/Heusch-4b/heusch-4b.html

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I've seen fake rice krispie pearls as well, at consignment shops, and really wondered why they bothered!! They were very lightweight, clearly plastic.

I've never heard of real pearl material being used as a coating-- if you have a reference for that I'd love to read it. Traditionally the coatings are a mixture of ground up fish scales and lacquer-- called "essence d'orient". Edit: I've since read that the so-called "South sea shell pearls" are coated with ground up mother-of-pearl from SSP shells.

The clasp with the leaves is an older style clasp-- I bought a 16" Majorica strand on eBay for a song once and it came with this clasp, but the pearls were in bad shape--the luster was low. Probably they were exposed to perfume or hair spray. Anyway, the end pearl is partially peeled and underneath is visible, not the glass bead, but another, shinier layer of coating. Majorica pearls have a great many coats, polished in between-- some have over 40 coats. [Edit: I had read this number a while back; Strack says the top quality Majoricas have 34 coats, and lesser qualities have 12 or 8 coats.] Strack has a section on them in her book (p. 628-631). Some of the larger pearls are hand-dipped! Not all have the same number of coats.
I tested the Majoricas for grittiness and they are all smooth when rubbed against each other.
Photo:

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Pattye, thanks for posting that article, i was amazed about that necklace they described that had three strands Majorica and one strand cultured and that it fooled experts! I know for a fact Majorica when rubbed together or on a tooth show no gritty feel at all and also are not ever cold to the touch. They are indeed beatuful though and to the eye alone they can pass.

Daddys Little Pearl

 

[dkan 168]

I remember seeing faux rice crispies and baroque pearls in costume jewellery in the 80s, however, I did not buy any as I could get hold of real ones relatively cheaply.

DK

 

[Pearl Dreams]

...I know for a fact Majorica when rubbed together or on a tooth show no gritty feel at all and also are not ever cold to the touch....

Sorry, but I don't understand this. I tried this, and to me they are cold.

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

But are the Majorica AS COLD as your real pearls? Glass will still be colder than plastic or other synthetic materials, but should not be as cold as any gemstones or real pearls.

And on this subject, I just went to my first bead show, at least first time for a big one. Scary place. One dealer from China, very nice honest individual that many of my knowledgeable friends buy from, sold mostly B and some A grade freshwater pearls, and I bought my share, will post those photos later on a different thread. But he also had what he called "Shell Pearls", in the rainbow of dyed colors of course but also in natural colors. They were almost as cold as the real, certainly not as warm as the old fakes, and when rubbed together you still feel a slight "grit", so I asked him how these were being made. Mother of Pearl bead over which is coated ground up shells and pearls. Guaranteed not to peel, flake or scratch according to him. Interestingly they were only slightly cheaper than his real freshwaters, but some of them looked better! The average consumer would never know the difference. He had his tables clearly marked to not deceive or cause any confusion, and he was making sure each customer knew what they were getting, but I am sure he may not be the norm. After feeling the slight gritty feel on these, I am now worried that some of my previously thought to be real pearls at my house may be these "shell pearls, not in my older pearls, but possibly in recent internet purchases. Short of owning an xray machine or having a GIA gemologist at my front door, do any of the experts have suggestions on how to identify these newer fakes? I did a related post in consumer Q&A about finding some supposedly real pearls that were not as cold as expected and now realize what I found out today may explain a lot of this. Again, according to him they do not scratch. I bought some very small ones to do a design for my shop, and now wish I had bought one large strand to use for testing, may go back tomorrow. Any suggestions? Would holding them over a strong light reveal differences?

Daddys Little Pearl

 

[Marianne]

Ah, welcome to the world of the "Big Bead Shows" It can certainly put one on sensory overload! The shell pearls I've seen have been large (over 10 mm) and totally round. Not sure why they would go through the trouble to make them in other shapes when the real thing is so affordable, but then remember those fake rice krispies? Anyway, have fun when you go back tomorrow!

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Oh not just big ones, a huge table of all sizes down to less than 4mm, the size I bought to play around with. I was astounded at how good the ivory and white colored ones looked. Every color of the rainbow, nice peach and pinks, browns, but also some garish hot pink and a vew colors that frankly defy description. Will post photos of my "good" pearl purchases on the Show us your pearls section later tonight. And yes I may think about going back tomorrow for one strand large enough to test or chop open.

Daddys Little Pearl

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

And here are the bead show fakes: According to the vendor, mop bead covered with ground up pearl and shell, will not scratch, etc. Got to admit I thought they were real when I first saw them. Had to have some for a costume necklace, they are 4mm I think.

Daddys Little Pearl

 

[Marianne]

Good grief! Well they certainly are round Thanks for the info and the great photos.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

But are the Majorica AS COLD as your real pearls? Glass will still be colder than plastic or other synthetic materials, but should not be as cold as any gemstones or real pearls.
Daddys Little Pearl

I tried again-- this time with similarly sized necklaces, one genuine CFWP and one Majorica, after leaving both side by side in the same location half an hour (so that neither was stored in a cooler part of the room.) My daughter assisted in this blind test so I would not know which was which.

And you were right, the Majoricas were noticeably less cool than the CFWP!

To be able to use this at a show to distinguish real pearls from glass beads, I'd have to have a known-real strand in my purse for comparison on the spot. Wearing the known-real strand it would not work; it would get warm from being against my body.

 

[Daddys Little Pearl]

Yep, you have to do the test quickly and after the pearls to be tested have sat alone in the ambient temperature for at least a few minutes away from showcase lights too. Same with gemstones. This little "old wives tale" trick has gotten me many a real stone and pearl in my life at a bargain price at shops, flea markets, etc. Man made gemstones will also test cold, but they are technically still real stones and still worth having. I was taught this little test over 30 years ago, a very fine jewelry dealer, GIA gemologist too, used to come to the Nashville flea market every month, alas she has retired last year, and over the years she taught me a lot, mostly about gemstones etc, but also a little about pearls. I bought several nice pearl items from her, need to post those later on the Show Us section.
Whenever I see a pearl necklace in a shop or market, it is is in a showcase I ask to see it, and if I have any suspicions at all it might be real, I get them to put it behind the counter on hold for a few minutes for me to think about it. That gives it time to cool off from being in a showcase. If it is not locked up and out for sale, the second I pick it up it goes immediately to my cheek. Some people use the palm of their hand. If you have some real gemstones, try out that one too.
About a year ago I found a ten dollar pearl necklace in a shop with what looked like a real Mikimoto clasp. I also know they fake these clasps. It was in a showcase, so we let it sit on hold. You guessed it, real Mikis and home with me they went. Now, I would have bought them anyway to get the clasp. But you get the point. Probably a lot of customers had passed over that necklace thinking at 10.00 it was not worth owning. Of course this only made up for all the junk pearls I have bought for high prices in the past as well (chuckle).

Daddys Little Pearl