HELP TO FIND INFORMATION ON "SIEKOMOTO" JAPANESE CULTURED PEARLS circa early 1900's

[cutty]

HELP TO FIND INFORMATION ON "SIEKOMOTO" JAPANESE CULTURED PEARLS circa early 1900's

I have a single strand of "Siekomoto" cultured Pearls from the Pearl Farms of Japan handed down to me from my mother over 30 years ago, maybe from her mother, so could be looking at anywhere in the early 1900's. I live in Brisbane, Australia and the only markings is STGSIL on the back plate of the hand made sterling silver clasp, which also has a pearl in the centre.
There is no reference to SIEKOMOTO anywhere that I can find, so I would love to here from anyone with knowledge of any information and/or history of this pearl brand. Thanks

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Welcome to P-G, cutty.

Lucky you to inherit such a pretty strand of pearls!

I searched a bit on the Web but also didn't find any reference to this brand. The strand looks like one of the so-called 3.5 momme (a unit of weight for pearls) strands made in WWII / Korean War era and afterward. These were more affordable because graduated, typically measuring about 3mm at the clasp to about 7mm in the center. Many military people and others involved in the wars bought these for their girlfriends and wives back home.

Was your grandfather stationed in Asia?

 

[pattye]

What a beautiful heirloom necklace, and you are fortunate to have the box and papers. They certainly add value. I agree with PD, these are most likely from around the '40's-50's. The pearls seem to be a very good quality and well kept. Please consider restringing and knotting between each pearl for security and wear them often!

 

[cutty]

Hi PD,
Thank you for your information on the era when this necklace might have originated from. My father served for the Australian Army in the jungles of Papua New Guinea fightning again the Japanese but no chance that they were purchased during that time and my grandfather was WW1 in Egypt. Because there isn't any reference to Siekomoto on the internet, they have only been valued at AUD $700 which seems low considering the regiminted sizing of the pearls on the necklace and the hand made clasp although saying that my eldest daughter wore them on her wedding day and we love them regardless of the valuation. I still would love to find out more about them and my only thought was that being the "Siekomoto" brand, that it was around the time that Mikimoto pearls hit there prominence in Japan probably in the 1930's-40's.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

How great that your daughter wore them on her wedding day!

I tend to think the valuation is about right. The graduation of these necklaces is actually what makes their value lower, as it is less costly to make a graduated necklace than a uniform size strand.

 

[pattye]

How great that your daughter wore them on her wedding day!

Now your pearls are truly priceless!