ID these please?
- Thread starter fayzer
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Pearl Dreams
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I agree with Marianne.
BWeaves
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They look a lot like my grandmother's Richelieu pearls from the 1930s.
By the way, the Wikipedia entry for Richelieu pearls is completely WRONG. The Wiki entry makes it sound like Richelieu were cultured pearls. They were imitation pearls that never saw an oyster. Richelieu pearls were plastic coated with fish scale slurry. My grandmother's are ivory colored and do not have any overtones. I'm not sure if they have yellowed over the years, or if they were originally ivory colored. They have a sterling silver clasp.
According to my grandmother, "They were the best pearl that was not a pearl." She gave them to me, when I was 11, because she knew I loved pearls. My heart sank when she said they were imitation, and I never wore them. Fast forward 40 years and I polished the sterling silver clasp and restrung them and they're not bad looking, as long as I don't put them next to my real pearls. I enjoy wearing them every so often. They have a very Queen Elizabeth II look to them.
By the way, the Wikipedia entry for Richelieu pearls is completely WRONG. The Wiki entry makes it sound like Richelieu were cultured pearls. They were imitation pearls that never saw an oyster. Richelieu pearls were plastic coated with fish scale slurry. My grandmother's are ivory colored and do not have any overtones. I'm not sure if they have yellowed over the years, or if they were originally ivory colored. They have a sterling silver clasp.
According to my grandmother, "They were the best pearl that was not a pearl." She gave them to me, when I was 11, because she knew I loved pearls. My heart sank when she said they were imitation, and I never wore them. Fast forward 40 years and I polished the sterling silver clasp and restrung them and they're not bad looking, as long as I don't put them next to my real pearls. I enjoy wearing them every so often. They have a very Queen Elizabeth II look to them.
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BlackPearlDudeDC
Well-known member
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- Apr 17, 2015
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They do look like faux pearls, only once did I ever see a vintage rhinestone clasp with cultured Akoya pearls.
Vintage Richelieu seems so much better in quality than the recent pieces I've seen in the late 90's. I once had to order from Richelieu 50 pairs of earrings and princess necklaces for a Ballerina Troupe of 7 year olds (very very cute
) and remember thinking the faux pearls looked so plastic. But who knows maybe it was their first pearl, and no telling if they are fans and collectors today.
Vintage Richelieu seems so much better in quality than the recent pieces I've seen in the late 90's. I once had to order from Richelieu 50 pairs of earrings and princess necklaces for a Ballerina Troupe of 7 year olds (very very cute
) and remember thinking the faux pearls looked so plastic. But who knows maybe it was their first pearl, and no telling if they are fans and collectors today.