Mikimoto Pouch but not Mikimoto Necklace?

[Hasha]

Hey,

I recently came into possession of a Pearl necklace and Earings.

It came in a Mikimoto Pouch. Within the pouch is it has the mikimoto label and "blue lagoon" inscribed.

I took it to a necklace repair shop. He pointed out that the pearls are real and cultured, but he didnt see a mikimoto latch or trademark "M" so this necklace most likely isn't MikiMoto itself. It does however have "14k" written on the latch.

The necklace goes back 70 years to the 1950s.

My question: can anybody verify the authenticity of the pouch? Could the pearls themselves be mikimoto pearls but just not have the mikimoto latch/trademark?

 

[pattye]

Welcome to the forum, Hasha. My research indicates that Blue Lagoon pearls will have the clasp marked with BL, not the Mikimoto logo with the M inside the shell. This clasp looks like a commonly used fish hook clasp. I do see the 14k mark on the clasp insert, but nothing that indicates these are actual Blue Lagoon pearls. Many of us reuse our jewelry pouches. It's cool that they are genuine cultured Akoya pearls. Enjoy!

 

[BWeaves]

Blue Lagoon was Mikimoto's lesser quality pearls. I have a strand, and they are actually nicer than a lot of my pearls. Blue Lagoon has a specific clasp. Yours is a generic fishhook clasp. Your pearls are not Blue Lagoon or Mikimoto. Someone just reused the pouch.

Here's my necklace. If you zoom in on the clasp, you can see it says 14K and BL in a rectangle. Also, notice the design of the clasp. This is a classic Blue Lagoon clasp.

 

[A Breaker]

There were a ton of Akoya pearl necklaces sold to military post WWII...so it is most likely that it is unbranded. What often happens is that during a restringing in the 60's or earlier (10 years is a long time for silk to last)...a 14k clasp was put on a previously plain sterling clasp. Even Mikimoto used Silver as the Japanese were master silversmiths...Gold is and was tightly controlled in Japan and silver, something they could make into gorgeous clasps often plated with rhodium.

 

[BWeaves]

I agree, the pearls look like unbranded pearls.

 

[A Breaker]

@BWeaves what is the era or date on your BL pearls?

 

[BWeaves]

I don't know exactly. A friend gave them as a gift to my Aunt Love, who then sold them to me. Maybe 1980s or 1990s.

 

[A Breaker]

I don't know exactly. A friend gave them as a gift to my Aunt Love, who then sold them to me. Maybe 1980s or 1990s.

That helps!