Mystery Pearls from eBay - What did I purchase?

[aalyse]

Hello,

I purchased the attached pearls from eBay a couple of weeks ago (see listing link below) for $900. The seller was very non descriptive about the piece and claims that she purchased the necklace 20 years ago from the estate of Alice Bigelow Tully in NYC. I purchased the Christie's auction book from 20 years ago and could not find a description that matched the necklace.

This is what I know:
- The seller claimed that the necklace was 18Kt gold, but it is in fact stamped 14KP & 585.
- The eyes are real rubies.
- The pearls were kept and sent to me in an old Harry Winston box.
- The pearls are real - I have verified via tooth test and have taken it to a jeweler (not to be appraised but looked over).
- The jeweler I took them to thought that they may be dyed FWP.
- The pearls are quite heavy and measure 12mm to 15mm.
- There are 27 of them with the pearl strand at 17.5" and with the clasp at 20".

What I would like to find out:
- What type of pearl do I have? Tahitian / FWP/ Other?
- Do you think these are natural or cultured?
- What would you consider the overtone of the pearls?
- What do you think would be the retail or replacement price?
- Does anyone recognize the Maker's Mark (also attached)?
- How old do you think they are?


Sorry about all of the questions - these pearls are a true mystery that I am hoping you can help me solve! Please let me know if there is anything I may have missed or if additional photos are needed. Thank you in advance!!!

Original Listing:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/18K-Gold-Ti...NAAuRwI8kqtzHKZKQU0lQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc)


7/27/14 - Updated the size of the pearls. They are really measuring 12mm to 15mm, not 8mm to 12mm.

 

[aalyse]

Additional Pictures...

 

[aalyse]

Even more pictures...

Even more pictures...

Details of the photos:
- Two of the pearls have "rings" (does this mean they're freshwater?)
- Detail of some of the smaller pearls for luster & overtone details
- Picture of the nacre of one of the pearls (I tried to get a good picture - the core seems to be a grayish-white)

 

[GemGeek]

That's odd. 14KP usually means plated with 14k, but there is also a 585, which would be 14K. I would use this as a reason to return the pearl necklace for not-as=described. No matter what kind of pearls you thought you were getting - they aren't good and aren't worth anywhere near what you paid for them. Nine hundred dollars could get you a very nice baroque strand of genuine Tahitian pearls. We would be happy to help you search.

 

[aalyse]

That's odd. 14KP usually means plated with 14k, but there is also a 585, which would be 14K. I would use this as a reason to return the pearl necklace for not-as=described. No matter what kind of pearls you thought you were getting - they aren't good and aren't worth anywhere near what you paid for them. Nine hundred dollars could get you a very nice baroque strand of genuine Tahitian pearls. We would be happy to help you search.

Thank you, GemGeek. That's very kind. Before my current career I worked in the gold business for a few years and the KP actually stands for "karat plumb" (http://www.gold-calculator.net/karat-plumb-what-does-it-mean.htm). The clasp I know is probably worth around $200 to $300 and is actually one of the reasons I purchased the necklace - I couldn't find many pearls strands with a similar looking clasp.

Anyway, I'm interested in finding out if these are true Tahitians or dyed freshwater pearls and potential value since I'm new to pearls. They have a beautiful orient, especially when wet. I tried to clean them a bit as I don't think they have been cleaned or cared for in some time.

 

[GemGeek]

Right you are. I was confused with 14KGP. 12 -15mm is a huge size difference - good that you checked. Dyed freshwater pearls of that size would have been worth big money twenty years ago and have merited a fancy clasp. Really, if you love them and you don't feel bad about the outlay of cash, why not just enjoy them?

I can only see a J in a box. Is there another letter visible through the karat mark?

 

[aalyse]

Thank you, GemGeek! I will enjoy them (I would have loved it if they were real Tahitians)! So they are dyed Freshwater afterall? From when do you think the piece was made (my guess was 1980's)? How much would they have been worth then vs now?

I will continue to be on the look out for a real strand of Tahitian pearls or maybe even Sea of Cortez (love the colors)! If you know of any good deals, please do send them my way.

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[JerseyPearl]

I cannot speak to the pearls at all, but that clasp is gorgeous. And the pearls seem to go nicely with it. I would love to see a close up of the clasp, because it is really neat.

 

[GemGeek]

Pearls that big would have been very unusual in the eighties, maybe more like 2000 onward. They probably sold for much more than you paid for them in a high-end jewelry store back in the day. I would enjoy those pearls now and when you find the right Tahitian pearls in the future, you can have them made up with the clasp. If you want to buy on eBay, be sure to share your potential purchase here so we can give you an opinion on the type/quality of the pearls. Feel free to hang out with us and learn more about pearls!

 

[GemGeek]

I cannot speak to the pearls at all, but that clasp is gorgeous. And the pearls seem to go nicely with it. I would love to see a close up of the clasp, because it is really neat.

I agree! That clasp could support bigger pearls in the future.

 

[JerseyPearl]

I love unique clasps that can be worn in front of a strand....also love clasps that have a spot to hang an enhancer (clip-on). This clasp is the perfect candidate for a lovely and special pearl or gemstone drop!

 

[GemGeek]

That's a great idea and something that might cost a lot less than a big strand of real Tahitians.

 

[aalyse]

Sounds great! Thank you all so much. I definitely will post here to get your opinions.

I do have a couple of questions that I would like your expert opinion on. According to the woman from whom I purchased the pearls, the necklace and the pearls were acquired 20 years ago in 1994 from Alice Tully's estate (Corning Glass heiress).

1. Could these be natural Tahitian pearls (hence why they appear so low quality)?
2. Other than x-ray, what other ways are there to distinguish between Natural & Cultured Tahitians? I'm guessing that it is not likely that they are freshwater because they are fairly large (the largest measures 15mm x 17.5mm).
3. Would cultured tahitians ever be dyed? There are a couple of pearls where you can see pretty deep into the drill hole and it is all dark (almost black/charcoal) and the nacre (as far as I can see) appears to be more than 1mm with no sign of a nucleus.

Do you know of anyone in the Atlanta or DC area that could review the strand and offer an appraisal for insurance?

 

[GemGeek]

Did they show you any proof that the necklace was purchased from Alice Tully's estate in 1994?

Pearls are not measured by the length of the pearls - just to be sure - did you measure the pearls across, perpendicular to the string?

 

[pattye]

Aalyse,

Mystery pearls, interesting pearls, I do hope you can find out more and let us know. Here is a website to help you find an appraiser; look for one with pearl specialty.
Gemgeek recommends this site, as I recall.

The clasp is fab, as others have noted! Please do let us know what you find out.

The shapes of the pearls and types of blemish present as bead nucleated Tahitians to me, but the color as exhibited in the photos is unusual. Second and third harvest Tahitians can exhibit lower luster, but larger size.

Best of luck in finding a qualified person to check out your necklace.

 

[GemGeek]

Pattye is probably right. It's the dyed look that really puts me off Tahitian pearls. Very strange. Even very poor quality Tahitian pearls are not dyed. If they are Tahitian pearls, the are certainly not natural pearls.

 

[aalyse]

No, I do not have any proof that the necklace came from her estate other than her word. I have also been trying to use the clasp to date the pearls/ figure out if the claim is false and am having a difficult time pinpointing whom the maker could be. I measured the pearls perpendicular to the strand originally (12mm to 15mm). When measured with the strand, the measurements are slightly larger (14mm to 17.5mm).

Thanks, Pattye, for the link! I will definitely post back with any updates.

 

[GemGeek]

It certainly is a mystery necklace! From an appraiser's point of view, previous ownership may or may not influence the value, but if it did, it would have to be established positively, say with photographs of the owner wearing the piece.

Thanks for clarifying the size of the pearls. I am still stumped by the treatment or dyeing, but Pattye sees a lot of Tahitian pearls, so I would trust her judgment.

 

[aalyse]

Thanks, GemGeek! The dyeing stumps me, too! I travel a lot for a living and wonder if maybe I could have the TSA agents x-ray the pearls (or does it need to be an actual xray from a doctor or dentist?

I don't think the fact that they were Alice Tully's will add to the value, but the thing is, if they truly belonged to her, I doubt she would have worn sub par pearls unless there was something special about them. She had gorgeous and rare jewelry & art and could have afforded almost anything she wanted. Something is not adding up, and I can't wait to figure it out. I went to see a GIA gemologist/appraiser over the weekend hoping that would shed some light, but it left me with more questions...

 

[JerseyPearl]

If you can easily get to Washington DC, I would take the piece over to the Tiny Jewel Box on Connecticut Ave (off Dupont Circle) and have them take a look at it. They specialize in all sorts of vintage (very high end) jewelry and may be able to help you determine the maker as well as type of pearl. I am not certain if they do appraisals, but I am certain they can connect you with someone who does. I have to say again, how beautiful this piece is.