"Natural" pearl vintage ring

[massrog]

We've been on a bit of an acquisition bender of late (more later) and one of the wife's finds is this ring billed as natural. I think it was a nice purchase but is there any way to confirm origin? I am also curious what the wire tied under the pearl is for. I assume it is somehow anchoring the pearl in the setting but has anyone here ever seen a technique like this?

 

[BWeaves]

I'm no expert, but that wire looks like a fix to keep the pearl from falling out of the ring. It doesn't look like a technique that would have been used to make the ring originally.

 

[CortezPearls]

It's a nice ring and even nicer pearl @massrog !
The wire does look like an easy way to secure the pearl and remove it when the setting requires cleaning. I find it very interesting!
Hard to tell if the pearl is natural...looks like a drop-baroque South Sea pearl to me. I would take an x-ray of it with the help of a local dentist to see if it has a bead inside. If it does: case solved.
If no bead: You could send it off for testing, if this is something you require.

 

[massrog]

I took a closer look with our 30x loupe and was able to make out (barely) that they must have cross drilled and looped the wire through the back of the pearl and tightened it through the cross bar to secure the pearl. I think it was a neat idea to, as Douglas said, be able to service/clean the setting safely.