Pearls bought in a charity shop.

[Balba]

Hi,
These pearls were bought in a charity shop and have a very unusual texture and shapes.
Are they natural pearls? Could anyone estimate their value? I'm very curious as they seem very unique.
Thank you for your help!

 

[lisa c]

Hi Balba, welcome! They look like cultured freshwater pearls to me. Then I thought, blue coral beads?, but now I don't.

What do you experienced experts think? (I'm the perennial student, Balba, and I'm on a little cell phone.)
Really cute necklace!

 

[pattye]

Hi Balba and Welcome!

As Lisa mentioned, you have a charming strand of cultured baroque freshwater pearls grown in China. A natural pearl grows without man's intervention and is very rare. On my computer I'm unable to tell what the dark beads are. It is possible they are coral, dark lapis or dyed agate or something else. It's a very attractive design. As far as value, under $100 or whatever you paid for the necklace.

These pearls are all nacre and will never wear through to a bead, so wear them often and enjoy the comments and compliments!

 

[pearlescence]

Amethyst for the beads and five year old freshwaters

 

[lisa c]

Pshwar! Are you pulling our locks or did you make them?

 

[Red]

Pshwar! Are you pulling our locks or did you make them?

LOL!!!

Sure looks more like lapis than amethyst to me, but maybe lousy amethyst can be shade of opaque blue.

 

[pearlescence]

I saw touches of purple, hence the amethyst, but clearer pix would help.

 

[Balba]

Thank you everyone for your help. I appreciate knowing that the pearls come from China and also their value. My mother bought them for $2.00 in a thrift shop so it sounds like a profit could be made, if sold.

The beads are not amethyst. They are dark blue and have silver sparkles so I haven't got any clue as to what they are or how they were made.

Thanks!!

 

[Balba]

And I think the beads are lapis.

 

[SunSeeker]

...hmm I'm seeing gold flecks on my screen, so I'm thinking lapis vs amethyst

 

[newberry]

Pshwar! Are you pulling our locks or did you make them?

LOL you crack me up

 

[GemGeek]

Lapis Lazuli would have little gold flecks. I think it's very cool

 

[juliebeth]

those look lapis-y to me. my first thought was "blue sunstone," that manmade glass stuff, but those gold bits don't look regular enough (nor the beads shiny enough) to be blue sunstone.

sure is a sweet little bracelet - the baroque pearls are particularly charmingly baroque.