Help please...are these real? Selling price?

[LLJsmom]

Hi Pearl Experts,

Can you please help me? I don't know if these are real and how much I should ask if I were to sell them. I will post pics.

It's 16 inches and it's got some heft to it. What other info would you need? Thanks for any insight or help.

 

[LLJsmom]

Here are some pics of them on.

 

[pearlsngems]

64 pearls plus a plain lobster claw clasp, no knots in between the pearls, 16 inches necklace...that means the pearls are about 6mm.

Tahitians would be larger, so the color is not natural. That means they are either:
a. dyed akoyas (but I would expect a better clasp, and knots in between the pearls with akoyas-- so I really don't think they are akoyas)
b. dyed freshwaters, if they are off-round, and not all exactly alike, as those would be the sort of lower end pearls one might find with an inexpensive clasp and no knots.
c. imitation pearls, which is likely if they are completely round and equal in size from one end of the strand to the other. Imitation pearls that have a glass bead inside will have "heft". It's only the cheapest, plastic-bead fakes that are lighter than real cultured pearls.

A quick test that might help if done with a light touch: rub one pearl gently against another. Imitation nacre is slippery. Real nacre offers a little bit of resistance.

Imitation pearls would sell for very little, and unfortunately the same is true of small, off-round freshwaters. It may be best to just enjoy wearing them.

 

[LLJsmom]

64 pearls plus a plain lobster claw clasp, no knots in between the pearls, 16 inches necklace...that means the pearls are about 6mm.

Tahitians would be larger, so the color is not natural. That means they are either:
a. dyed akoyas (but I would expect a better clasp, and knots in between the pearls with akoyas-- so I really don't think they are akoyas)
b. dyed freshwaters, if they are off-round, and not all exactly alike, as those would be the sort of lower end pearls one might find with an inexpensive clasp and no knots.
c. imitation pearls, which is likely if they are completely round and equal in size from one end of the strand to the other. Imitation pearls that have a glass bead inside will have "heft". It's only the cheapest, plastic-bead fakes that are lighter than real cultured pearls.

A quick test that might help if done with a light touch: rub one pearl gently against another. Imitation nacre is slippery. Real nacre offers a little bit of resistance.

Imitation pearls would sell for very little, and unfortunately the same is true of small, off-round freshwaters. It may be best to just enjoy wearing them.

pearlsngems, thank you kindly for your thorough and thoughtful response. It is greatly appreciated.

I am guessing that these are imitation pearls. I have another pearl necklace that isn't nearly as heavy. Each pearl is not perfect, but my gut says these aren't real. I'm just going to sell them or give them away. I don't really need fake ones hanging around, and I don't wear pearls anyway.

Thank you again for your time.

 

[pearlsngems]

Maybe you'd enjoy shopping for some real Tahitians?
For at least the past several Augusts, Pearl Paradise has had a sale on Tahitians, with new strands released each week.

 

[NacreLover]

The strand looks great on you, unless you have another like it, I would wear them and love it. Selling something you don't even know is real will be hard don't you think. Pearls are easy to buy but very hard to sell.

 

[ckrickett]

The strand looks great on you, unless you have another like it, I would wear them and love it. Selling something you don't even know is real will be hard don't you think. Pearls are easy to buy but very hard to sell.

I agree. Imitation or not they look very pretty on you