Seeking information about gifted pearls

[gymnastmn]

Hello,

I'm seeking information about a strand of pearls I was gifted by a family member for my wedding. They were my aunt's grandmothers, however my aunt is unsure about how or where her grandmother acquired them. The clasp is stamped with 585 which I understand means 14k gold, as well as .48, which I assume is the total carat weight for the small diamonds. The strand is about 35" long (I double it when worn). Based on some very top-line browsing I've done online, it looks like the clasp may have been from the 50s or 60s. The pearls appear perfectly round to me, and look to be a creamy rose color.

Can anyone provide any insight into when a piece like this could have been designed? And can you tell anything about the type/value of the pearls used?

My next step is to take the necklace into a jeweler to have it appraised, but I was hoping to to do some sleuthing on my own ahead of that and I figured that this site would be my best bet!

Images attached. Thank you!

 

[pearlsngems]

Honestly, they don't look completely round to me. They are very pretty.
Can you tell us how many pearls are in the strand and the size of the smallest and largest?
Also, is there any reason to think they were restrung?

 

[gymnastmn]

Thank you! I'm not sure of the exact pearl sizes but here they are all laid out with a dime for comparison. I counted 103 pearls (not counting the pearl on the clasp), and the pearl portion of the strand alone is approximately 35". I'm not sure if they have ever been re-strung, although I have a feeling that no one has worn them since my aunt's grandmother did, as my aunt took them out of her bank safe to give to me and she is not one to wear this type of jewelry.

 

[pearlsngems]

Okay, so it looks like a 7.5-8.0mm strand of semi-round cultured akoya pearls. I don't think it's very old as it isn't graduated. Maybe 1960s/1970s? The luster is pretty and they look like they have a mostly clean surface.
I think a lot of the value of the necklace is in the clasp-- the diamonds and gold. I'm not sure it's worth the cost of appraising it, though.

Do you like wearing it? You can wear it doubled, as a choker.

 

[gymnastmn]

That's helpful, thank you! Yes, I actually wore it at my recent wedding, doubled as you suggested. Everyone kept trying to move the clasp to the back but my aunt had instructed that it was to be worn to the side so I did just that. I think the clasp is so lovely.

 

[pearlsngems]

That is the way I would wear it, too-- the clasp should be shown off!