Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl?

[Kay]

My favorite aunt was a real jewelry lover. She and my uncle traveled to Mexico regularly in the 1950’s-70’s and she collected several pieces of silver jewelry and sculptures from Taxco. She told me stories about how they got to know Mexican silver artist Sigi Pineda during their trips, originally as customers and then as friends. Over the years, my aunt gave me several pieces of silver jewelry from her collection. She gave me this bracelet shortly before her death 6 years ago. It is a signed piece from Sigi, who was a founder of the Mexican Modernist movement and is well known for his organic modern designs.

I love the design of this bracelet, and that it is from her. Sadly, I do not wear it often because the pearl is in bad shape. It looks like the nacre is peeling off. (I need to polish it – it has tarnished sitting in the drawer.) The pearl has a silvery body color with flashes of pink and green. I feel a little bit funny about replacing the pearl, but I would like to wear the bracelet more often.

I am going pearl shopping tomorrow, and a strand of Vietnamese blue baroque akoyas is on my wish list. Maybe I could remove 1 pearl from the strand to put in the bracelet & 2 for earrings, and then I would have a matching set (if the strand is long enough or if matching loose pearls are available). I could also look for a silvery pearl instead, to stay true to the original look. Or should I just leave it alone since it is a signed piece? (Not that I ever plan to sell it.) WWYD?

 

[Kay]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Closer views of the pearl:




The pearl sits in a silver cup.

 

[bsomlo]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

I think your idea is great! I often shorten strands and ask for two pearls to be chosen as dangle earrings. Keep us posted!

 

[NacreLover]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

I would look for a undrilled pearl. I'm sure they have something in the vault. The damaged pearl is dragging down the beauty and worth of the piece. You will find you'll wear it more once its refurbished.

 

[bsomlo]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Good point! I forgot about the drill holes.

 

[Kay]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Good point! I forgot about the drill holes.

Me too, lol. For that matter, I probably need undrilled pearls for the earrings, since I prefer not to see the metal pins go all the way through the earring pearls.

 

[Pearlescence]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Contact Cortez pearls (perlas.com.mx)- which is the pearl farm in Mexico from where undoubtedly that pearl came. The nacre has cracked and some has come away, yes. Send the pearl farm the close up photo and I am sure they will be able to replace the pearl with one as near identical as can be.
You'll want a half drilled pearl . If you can, remove the pearl yourself. Sometimes jewellers use a poor glue and you can gently twist to see if it will come away. If not then there is a product called Attack which will, I understand, dissolve glues (not available over here) Use either a two part epoxy or gel (not liquid) superglue to fix the new pearl.
Using a proper mexican pearl will keep the piece authentic - The Cortez folk probably know him and supply direct.

 

[NacreLover]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Their website says their first harvest was in 2000.

 

[ckrickett]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

My only concern with attaching a new pearl it is looks like the silver around the pearl was shaped exclusively for that pearl. I would see if you could send your bracelet in and have them pick a pearl that would fit it perfectly, or as close to perfect as possible.

 

[Kay]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

I took the bracelet to PP today and asked Jeremy about replacing the pearl. Based on the age of the piece and the fact that it looks like there is another beautiful layer of pearl beneath the damaged layer, Jeremy thinks it may be a natural pearl. He is sending the pearl to an expert to see if it can be peeled. Fingers crossed!

 

[katbran]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

I love that bracelet! Definitely good to have someone take a close look at it. Do please post photos and let us know how this story progresses. I'd be interested to see what it looks like if they peel a layer off of it. If that doesn't work , I love the idea of using one of the Sea of Cortez pearls in it. They look amazing and I think it would add to the whole character of the piece to have a Mexican pearl...it deserves the best.

 

[Kay]

Update

Sadly, the pearl was not a natural pearl. Once the top layer was peeled off, there was just a bead.



Jeremy at Pearl Paradise has the bracelet and is waiting for me to decide what type of pearl to put into the setting. The original pearl had a light grey body color with flashes of green and pink. (DD1 called it a rainbow amulet.) I thought about using a WSS pearl to go with my new strand and because white would pop against the silver, but I really want another pearl with rainbow iridescence. I love the idea of using a Sea of Cortez pearl, but it would be easier to use something Jeremy has so he can make sure the pearl fits the little silver cup. A blue akoya to match my other new strand would also look good with the silver, but Jeremy does not have any undrilled pearls in the right color. I can ask him to look for a silver or peacock Tahitian with nice iridescence? WWYD?

The SOCs do make me drool:

 

[Kay]

matching necklace

While researching the bracelet, I came across a matching necklace on ebay. It looks like it has a white or light silver pearl. There is a good chance this pearl was a replacement, because it looks round.

 

[bsomlo]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Keep us posted! Beautiful pictures!

 

[ckrickett]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Have you thought of a metallic freshwater?

 

[Kay]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Jeremy sent me a photo of some options, round and circled. I need something in the 10mm range. (The original pearl was a baroque akoya.)

The first is a 10.15 mm white South Sea with really intense luster. The next is a cherry, followed by a circle pearl that would set large side in, followed by a dark blue Tahitian, followed by another circle that would set thin side in.



Which do you think would look best?

 

[ckrickett]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Jeremy sent me a photo of some options, round and circled. I need something in the 10mm range. (The original pearl was a baroque akoya.)

The first is a 10.15 mm white South Sea with really intense luster. The next is a cherry, followed by a circle pearl that would set large side in, followed by a dark blue Tahitian, followed by another circle that would set thin side in.



Which do you think would look best?

I love all of those, but that cherry has so much wow factor!

 

[Kay]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Here is a picture of the pearls next to the bracelet. The two circle pearls are turned to show the side that would face up in the bracelet.

 

[ckrickett]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

I'm still leaning towards the cherry. I love it against the silver.

 

[bsomlo]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

OMG, that blue! I would definitely go for that gorgeous blue!

 

[michellechan2211]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

That blue is gorgeous *_*

 

[katbran]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

My vote is for the blue as well..love the blue with the silver. But the cherry is an excellent choice as well. Either of those two I would snap up in a heartbeat!

 

[ckrickett]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Are you going to get the necklace? That is gorgeous!

 

[Kay]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Are you going to get the necklace? That is gorgeous!

It is gorgeous, but no, I don't need a matched set. I was mostly curious to see how it looked with the pearl selected for that piece.

 

[Kay]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Ugh, I just keep staring at these photos and waffling. I wish this bracelet was like one of those watches where you pop off and change the faces easily, so I could have a different color pearl each day, lol.

The cherry is gorgeous and I will have to add one (or more) to my collection at some point, but for this piece it is the white and blue pearls that keep drawing me back. I didn’t think I wanted a WSS for this bracelet, but the luster on that one is gorgeous and it would go with my WSS drop earrings (and my 5-year-old daughter likes it best). I am leaning towards the blue, which I like better in the photo with the bracelet where I see some flashes of color (in the other photo, the color looks more solid blue). Blue was one of the colors I originally pictured with this bracelet, and should look great with the silver.

 

[Fly Girl]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

The blue Tahitian is stunning and will look especially gorgeous in that silver setting.

If you can afford the cherry as well, why not have it set into a ring?

Then you get to look at both pearls.

 

[ckrickett]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

The blue Tahitian is stunning and will look especially gorgeous in that silver setting.

If you can afford the cherry as well, why not have it set into a ring?

Then you get to look at both pearls.

I like the way you think

 

[Kay]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

The blue Tahitian is stunning and will look especially gorgeous in that silver setting.

If you can afford the cherry as well, why not have it set into a ring?

Then you get to look at both pearls.

I like the way you think

You two are wicked enablers! I spent an hour looking at ring settings after seeing Fly Girl's post last night. I think what I really need is a larger cherry for a pendant.

 

[Fly Girl]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

The blue Tahitian is stunning and will look especially gorgeous in that silver setting.

If you can afford the cherry as well, why not have it set into a ring?

Then you get to look at both pearls.

I like the way you think

You two are wicked enablers! I spent an hour looking at ring settings after seeing Fly Girl's post last night. I think what I really need is a larger cherry for a pendant.

Oh, it's my pleasure! You can't stop with just one pearl, you know.

 

[YC]

Re: Vintage silver bracelet - should I replace damaged pearl

Wow. I really like the blue pearl. I think it will look terrific with the bangle!
Have you decided on the pearl?