Chrissy7110
Rough_Rock
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- Aug 12, 2024
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- 2
Anyone know this marking?
- Thread starter Chrissy7110
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2010
- Messages
- 3,022
The clasp appears to be upside down; I think this is right side up:
The S may indicate sterling silver.
I do not recognize the brand, but might it be a brand of imitation pearls? I'm asking because I don't see French wire where the pearls meet the clasp, as one would usually expect on a fine strand of real pearls.
Try rubbing two of the pearls near the clasp together gently. What do you feel?
Gritty or smooth?
If smooth the pearls are probably imitation. If gritty, probably real pearls.
Can you post a photo of the whole strand, and close ups of any flaws/blemishes?
The S may indicate sterling silver.
I do not recognize the brand, but might it be a brand of imitation pearls? I'm asking because I don't see French wire where the pearls meet the clasp, as one would usually expect on a fine strand of real pearls.
Try rubbing two of the pearls near the clasp together gently. What do you feel?
Gritty or smooth?
If smooth the pearls are probably imitation. If gritty, probably real pearls.
Can you post a photo of the whole strand, and close ups of any flaws/blemishes?
Last edited:
Chrissy7110
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2024
- Messages
- 2
The clasp appears to be upside down; I think this is right side up:
The S may indicate sterling silver.
I do not recognize the brand, but might it be a brand of imitation pearls? I'm asking because I don't see French wire where the pearls meet the clasp, as one would usually expect on a fine strand of real pearls.
Try rubbing two of the pearls near the clasp together gently. What do you feel?
Gritty or smooth?
If smooth the pearls are probably imitation. If gritty, probably real pearls.
Can you post a photo of the whole strand, and close ups of any flaws/blemishes?
Here is a picture of the whole thing. To me they feel smooth.
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- Jan 4, 2010
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It's really hard to evaluate pearls photographed against a dark background. A white or pale neutral background works better.
I see the stand graduates, but imitation strands can also graduate.
The pearls do not appear to be fully round in the photo but that can be distortion from the camera. Are the pearls completely round?
Freshwater pearls are often egg shaped or off round in other ways. But imitations can also be made this way to appear to be real.
The smooth feel when rubbed together means they are probably imitation. But it's not impossible that they have been coated with something that makes them feel smooth. This would not be done with better pearls, however.
I can't tell more without better photos, including some close ups of any flaws, and a look at the drill holes area. But here is some information that may help you figure it out yourself.
Imitation pearls may have these characteristics (but better imitations may not):
• areas where the coating flaked off, with the bead visible underneath. The bead can be glass, plastic or even shell.
• swirls of excess coating near drill holes
• a relatively large drill hole, necessitating thicker thread and thus larger knots between the pearls. (Real pearls are sold by weight so the drill holes are small, to preserve weight.)
• beveled drill holes
If the pearls' color and luster are extremely uniform, they are likely imitation. A real strand has some variation, however slight.
If there are no blemishes at all, however small, they are likely to be imitation. A real strand of pearls is not perfect, because pearls are made in living organisms.
You can also do this simple test if you have any other pearls that you know to be fake (or that you know to be real). Glass and plastic imitation pearls are warmer than real pearls. Leave both sets of pearls in the same temperature environment for 30 minutes or so, then hold each to your lips (which are very sensitive to temperature). What do you feel?
I see the stand graduates, but imitation strands can also graduate.
The pearls do not appear to be fully round in the photo but that can be distortion from the camera. Are the pearls completely round?
Freshwater pearls are often egg shaped or off round in other ways. But imitations can also be made this way to appear to be real.
The smooth feel when rubbed together means they are probably imitation. But it's not impossible that they have been coated with something that makes them feel smooth. This would not be done with better pearls, however.
I can't tell more without better photos, including some close ups of any flaws, and a look at the drill holes area. But here is some information that may help you figure it out yourself.
Imitation pearls may have these characteristics (but better imitations may not):
• areas where the coating flaked off, with the bead visible underneath. The bead can be glass, plastic or even shell.
• swirls of excess coating near drill holes
• a relatively large drill hole, necessitating thicker thread and thus larger knots between the pearls. (Real pearls are sold by weight so the drill holes are small, to preserve weight.)
• beveled drill holes
If the pearls' color and luster are extremely uniform, they are likely imitation. A real strand has some variation, however slight.
If there are no blemishes at all, however small, they are likely to be imitation. A real strand of pearls is not perfect, because pearls are made in living organisms.
You can also do this simple test if you have any other pearls that you know to be fake (or that you know to be real). Glass and plastic imitation pearls are warmer than real pearls. Leave both sets of pearls in the same temperature environment for 30 minutes or so, then hold each to your lips (which are very sensitive to temperature). What do you feel?
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