Opinions on this strand?

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Thank you for all the information! Yes, I will share more photos when I get them. I think the clasp from what I can see is marked 800 not 925, hope that’s not a bad thing!

This is another Majorica strand on Etsy. Is this what you were talking about with these “newer” strands having too much pink/green iridescence? Also, after all of our discussion about clasps, I think I’m suppose to stay away from the clasp on this one since I can’t see the gimp:

 

[pearlsngems]

I have a Majorica necklace with that clasp and safety chain. Mine is 9mm and 16" long. I looked yours up on Etsy-- the one you are considering is 21.5" long. How long a necklace do you want? The necklace I have with that clasp is yellower than my other cream colored Majoricas, too.

Silver stamped 800 would be German or Italian silver according to Google, 800/1000 parts silver. Sterling is 925/1000. I'm sure 800 is fine.

Gimp-- The only Majorica pieces I have that use gimp are the 18K clasp ones. All the others have different systems, which work perfectly fine. Some just have a ring. The strand you are considering has corrugated end caps, which have a slit into which the ring of the clasp fits. The corrugated cap takes the place of gimp very nicely and actually makes it easy to restring, when/if you need to.

Color. I took these photos just now showing 4 pieces. Photos were taken next to my open door, so the light was bright.
From right to left on my hand, and clockwise from top right on the paper:

1. Older Majorica with the same clasp as the one you are considering, 9mm
2. Modern white Majorica, 8mm, showing the pink and green "orient" when in bright light (not so much in regular light), 8mm
3. Vintage akoya strand, 6.2-9mm
4. Majorica I bought in 1986 and wore at my wedding, cream colored, 6mm (the glued-on pearl fell off the clasp years ago.)

I actually prefer the white modern Majorica strand over the creamier or more yellow ones. The "orient" makes it look to me like a hanadama might look. But I also love my vintage akoya strand. The specific tone of this strand flatters my skin, even though it is less white.

The 6mm Majorica I wore to my wedding is closer in color to the real vintage akoya strand than the white Majorica is. I think vintage Majoricas look more like vintage akoyas, not so much like modern akoyas. Modern akoyas seem to be whiter; that seems to be the current fashion.

I do have some white Majoricas that date back to 1992. So you can definitely find older Majoricas that are white rather than cream. But you have to look carefully at the photos. Cream is more common.

At the end of the day, just get what you like, but be careful-- you can end up spending a lot of money on non-returnable items. I'd be sure that the seller was okay with returns before buying. Edited to add: The seller on that Etsy strand does not accept returns. Based on the iffy color and the price, I'd say that would be a risky purchase.

As an afterthought, when I was first looking for Majoricas on eBay, I bought a number of cream strands because I couldn't differentiate between cream and white in seller photos. But I was aiming for white!

 

[pearlsngems]

Look at this strand. This one is just like one I have that is 24" and 7mm and white (not cream) except that mine has 73 pearls and this one has 75, if I counted right.
This clasp is often used in the white (not cream) strands from the 1990s. It's a box clasp.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/authentic-...403070?hash=item2cec15a73e:g:k9AAAOSwUHRc0ex9

 

[pearlsngems]

3rd post in a row, but I just had a crazy idea.

Assuming you like the appearance, size and length of the fake strand you already bought (you wouldn't have bought them otherwise), why not buy some thread, gimp and flexible wire needles and restring them yourself?
They will definitely look better. Stringing is not hard, really! And the materials are cheap enough.
See the stringing tutorials on the other pearl forum.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems I can’t thank you enough for taking so much of your time to teach a pearl newbie! The photos are especially helpful to see the comparisons of color.

Hmm, maybe I will get a whiter strand of Majorica also to compare with the cream one I just bought. I would like no longer than an 18 inch strand but 16 inch would be ideal.

Will keep you posted for sure when I get the cream strand!

And yes, I think I’m going to also get an Akoya down the line also!

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems ok, I’m thinking of getting one of these two. I’m looking to get a whiter strand of Majorica with a more rosy tone. Which one in your expertise looks better?

Number one:


Number two:

 

[pearlsngems]

The top one has one of the older style clasps. I bought one of those years ago but when it arrived I saw the coating was dull and damaged. Scraping off the coating I saw that underneath the top layer was another, shinier layer. Goes to show Majoricas are different from cheaper fakes, which don't have all those layers.
That particular strand is hopefully in better shape than mine was. If there are more photos, look at them closely. Don't buy unless returnable.



The second strand looks white in the photo. I think that one is the better bet for being in good condition and sharper luster.

The white Majoricas don't really have rosy tones in the way that pinked akoyas do. I have a pinked strand of baroque akoyas-- tomorrow when there's daylight I'll post a photo of the pinked akoyas next to my white Majoricas.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Thank you very much, yes, looking forward to seeing your Akoyas next to the Majoricas! I’m definitely hooked now—thanks for being my pearl buddy!!! So glad we were able to connect.

I’ll go ahead and purchase the 2nd strand in question. Can’t wait to show you when I get both of those strands. A girl can never have too many pearls (imitation or real!)

Btw I’ve seen some strands marked as Mallorca instead of Majorica. The Mallorca ones don’t look as good IMHO. Are they made by the same company?

 

[pearlsngems]

So true, can't have too many pearls! The trick is figuring out where to store them all....

From what I've seen Mallorca and Majorca (without the "i") are not quite as good. Same goes for Joia de Majorca. I saw Majorica side by side in the glass case with Joia de Majorca at a gift shop in a touristy shopping center a few years ago. I asked to see them. The Joia de Majorca lacked the iridescent final coating and didn't look as nice.

Also, some sellers use the term "Majorica" when listing generic imitation pearls. They don't have a Majorica clasp.

However, I am not an expert by any means on the other brands. And my only "expertise" on Majorica comes from buying so many of them! My favorites are the ones that imitate various colors of Tahitians, WSS and GSS-- especially the mixed color strands with larger pearls. Lately I don't wear white pearls nearly as often as the colored ones, whether real or fake.

 

[pearlsngems]

I didn't answer the question-- they are rival companies. Majorica is the oldest.

 

[pearlsngems]

I did not realize until I actually took these out and photographed them side by side that 2 of my modern white Majoricas having the identical type clasp (one vermeil, one sterling) are not the same exact shade of white! One is little rosier than the other one. The rosier one is the 16" strand with the vermeil clasp.

I can only conclude that there are different dye lots for the coating. As there is no way to know what the pearls will look like until you have them in your hand (or, more importantly, on your neck) this is another reason to only buy from sellers who allow returns.

Okay, here are my 9.5-10mm baroque akoyas from Pearl Paradise, which have intense orient (you see this more with baroque pearls than round ones) next to two strands of modern white 8mm Majoricas with the same clasp. Photos taken in the sunlight near my open front door.

 

[pearlsngems]

And just to show different white tones in real cultured pearls, here is a comparative shot of 3 strands-- top to bottom, (pinked) baroque akoyas, white south sea, metallic white freshwaters.
They all look white on the skin.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems thank you for the lovely photos! Really love all your strands, they are beautiful. Yes, I definitely see that the Akoyas are more pink. Interesting also to know that the Majoricas even with the “white” variety can have a big difference in their tone.

I’ll post photos for you as soon as I get both strands. Can’t wait!!!

Happy Friday and thank you again for all your help!

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems It’s here but I’m not sure it’s an authentic Majorica because it’s not marked “Majorica” anywhere on the clasp. It’s got a funny leafy sort of hallmark, and then 925, and “metall” spelled that way on the insertion that goes into the clasp (see photos above). What do you think????


As for the “pearls”, the strand has more of a pinkish tint compared to the imitation petals I bought earlier (although both seem to be equally shiny). Both weigh the same (about 0.032 g on my kitchen scale). See photo below of the “Majorica” on the left and the imitation glass beads on the right (you can tell which is which based on the clasps):


Eager to hear your thoughts! My other Majorica strand (the cream one) isn’t here yet, but will keep you posted!

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Case in point here’s a photo or a Majorica clasp I found online. Mine has the upper and bottom marks but doesn’t have the letters “Majorica” in the middle like this one does:

 

[pearlsngems]

I also have a Majorica necklace, 8mm, with a clasp marked Metall, that looks just like the following strand; it came with a Majorica box and guarantee. I've seen several of these on eBay over the years. Maybe Majorica used clasps made by Metall for a time?
I tend to think of that one as my "apricot" strand. The color is pleasingly rose/cream; the luster is just a tad softer than some of my other Majoricas.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/925-Silver-Sterling-Catch-Majorica-Faux-Pearl-Necklace-Vintage-In-Box-/333220224122?hash=item4d95791c7a:g:EaQAAOSwmpJc9FDl&nma=true&si=SM5EIhH7DULRdnPHpQ3Sq8VJwM4%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Editing to add: that necklace you just received clearly has a finer coating then the fake pearls on the right in post #44.

Edited again to ask: Do you like the color on your skin?

 

[pearlsngems]

Update on my previous post. I took out the strand I was referring to, and examined the clasp with my loupe. I was wrong, that was not the Metall one. It has 925 and PM70 on it, but not the word Majorica.
But then my 18K/750 Majorica peices don't have the word Majorica on the clasp, either.

Another update. I found 2 more of my necklaces, bought as Majorica in Majorica boxes, whose clasps only have PM70 on them. PM = Perlas Majorica, I think.

The Metall clasps... I remember now. I bought a necklace and bracelet set at a nearby flea market that had those clasps-- vermeil with a safety feature. They were nice imitation pearls that looked just like Majorica, but the seller did not have the box or certificate. I later restrung the pearls as an endless strand and set the clasps aside to use some other time.

Bottom line... I don't know for sure!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

@pearlsngems I’m very appreciative of all your time and effort in teaching a newbie. Sure, I’ll try to see if I can return them later this week. They were not very expensive at all so worst case scenario I will have paid a small tuition and came away with more knowledge, and great fun learning as I always do on this forum full of generous folks sharing their expertise!

if you like them and they didn't and they didnt break the bank why not keep them
Mrs Barbara Bush had fake pearls and rocked them !
there is a story about Queen Alexandra (that's the one married to Queen Victoria's son) she wore alot ott perals
one day a strand broke and pearls went all over the floor
the courtiers or who ever she was with where down on hands and knees and she said don't worry they were fake

also Princess Di was a dab hand at mixing real and paste jewllery

its just your's look so pretty

but its totally unacceptable if you were sold them as the genuine thing

 

[Pearlescence]

As an aside to this thread, I once had someone show me some quite good fakes and ask me if they were real pearls as she had bought them after a tour of the factory on Majorca....

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Thank you for taking the time to look! I wonder if the little squiggle I see on my clasp is supposed to be PM? (See photo below). What does the PM marking look like if it doesn’t look like the below? Would you mind sharing a photo?



It’s funny how I’m trying to figure out if I bought an imitation product of an imitation pearl company hehe. I paid $100 for the supposed Majorica strand and earrings, hope that sounds reasonable even if these are not Majoricas? The seller does have a 100% return policy. All that talk about Majoricas being the best imitation pearls makes me want a real Majorica strand!

Here’s a link to a similar pearl strand with almost the identical “Metall” clasp being sold for $14 on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/listing/651537...gallery-1-6&referring_page_type=market&cns=1#

I’m thinking now that perhaps the strand I bought is not Majorica and thus perhaps I overpaid a bit for it?

But yes, I think I like the tone. I’ll try to take some photos for you today in natural sunlight.
Also the creamy strand that IS marked Majorica is arriving today so I’ll be sure to do side by side photos.

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@Daisys and Diamonds Thanks! Yes, if it’s good enough for the Queen then perhaps good enough for me too!

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@Pearlescence I bet you were able to tell the difference right away? Although perhaps the average customer may not...Did you tell her the sad truth of her purchase? (But perhaps she, like me, was gunning for Majoricas/imitations all along and was not too disappointed?)

 

[pearlsngems]

Good news: you definitely have a Majorica! I went and looked at my other necklaces' clasps with a loupe. A 30" strand, 7mm, which was bought brand new from a jewelry store as a Christmas gift for me in 1992, has the exact same petal shaped back, the same little stamp (which is an M and another mark I can't make out) AND, the clincher, the tongue of the clasp says METALL.
In addition, I have an 18", 7mm strand with the same clasp with petal design on back that also says Metall on the tongue. Its little stamp is blurred. Perhaps the stamp shifted when it was applied?

Here is the photo of the PM70 mark from the other necklace (which I restrung with gimp, lengthening it near the clasp with pearls from another strand so as t make it a more useful length.)

 

[pearlsngems]

There is a fascinating book, People & Pearls, highly readable, which is a treasure trove of stories of famous /wealthy/ historically significant people, with lots of photos. A number of these folks owned fakes!

 

[pearlsngems]

I finally managed to get a fairly clear shot of the back of the clasp in question, and the tongue.
Oh, and look-- it has gimp. I never noticed that before.

 

[pearlsngems]

My Majorica "Nancy Pelosi" pearls

 

[Pearlescence]

@Daisys and Diamonds Thanks! Yes, if it’s good enough for the Queen then perhaps good enough for me too!

HM Queen has only real pearls. She's had the same two strands most of her life. One was a 21st present from her late father, the then King.
I'm reminded that I need to work on finding out what sort of pearls they are. Most probably naturals from UK waters

 

[Pinkmartini87]

@pearlsngems Love love love your Pelosi necklace, so beautiful!

Just got my second Majorica strand (with the silver clasp). Eager to hear your thoughts.

Pros of the silver clasp strand: I think the silver clasp older Majorica has slightly clearer reflection (I can make out my facial features in it) whereas the newer gold clasp Majorica I can see the general outline of my face but can’t make out the features.

Cons of the silver strand clasp: However, the silver clasp appears to be a bit more cream toned (and I prefer whiter with a pink tone), although I’m not sure if the difference is super noticeable under artificial light (the photo where I notice it more is the one under natural light with the two strands on my neck). Can you see the color difference? Which do you think looks better on me? Also, it’s only 15 inches, whereas the gold clasp one is 18 inches.

Here’s the two with the silver clasp one on top:


Here the silver clasp strand is on the right:


Here the silver clasp one is on the bottom:


Which one should I keep????

 

[pearlsngems]

I definitely see the differences. I think the luster and size of the shorter strand are better on you, but it definitely isn't as white as the longer strand.

If you don't love them, don't keep them. If the hunt is fun, keep hunting but be prepared to wait potentially a long time before finding the "right" size, color, length etc. for your taste. You may end up sending back a number of strands before you hit it just right. And postage spent sending back items adds up.

Or, consider buying new. This is 16", 8mm, white and the same clasp as my modern white strand, which of the two is the one with the rosier tone.
https://www.saksfifthavenue.com/majorica-8mm-white-pearl-strand-necklace-16/product/0425106989818

 

[MissStepcut]

I definitely see the differences. I think the luster and size of the shorter strand are better on you, but it definitely isn't as white as the longer strand.

If you don't love them, don't keep them. If the hunt is fun, keep hunting but be prepared to wait potentially a long time before finding the "right" size, color, length etc. for your taste. You may end up sending back a number of strands before you hit it just right. And postage spent sending back items adds up.

Or, consider buying new. This is 16", 8mm, white and the same clasp as my modern white strand, which of the two is the one with the rosier tone.
https://www.saksfifthavenue.com/majorica-8mm-white-pearl-strand-necklace-16/product/0425106989818

And Saks off 5th has this one ... https://m.saksoff5th.com/pd.jsp?pro...730608272492&P_name=Majorica&Ntt=majorica&N=0