Any Pearl experts?

I’m not normally a pearl person but I fell for these today.
They have a slightly unusual clasp as it is flat. Stamped 925.
They are very slightly pink in colour, and slightly iridescent that doesn’t come across in the photos. Knots between each bead on thread of some sort. They are gritty against my teeth so I *think* they are real as they feel quality but not sure. Can anyone tell me if this flat clasp dates them or identifies a maker or if they are pretty generic?.

 

They are real pearls, but Chinese cultured freshwater
Quality anyway, as they are well matched and the shape is even

 

LOVE IT !!! ... Joy.

 

Interesting link about freshwater pearls:
https://www.purepearls.com/pages/freshwater-pearls-grading

 

Thankyou, I was hoping they were real.
Are they modern ( as in very recent?) Or end of 20thC?

 

Thankyou. So do I!. I never normally stop and look at pearls but they have a lovely lustre to them. I may give them to my mother for her birthday as she is a real pearl wearer!

 

If you don't mind me adding to this thread, how do you tell the difference between vintage genuine pearls and new cultivated ones? I have these two necklace/bracelet sets with real pearls and sterling clasps, but I don't know if they're newer or older.

 

Newer... the vintage ones were rice shaped, called Biwa, after there were "potato" shaped then roundish, baroque, ringed.
For now there are more and more beautiful examples, with shiny lustre, not only the heavily dyed "beads"

 

The first set is newer Chinese freshwater pearls; it has brand spanking new hardware despite the Deco influence. The second set has 50s clasps on it, making them older. I'd be checking those for authenticity however, since they don't look knotted and do look like glass.

 

Thank you! Hard to tell from the pics, but the second set is knotted. Rough against the teeth as well.

 

Kyra, would you say mine are new too?

 

I’d say recent, because of the oval shape and good lustre.
Forgot to say they don't come directly from the farm, they were threaded with french bullion at the junction with the clasp.
Hobbyist or artisan made the necklace

 

Poorly cast silver in the top photo,looks like less than cheap costume jewelry.

 

Sorry, not sure how that ended up in your quote!

 

Sometimes photos make things look worst than they actually are...

 

They truly aren't that bad in real life, at least not bad enough that I wouldn't feel compelled to ask about their value. I had to increase the exposure and sharpness on the photo because it was originally too dark to see the finer details.

 

The second one also appears to be modern......... https://www.pearlclasp.com/single-strand-silver-box-pearl-clasp/

 

The only definitive way of telling "wild" pearls from cultured is to X ray them.