Featured Italian red coral necklace

Bought this a little while back. And the strings were so frayed they look like muliple spiderwebs holding this together. Than without warning a string broke. I took the piece to a local jeweler friend and had him restring the whole necklace. When I picked it up I saw that he added these tiny little 10k gold beads. In my opinion this takes just a tad away from it being authentic. So my question is, did he do wrong or better for the value?

Base on other post I have stalked in here, I am putting this piece ca.1910 by the clasp. Do I get an “gold star” . I know the clasp came out even a bit before that, but Im guesstamating.

 

He may have added the gold beads to protect the coral ones from rubbing against the metal rings on the clasp.

 

Most likely, as long as they don't have sharp edges like a lot of those bitty gold beads; those would tend to eat thread. I don't think it matters. I've always associated those sport ring clasps with the mid 30s and maybe late 20s. (call it 1927-1935) But who knows. They turn up on later pieces too. Spring rings of course go well back into the 19th century, but the ones without the little nub are later.

 

Think the beads are there to hide little knots where bead cord was tied off on bead tips needed to attach the strands to the anchors on the clasp. The drill holes in the branch coral segments are probably too small for the purpose.

 

Nice multi-strand necklace, Marco, very elegant.
Most Mediterranean branch coral necklaces of this nice old colour and sheen are 1930s, this one is as well imo. Here in Europe that clasp was already around in the 19th century, but used in the early decades of the 20th century as well.

This is the way jewelers often re-string necklaces like this.
Someone who collects old and antique jewellery would solve it in a more traditional way, either hidden the knots in old beads that look more like the clasp, or in what we would call 'lakbolletjes' or 'ingelakt', using a red lacquer to attach the knots to small round beadcaps of the appropriate metal. I'm sure there is a term for that in English. That way you wouldn't get frayed ends either.
If you ever go to the Netherlands, take it to a jeweler who sells traditional Dutch jewellery, they still use the old methods for old coral necklaces.

The fact that it is now on sturdy cord is a bonus for many people. It is wearable, and you don't have to worry about it falling apart.

 

Lovely job and not that unauthentic. I've seen coral on Sardinia done with wee gold beads like that. If anything, you've enhanced it - and I'd agree late 19th/early 20th.