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Akoya Pearl Double Strand Necklace with Gold & Diamond Clasp Pristine Midcentury

About the Item

This 16" strand of vintage cultured Akoya pearls features large and luminous pearls. 8.31mm, 8.24mm, 8.19mm, 8.04mm, 8.29mm, 8.43mm, 8.51mm: these are measurements I took of the pearls at random. In the world of cultured Akoya pearls, 8mm is the delineating mark; 8mm and larger are considered "luxury" pearls because of the time and risk involved in culturing pearls this large. The longer a pearl stays in the water, the thicker the nacre but the greater the chances for malformation. With this strand, we have the ideal: uniform, round pearls with thick nacre, and gorgeous luminosity, but without the pits and surface imperfections, we often see in pearls of this size and vintage. The vast majority of Akoya pearls are 6mm and 7mm. All of these pearls are 8mm and well beyond. If the classic 16" length feels too short for you, it's easy for your jeweler to add a bit of length by having the pearls restrung with double knots and French wire. In this way, you can transform this into a 17" necklace. This necklace, created in the 1950s, features two strands of 75 top-quality cultured Akoya pearls in a near-ivory tone without any evidence of pinking, the dying process the vast majority of cultured Akoya pearls undergo to give them a light pink blush. These pearls lack that artificial tint. The clasp is measures 23mm x 19.47 and was hand-fabricated. The clasp is formed into the shape of a flower with six small, full-cut diamonds prong-set in the center Interestingly, the diamonds are of far better quality than such small stones on a necklace clasp need to be. They are near-colorless (G-I) and clean (VS2). Together they weigh .25 carats. The clasp is unmarked but tests as 14K. This is the ultimate classic double-strand cultured Akoya necklace. The pearls gleam and shine and are nearly blemish-free for pearls of this era. Their thick nacre makes them both more durable and beautiful than many contemporary pearls. I remember about ten years ago, women avoided pearls. "Yeah, those are for grandma, not me." But in the last five years, there has been an explosive embrace of pearls. Even retro necklaces like this are no longer seen as dowdy but as iconic and fantastic, especially when layered with still more pearls. So whether you are young and creating your own style and exploring ways to make vintage pearls like these your own, or whether you are a classicist and you appreciate the meticulous perfection of a double strand of 8mm-plus Akoya pearls, this is a necklace many different people can incorporate into their lives and jewelry wardrobe and I love that. These pearls will literally never go out of style. An iconic strand of luxury-sized Akoya pearls with a chunky gold and diamond clasp. Many people would consider this a mic drop.
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