Akoya Pearl Necklace from Midcentury

View Similar Items

Japanese Akoya Pearl Necklace 14K Gold

Double Strand Akoya Pearl Necklace, Germany

Diamond Akoya Pearl Necklace 14k Gold Certified

Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 14k W Gold Certified

Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 14k Y Gold Certified

Akoya & Tahitian Pearls Diamond Necklace 18k Gold Certified

Akoya Pearls Necklace 14k Y Gold Ball Clasp Certified

Mikimoto Estate Akoya Pearl Necklace 18k Gold Certified

Vintage Cultured Akoya Pearl Necklace Length 16" , Silver Clasp with Pearl

Akoya Pearl Diamond Double Stranded Necklace 14k Y Gold Certified

Midcentury Pearl Necklace with Jade Clasp Luxury Cultured Akoya Pearls

Yoko London Japanese Akoya Pearl Necklace on 18 Karat White Gold

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 9

Akoya Pearl Necklace from Midcentury

Name: Akoya Pearl Necklace from Midcentury
Brand: Unknown
Rating: 5 (144 reviews)

About the Item

Look at the pictures of these pearls glorious, luminous. Doesn't it appear as though I have Photoshopped them completely out of reality? The way they glow, as if they are plugged into a wall outlet. Including the 14K white gold filigree clasp, upon which rests a 4.42 mm pearl, this strand of otherworldly-beautiful pearls measures 24", which is two-feet for those of you as hobbled by basic arithmetic as I am. A two-foot strand of pearls that are just shy of 8mm each, averaging approximately 7.65 mm each. These are cultured saltwater pearls from the Pinctada fucata; more popularly known as the Akoya oyster. In the 1950s when these pearls were grown in the cold waters off the coast of Japan, cultured pearls remained in the water for a longer duration than today. Which resulted in thicker nacre. Nacre (pronounced NAY-ker) is the "pearly" exterior of the pearl and is composed of the mineral, aragonite. In the cold waters off the coast of Japan, the aragonite —the nacre— is deposited by the oyster in a tight, more compact crystal structure which results in the high lustre displayed in these vintage pearls. Early cultured pearls kind of give you the best of both worlds: the perfection of perfect (or near-perfect) roundness offered by the cultured pearl together with the thick, durable nacre of the natural pearl, which is solid nacre all the way through. These creamy-white pearls exhibit high luster with only minor surface blemishing and a lovely soft pink overtone. In many ways, this is the perfect strand of classic 7mm Akoya pearls that will go out of fashion on the same day Burmese rubies or Russian alexandrites go out of fashion, which is to say: never. Timeless, classic but definitely not boring, this lustrous strand of pearls feel luxurious to the touch. They hand around the neck with a significant and satisfying weight of 46 ¼ grams. It is soothing and calming to feel the weighty drape of these gleaming sea-gems hang from your neck, to feel the weight of the pearls through the bones in your chest. Another thing to love about pearls is not merely their "timelessness" but versatility. Name one thing a bride wears on her wedding day that she can wear the following month at the weekend farmer's market. Her dress? Her shoes? Her tiera? Yeah, no. But she can wear her pearls. She can wear them on her wedding day and then wear them on her in-search-of-rhubarb day. Pearls are appropriate when you are marring the future king of England and when you are wearing a white lab coat and telling your seven-year-old patient to stick out her tongue. I'm not going to list all the iconic women who have worn strands of cultured pearls from the 1950s because that list would fill a book. But I am going to share my opinion about why I believe cultured pearls from this era are a wise purchase. Some of today's cultured sea pearls are allowed so little time in the water to create nacre, that the nacre can actually wear away before your eyes. The result is a necklace you can't pass on to your daughter or granddaughter or anybody at all. But with a strand of pearls from the 1950s, you have an enduring treasure. This necklace might cost more than a new necklace of cultured pearls but you're getting something for those extra dollars: extra nacre. And that's going to assure that these pearls look just as beautiful on your granddaughter they do on you.

Metal:
14k Gold
Stone:
Cultured Pearl
Style:
Modern
Place of Origin:
Japan
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1950s
Condition:
Beautiful condition with no signs of damage or repair. Recently restrung on white silk cord, knotted between each pearl using the traditional pearl stringing method.
Seller Location:
Southbury, CT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU158918515581

More From This Seller

View All

Double Strand Akoya Pearl Necklace, Germany

Located in Southbury, CT

A double strand of huge, luxurious warm-toned cultured Akoya pearls -what a treasure! The most classic, timeless necklace there is: a double strand of large and fine cultured Akoya pearls in golden cream with a soft pink overtone. Akoya cultured pearls 8mm in diameter and larger are uncommon, which is why 8mm represents the dividing line between ordinary Akoya pearls and "luxury-sized" Akoya pearls. This vintage necklace features 87 pearls in two strands and the pearls measure between approximately 8.35mm to 8.93mm. The length of the inner strand is 15" while the outer strand is about an inch longer. So it wears like a 15 ½ necklace, sitting right over the hollow of your neck. The 9K yellow gold clasp is marked for J. Köhle, a German jewelry manufacturer in business since 1872. This is a weighty necklace, tipping the scales at just over 80 grams. That's a lot of weight for a 15 ½ inch necklace...

Category

Mid-20th Century German Modern Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, 9k Gold

Double Strand Akoya Pearl Necklace, Germany

$2,490

Free Shipping

Midcentury Pearl Necklace with Jade Clasp Luxury Cultured Akoya Pearls

Located in Southbury, CT

This pearl necklace features a certified jade clasp that has been certified natural and untreated. The creamy-white -almost golden- pearls average a luxurio...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Jade, Pearl, 14k Gold

Midcentury Pearl Necklace with Jade Clasp Luxury Cultured Akoya Pearls

$3,880 Sale Price

20% Off

Free Shipping

Jade Necklace Certified Untreated by Ming's Midcentury Chic

Located in Southbury, CT

This multicolor jade necklace from the 1950s or thereabouts was created by the venerable Hawaiian jewelry store, Ming's. Like Gump's in San Francisco, ...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Contemporary Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Jade, 14k Gold

Jade Necklace Certified Untreated by Ming's Midcentury Chic

$4,160 Sale Price

20% Off

Free Shipping

Akoya Pearl Necklace, Diamond Clasp, 9mm Luxury Size Pearls, circa 1980s, Iconic

Located in Southbury, CT

This is a stunning vintage pearl necklace measuring 18 inches in length and composed of 55 9mm-9.4mm round cultured Akoya pearls and finished with an 18K white gold beaded ball clasp which glitters with a multitude of small full-cut diamonds that total approximately .50 carats. The necklace was purchased in the United Kingdom but bears no hallmarks. It's very well-made and remains on its original silk, which still appears sturdy. I believe the necklace dates to the 1980s. Cultured Akoya pearls over 8mm in diameter are the most coveted of all Akoya pearls because fine ones are difficult to achieve. The longer a pearl remains inside the oyster the thicker the nacre and larger it grows but the greater the opportunity for any number of variables to come along and spoil the pearl. These large 9-9.4mm pearls are luminous and stunning: they are creamy-white with a soft pink overtone. The pearls possess a nice, sharp shine. This 18" necklace truly represents the quintessential cultured Akoya pearl necklace...

Category

20th Century Unknown Modern Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold

Akoya Pearl Necklace, Diamond Clasp, 9mm Luxury Size Pearls, circa 1980s, Iconic

$4,300 Sale Price

30% Off

Free Shipping

Akoya Pearl Necklace 20", Sumptuous & Luxurious, Uncultured Quality, Circa 1940

Located in Southbury, CT

If I had a daughter, these are the pearls I would buy her. Well, the first pearls anyway. Why? Because this 20" strand is everything a pearl necklace should be: composed of eighty-se...

Category

Mid-20th Century Japanese Art Deco Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, Silver

Akoya Pearl Necklace 20", Sumptuous & Luxurious, Uncultured Quality, Circa 1940

$3,080 Sale Price

20% Off

Free Shipping

Jade Necklace Apple Green Certified Untreated Burmese Jadeite

Located in Southbury, CT

A spectacular certified natural and untreated jadeite jade necklace in variegated apple green. 107 hand-carved and polished light apple green jade beads...

Category

20th Century Unknown Modern Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Jade, 14k Gold

Jade Necklace Apple Green Certified Untreated Burmese Jadeite

$4,870

Free Shipping

21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Japanese Akoya Pearl Necklace 14K Gold

$2,250

Free Shipping

Diamond Akoya Pearl Necklace 14k Gold Certified

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Fine Quality Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 18" 14k Gold 6.5 mm Certified $5,950 117515 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry! Nothing says, “I Love you” more than ...

Category

2010s American Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Diamond Akoya Pearl Necklace 14k Gold Certified

$1,791 Sale Price

20% Off

Free Shipping

Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 14k W Gold Certified

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Fine Quality Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 24.5" 14k W Gold 8.5 mm Certified $14,950 221250 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry! Nothing says, “I Love you” more ...

Category

2010s American Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, Gold

Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 14k W Gold Certified

$3,160 Sale Price

20% Off

Free Shipping

Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 14k Y Gold Certified

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Fine Quality Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 32-34" 14k Y Gold 8 mm Certified $14,750 221272 This is a Unique Custom Made Glamorous Piece of Jewelry! Nothing says, “I Love you” more t...

Category

2010s American Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, Gold

Akoya Pearl Diamond Necklace 14k Y Gold Certified

$3,032 Sale Price

20% Off

Free Shipping

Akoya & Tahitian Pearls Diamond Necklace 18k Gold Certified

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Akoya & Tahitian Pearls Diamond Necklace 53.5" 18k Gold 13.50 mm Certified $ 11,975 216998 Nothing says, “I Love you” more than Diamon...

Category

2010s American Beaded Necklaces

Materials

Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold

Akoya & Tahitian Pearls Diamond Necklace 18k Gold Certified

$3,160 Sale Price

20% Off

Free Shipping

Akoya Pearls Necklace 14k Y Gold Ball Clasp Certified

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Fine Quality Akoya Pearls Necklace 38" 14k Y Gold Ball Clasp 8.52 mm $8,790 216205 Custom Made Designer Flapper Japanese Akoya Pearl! This is a Unique Cus...

Category