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Pearl Pendant in 12 Gold
Sterling + Akoya Pearl Necklace
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Old Cut Diamond
Pearl Pendant in 12 Gold
Sterling + Akoya Pearl Necklace
$3,480per set
£2,635.78per set
€3,027.10per set
CA$4,876.62per set
A$5,301.87per set
CHF 2,811.06per set
MX$63,555.94per set
NOK 35,727.08per set
SEK 32,730.86per set
DKK 22,623.73per set
About the Item
We acquired this extraordinary pendant from an antique jewelry dealer in New Zealand.
Sort of a hybrid between a garland and a wreath, it boasts at least 1.7 carats in old cut diamonds plus eight pearls, all meticulously set from its hinged bale to its hinged diamond "tail."
The enhancer bale is split in the back so that it can be worn with pearls. To that end, we're including a gorgeous 16" strand of 5.5 to 6mm Akoya saltwater pearls. We had these pearls strung specifically for this pendant, and to give the necklace a more contemporary feel, the pearls have been fully knotted in black silk, which we think really pops with the oxidized face of the pendant. The closure is a 14 karat white gold pearl clasp.
WEIGHTS
MEASUREMENTS:
Pendant Length: 2"
Pendant Width (at widest point): 1-1/8"
Pendant Weight: 7.15 grams
Necklace Length: 16" (See below for more information about these pearls)
Total Weight (pearl necklace + pendant): 17 grams
Diamonds: 54 stones ranging from 1.2mm to 3.9mm for a total estimated diamond weight of 1.73 carats. More information on the diamonds is provided below.
Pearls (Pendant): Eight pearls ranging from 3.5mm to 5.6mm for a total estimated pearl weight of 0.59 grams (0.157 momme). More information on the pearls is provided below.
METALS
PENDANT AGE:
We think this pendant probably dates from the late 19th or very early 20th century. While the pearls and the diamonds provide clues, the big tipoff is the fact that the stones are set in a thin layer of silver soldered onto 14 karat gold. This technique -- a thin layer of white metal (platinum was also used after around 1870) -- was used until white gold came into general use in the mid- to late 1910s. The distinctive black metal finish is nothing more than generations of the silver's natural oxidization.
THE DIAMONDS:
The diamonds on this piece predate the proliferation of bright white and clean South African diamonds, so compared to more modern diamonds, they seem darker and have more inclusions. However, for the period, they're completely typical and even somewhat impressive because of their faceting. Cutting very small stones by hand is extremely difficult, so it's not uncommon to see tiny stones on antique pieces with just a few facets, and even those look uneven and random. No such excuses for our pendant! Even the very smallest diamonds have been faceted to a recognizable cut. The larger stones have early full cuts (old Euro cuts or English round cuts) -- very deep and with very small tables plus visible culets. The smaller stones look to us like Swiss cuts with perhaps one extra round of faceting along the crown. Only three of the stones have the minimalist single cut (16 facets). They're still obviously cut by hand, but they were definitely cut by someone with a lot of skill.
Note that the pendant was appraised in 2022 by a New Zealand appraiser who estimated a total diamond weight of 1.99 carats with colors ranging from G to H and clarity ranging from SI to I. Our results were slightly different -- a little less weight and a little lower color.
We've mapped out every single stone on this pendant, estimated each weight, looked for chips and possible replacements, and assigned a clarity rating. If you would like a copy of this analysis, let us know, but we can summarize our findings below:
Total # stones: 54
Total estimated weight: 1.73 carats
Size range: 1.2mm to 3.9mm
Cuts:
18 - old Euro or English round cuts (1.22 carats)
33 - modified Swiss cuts (0.49 carats)
3 - single cuts (0.02 carats)
Color: H to J
Clarity: SI to I
Settings: Bezel (2), pavé (42), pronged basket (10)
Four of the diamonds may be replacements or have been reset.
We found three stones with small chips (visible only under a loupe).
THE PEARLS:
We showed this pendant to our pearl dealer, George Hajjar (owner of Seven Seas Pearls with offices in Los Angeles and Germany). He is a recognized saltwater pearl expert and his initial impression of the eight pearls on this necklace is that, given the age of the pendant and their appearance, some might actually be natural, which is to say not cultured, which is to say the nacre that makes the pearl is not built up around a bead that has been manually introduced into the mollusk or oyster. The descriptor "natural" is thrown around quite a lot, but the vast majority of pearls - saltwater (Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian) or freshwater - are cultured. With antique jewelry, dealers frequently assume that if the piece is old, the pearls must be natural, but culturing techniques have been around much longer than most people realize, and the only way to be sure is to x-ray the pearl.
Lacking an x-ray machine, however, we'll take George Hajjar any day. He said he can't be 100% certain, but he thinks at least three of the pearls are, in fact, natural. (Interestingly, there was a time when natural pearl production ran neck-and-neck with cultured pearls, so jewelers would use both depending on their size and color requirements). Natural or cultured, he says they are all Akoya (Japanese saltwater) in origin.
The pearl strand that comes with the necklace consists of vintage pearls, destrung from a 1940's-1950s necklace we acquired in 2023. We have a lot of pearls, but we chose this particular parcel because we think the color match is good and the size is just right. As is our habit, we showed the pearls to George and he judged them to be good quality Akoya with excellent nacre, good luster, low to moderate surface flaws, good near-round to round shape, and good color.
The pendant and pearl strand can be worn separately, but removing the pendant from the pearl strand should be done carefully as the bale has a pointy tip!
- Metal:
- Stone:
- Stone Cut:
- Weight:1.73 ct
- Dimensions:Height: 1.97 in (50 mm)Width: 1.15 in (29 mm)Length: 15.99 in (406 mm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1880
- Condition:Replacements made: We think four of the stones might be replacements or have been reset.
- Seller Location:Sherman Oaks, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: FD05341stDibs: LU1673123569602
About the Seller
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