Delicate Natural Saltwater Pearl Necklace with a Diamond Clasp, c. 1920s

“Which was the first precious stone that fascinated mankind? Possibly the pearl, in that its beauty was immediately apparent when the mollusk was opened, for it needed neither cutting nor polishing, and its discovery was probably incidental to the search for food.” – Francis Stopford, The Romance of the Jewel, London 1920. Before the widespread use of cultured pearls, pearl necklaces were among the most precious items a lady could possess in her jewelry box, for each pearl required a dive to the ocean floor. As late as 1894, the women’s magazine Bazar reported on this: “It often takes a long time to gather enough pearls to assemble a necklace of uniform pearls. For example, it took five years before the beautiful pearl necklace that Emperor Frederick, as Crown Prince, presented to his young wife as a wedding gift was completed.” The pearl necklace presented here consists of these highly sought-after natural saltwater pearls, known as Orient pearls. The pearls are delicate in size and finely matched. They are cream-colored, with some featuring a delicate pink overtone. They are graduated in a pattern and fastened with an elegant white gold clasp in the distinctive style of the 1920s. The clasp is shield-shaped and set with diamonds. This classic piece of jewellery came to us from Vienna. We had it restrung.

Estimate:$1,338.2

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