Two-Row Akoya Pearl Necklace with Antique Sapphire & Diamond Clasp

Ever since Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in producing cultured pearls of unprecedented quality at the beginning of the 20th century, pearl necklaces have become true jewelry classics. For some ladies, pearls were so much a part of their wardrobe that they were hardly prepared to leave the house without them. Margaret Thatcher, for example, is said to have refused to be photographed without her double-row pearl necklace and angrily exclaimed: "Not without my pearls!" This double-row pearl necklace from the last third of the 20th century shines in the warm luster of 116 saltwater cultured pearls - the type of pearl also known as Akoya pearls, which were invented by Mikimoto. Their color is a warm off-white with a delicate pink overlay. Only slight growth marks on the surface of the pearls testify to their formation in the shell, and each pearl is slightly different. The luster of the pearls is very good, their shape consistently very round. These are very high-quality pearls. The two rows of individually knotted pearls are closed by a sparkling silver and gold clasp set with small diamonds and an approximately half-carat cabochon-cut sapphire. The clasp is older than the necklace. It was created in the first decades of the 20th century. The Akoya pearls were added at a later date. The necklace has been restrung and is in a very good condition.

Estimate:$2,125.38

View all items fromHofer AntikschmuckorJewelry & Gems