Are these real pearls, or cultured or plastic?

[PearlsMaybe]

Hi,

I wondered if anybody might know if these are plastic pearls or cultured or real?

They are from an elderly relative, who has only costume jewellery. I don't wear jewellery at all but thought I'd better ask.

Thanks!

Run your front teeth gently over them. Real pearls will feel gritty.

They look like plastic to me, very uniform, but if you rub one lightly on a tooth does it feel smooth or rough?

Just gently put a pearl between your front teeth and move your teeth over the surface. If they feel “gritty” they are real! If they’re real, they’re fab and have value.

Fake pearls will feel glassy smooth. Being vintage, they will still have value but not so much.

There are usually knots between the pearls closest to the clasp if they’re real so that’s an indicator they’re probably not

Thank you very much. They are definitely smooth. Some of them have a ridge that goes right round the middle. I think they must be plastic. Probably for the best.

Thank you very much.

They look like a set Mil gave me before she died, she thought they were real, i went to get them restrung and the jeweller said they were costume, i was none the wiser tbf, my dd wore them at her wedding, ive not said to anybody they are not real.

Smooth with a ridge- plastic
Gritty no ridge- cultured real
Your relative was a multi-millionaire- natural real

Genuine pearls have a knot tied between each one. They tend to be a more antique colour and are less uniform and have 9 carat or higher clasps. You can buy genuine pearls on eBay with 9 carat gold clasps for not toouch money if you wanted some genuine ones. I bought a pre used genuine set of pearls for my God Daughter to gift her at her christening.

i know many very wealthy people who wear costume jewelry.

That's good to know that wealthy people wear costume jewellery. It must be so much easier not to have to worry about losing things or damaging them.

I’m not suggesting they don’t. My point is that three strings of large natural pearls like that would cost hundreds of thousands (a single pearl can cost thousands) so they’re not the sort of thing anyone but the very rich would have. Easiest way to tell the difference between cultured and natural 😂 because otherwise it’s not really possible with the naked eye.

Yes and no - I have both expensive knotted and inexpensive non-knotted necklaces!

The "BEC" tag seems to be for "B.E. Cook" jewellery from the 1960s, so whilst it may not be hugely valuable it may be they are collectible?

Do the fake ones have 9 carat clasps?

If you mean cultured pearls, yes to 9ct gold findings. I have a mixture of natural and cultured strings and earrings of varying sizes!

My only set of faux pearls were my grannies and they still smell of her perfume ten years later as I only open the box occasionally to smell it!

I think that is where costume jewellry originated amongst the wealthy because the expensive stuff didnt come out very often,

That makes sense tbh. I am not wealthy and if I went about wearing pearls, people would be wonderng what on earth I was thinking. I'm more of a socks and sandals kind of person.

If they feel cold to the touch they are more likely to be coated glass, especially if they are several decades old.

I think they must be a bit like these. They are also BEC pearls.

https://www.libertyinlove.co.uk/products/triple-pearl-elegance-necklace-silver?variant=55202167357826&currency=GBPkendall_source%3Dgoogle&kendall_campaign=%7Bcampaignid%7D&kendall_adid=%7Bcreative%7D

The brand seems to be Bijoux BEC BE Cook

The webpages says that necklace is warm ivory Swarovski pearls