This simple and elegant necklace features a round cultured Japanese Akoya pearl set on a yellow gold bail, accented with a small single-cut diamond. The cultured pearl has a subtle pink overtone and a beautiful orient. Perfect necklace for your vintage collection!
Pearls have a long history, first mentioned in 2,206 BCE by a Chinese writer. These organic gemstones are created by living creatures, not in the Earth. Originating in water, pearls can come from freshwater and saltwater mollusks, and they are closely linked to myths and legends involving water. The silky luster and glow of pearls often resemble the moon, which many cultures associate with them. Victorians believed pearls symbolized purity, the Japanese thought they were tears of mermaids, and the Persians believed they formed when a rainbow touched the Earth. The legends are numerous, including the famous story of Cleopatra dissolving a giant pearl into her wine and drinking it to prove to Marc Anthony she could consume an entire population's riches in one meal.
The necklace is in very good vintage condition with minimal signs of wear. The surface of the pearl, the nacre, is nice and thick and does not have any scuff marks or scratches. The chain is stamped '14K' and hallmarked 'LGL'.
It measures 16 inches long, the pearl is 5 mm, the diamond is 1 mm, and the necklace weighs 0.85 grams. The box is for display purposes only.
