ID help with beaded gem necklace

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to find out what the beads of this necklace are made of. I know the lighting in the photos isn't the best, but the colors are depicted accurately. The large beads have a very light olive yellow hue to them and the smaller beads have a gray hue to them. The necklace weighs about 115 grams. The necklace has a price tag that says $336 which seems really overpriced to me. My mom was the one who purchased it many years ago. I'm not sure if the necklace was made with expensive stones or if the original seller just overcharged for the necklace.

Thank you for the help

 

The little guys are probably smoky quartz. The big ones.... the images have too much yellow in them to be sure. I'd take another shot in natural daylight on a white background. They're probably quartz beads too, with a sterling clasp. A $300 price tag on this was ambitious, to put it mildly.

 

Size of the faceted stones?And a side view of the stones.

 

Ok, thank you for the help. I will upload another photo taken in the sunlight tomorrow.

 

They are about 7/8" long and 5/8" at the widest point.

 

Was your mom a craft show shopper? When I see something that would be within my limited skills to make with a price tag like that, crafts fair comes to mind. You say photos are accurate for color. If so, citrine & smoky quartz, subject to revision if new pix show different color.

 

I cannot say if she was for sure, but I wouldnt be suprised. She collected all kinds of jewelry ranging from costume to designer and fine jewelry. She did have quite a few homemade pieces like this. I have been helping my dad sort through everything. At this point I have realized that there isn't much of a resale market for pieces like this, but the price tag made me think twice about this one.

 

The resale on craft show pieces generally isn't that hot. I've made more than my fair share of jewelry and could about break even on materials if I sold it ... and that's as new pieces. Resale? I'd guess about ten cents on the dollar, for most beadwork. Precious metal things might do better.

 

Thanks for the information. The number on the tag was so suprising, so I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't overlooking something special. Maybe the "336" on the tag is some type of ID number the original seller put on the necklace because I don't think it could have sold for that much if it is made of citrine and smokey quartz.

 

I agree, a craft piece, maybe 1990s. I'm sure it looks very elegant when worn. Is the clasp sterling?

 

Those cut stones - I'd think citrine - look as though they came from a far older piece.

 

I don't know, those are still being sold in jewellery craft shops.

 

I’m not sure about the metal purity. It’s unstamped, and I haven’t gotten around to testing it. It hasn’t been polished as far as I know, but it’s still nice and shiny. I don’t know if the lack of tarnishing indicates anything?

 

Toggle clasp is also available at your friendly neighborhood beading supply shop. Haven't bought one in at least 10 years, but they were not more than $5 then. Think they're like all the inexpensive silver spacer beads & bead caps, generically (probably incorrectly) termed 'Bali silver'. Guessing it was new when mom bought it.

 

My thoughts too. I would expect a tiny "925" somewhere on that clasp if sterling.

If a craft piece, can be a bit hard to resell, but agree it has a pretty look.

 

You know a lot of what is sold through high end retail shops could be described as craft show pieces. I have seen somethings sold through mail order catalogs that I have picked up at wholesale shows and sell for 1/3 what the mail orders ask. Even the same brands.
I think you have to look at where your mother shopped. She very well could have paid that price.
Many of these pieces could be described as craft show pieces.
https://www.sundancecatalog.com/category/handmade+jewelry/handmade+necklaces.do
https://www.novica.com/jewelry/necklaces/beaded/over-$200/

You might want to investigate this
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=lemon+citrine+necklace&FORM=QBIR

 

That is a great point! I have also noticed similar pieces in a few retail catalogs and even in some boutique stores. I believe I saw QVC selling pieces that fall into the craft show style in the past. Necklaces like these seem like they were pretty trendy in the mid 2000s.

 

the mid 2000's........... is 2050............we ain't there yet..!

 

I guess early 2000s would have been a better way to put it as in somewhere around 2003 - 2007. That is what I meant!

 

Of course you did !
We're just not so far into the 2000's , that we can use the early , mid and late to make a time reference.
If some one said your prize was made in the mid 1900's .... you'd never consider they meant 1905 !

Just sayin....