Featured Striking necklace but what is it made of?

What do you think? Frosted quartz or frosted glass chunks? The necklace is 21.5" long (not including clasp) and weighs in at 5 ounces. The largest 'chunk' is 7/8" high with a 3/4" diameter at the widest part. The large beads are satiny and somewhat faceted. Some are nice and clear while others look a little rough. Looks like this is probably studio/artisan made; I couldn't find anything real similar online; it does not have any markings. I of course was dearly hoping the gold beads and clasp were solid gold (hahahahahahhaha) :O) I think they are at least gold plated/filled. Does this style look familiar to anyone? Can you name that artisan as well as the stone (if it is stone)? Do you think older/vintage or more recent? Thanks as always for looking!

 

Oooops, the order of the photos got rearranged when I changed the last one (now the first one) to full image.

 

I donno, but it is scrumptious!

 

I know, right?

 

The stones look like quartz crystal,there is nothing consistent with the shape of the rondelles and larger pieces.Probably hand cut in India at some time.

 

Thanks Hollyblue, and yes they were definitely not precision engineered. Adds to their charm I think. Thanks all!

 

looks like glass dipped in acid to make them frosted

 

Stunning necklace!
The style of the closure looks 1910-1920. The geometric designs and frosting look very Art Deco, like frosted Lalique glass, etc. This would fit in with the period of the closure, after all,the famous Paris Art Deco exhibition was originally planned for 1915, but was postponed till 1925 because of WWII.

 

I'm with it being frosted glass, but take a close look with a loupe. Clasp is European, sort of 1930s into 40s. Nice thing.

 

Years ago I sold a necklace with the same clasp, which used to belong to my French great-grandmother, who died ca. 1920. That is how I came up with the date being before 1920.
Maybe a French style which spread elsewhere in the 1930's?

 

I'll take a closer look at the 'stones'. Some of them do have internal imperfections (which I'm not sure is damage or natural) and some small rough spots on the outside. I may take it to a jeweler; I have a couple of other things I'd like to get verified also. Thanks again!

 

Yeah, that frosting is sort of getting in the way of a good visual ID; but it's so pretty!

 

How long is the necklace? If it's meant to sit around the neck and it's really old it'll be 16 inches or shorter. Longer means newer. There were pretty French pieces made back in the 20s that are only 13 inches long, and they were made for adults.

It looks like frosted glass rather than stone from here, at least the smaller beads are. If they're quartz you could have a serious prize on your hands. The clasp doesn't necessarily mean much; clasps get reused and this design could be 70s as easily as 20s. That foldover safety could be even newer, come to think. It's definitely been restrung at least once if it's old; the cordage looks more 80s than 20s. The frosted glass donut shaped beads, toroid to be technical, could be any old age; you can still get similar ones.

 

It is 21.5" long (not including the clasp). It does look like it's strung on filament; I was wondering about that too...and I like the term 'toroid' :O). I wish I knew enough to even know that...thanks for your input! I think I will definitely need to get some real life eyes on it.

 

Definitely. If that's clear fishing line stuff, it was strung in the 50s at the earliest and probably 60s or later.

 

The clasp could well be 20s and I'd certainly agree on French. I'd also agree it might have been reworked. Those big beads are more typical of a sautoir or even a flapper necklace. The fact that the beads aren't uniform isn't against them being glass: handworked ones often aren't.

 

These look deliberate; I've made necklaces the same way.

 

Just an update...I was able to get this tested...on visual inspection the jeweler said it was quartz and that testing would be $5.00. I plunked down my 5; he looked and sounded a little surprised when it tested out harder than quartz (it was up there with emeralds and other hard gems) and confirmed that it is quartz crystal. Said it was very nicely made and that if he were selling it he would be looking for $200+; but that it could be more than that in the right sales venue. He could not give me any input as far as the clasp/age/artisan of the piece but implied that this information could be found with much research (for a price I am sure). Yay!! That was exciting; I'm glad I had it tested!! Thanks again to all for your input!

 

Yay !!!

 

Its always nice when a search turns NICE!!!! Good luck with it.