1980's "Import" Necklace?

Another piece from that "box under the basement stairs". 20" long, crafted of three strands twisted together. The beads look and feel like hematite but the entire weight FEELS too light (my gram scale is in need of a battery). Any suggestions as to what else they may be?

The white "baroque pearl" wanna-bees feel like glass -is that a possibility? There are no marks/markings that I can locate. Does that cheesy clasp give any hints as to the age, or are we just looking at standard 1980's issue?

 

WOW.......haven't seen a clasp like that in DECADES!!!!!!!!! Can't help otherwise !

 

Just curious but . . . when describing the clasp as "cheesy" were you referring to the appearance of the "casing/cover" on the clasp or the form of the "mechanism" which "works" the clasp or the "clasp" as a whole?

 

Are the dark beads red or black, I can't tell on my computer, they look reddish.
This looks like a slight vintage -modern onyx or glass and rice pearl twist bead necklace. The beads may be natural, a substitute, or glass...would need to be tested to be sure.
My guess is 1980's or so.
Be sure to check very carefully on the sides of the clasp for a mark, if there is one, they are notoriously small on clasps like these.

 

YES!

Actually, the "Hook" portion of the clasp is just "stamped out" with rather roughly finished (or unfinished as it may be) edges. I went over it with a loop and nada in the marks department.

And it is one of those needlessly complicated things - you have to hook the end in, twist/turn it about to get in all the way inside the female part and then it snaps in with "pressure".

 

Just wanted to elaborate on the clasp. These are still made and used today. The way you have it closed isn't fully correct. I apologize if you know this but after it's hooked as you show it you push the two pieces together so the forked part pushes into the other, where it closes tight.

 

You beat me to it.

 

The "dark" beads are the same deep gray colour and finish of of hematite (I have a lot of hematite). They LOOK like hematite, but feel much lighter. The rice pearl beads are all identical, no variations at all. On the other hand the gold-tone beads that flank the "pearl" beads look like nice quality, not too "cheap". I forgot to mention that the beads are strung (no knots) on cord - not nylon, that looks like cat gut or like its waxed. The cords terminate inside one of the gold-tone beads with no visible knots or trailing ends. I can't get closed enough to feel the cord.

I don't know - I get mixed feeling about this piece - it has some contradictions in quality and materials (and of course the only experience I have is with very current designer jewellery). I guess that's why I even brought it here. If someone told me it was a mediocre fashion import from the 80's I'd agree. BUT............

 

Yeah! And thank you for putting it in so few, but concise words, as opposed to my poor attempt that ate up a zillion words and STILL didn't spew out what I was trying to say............

 

Did anyone suggest rubbing the pearls against your teeth yet? Real pearls have a slight sandpapery feel.
I saw a lot of these necklaces in the 1970's. They were often a mix of real and fake stones, and made in China, I think. The clasps were always goldtone, not gold.

 

Yeah, I do have some experience with pearls and dese ain't does. You can look a the clasp and intuit that it is gold-tone and not gold - or even plated.

Thanks All!