I think you are probably correct in surmising that the strand worn by Princess Marie Chantal has cultivated pearls, Alex. Necklaces with large pearls of the same size are a modern trend but, of course, that does not prove that the pearls are cultivated. As we all know, graduated pearls were the fashion in former times (except for dog collars). One easily identifiable necklace of large natural, graduated pearls is that of the Duchess of Windsor - see http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2007/magnificent-jewels-n08371/lot.364.html The Duchess had a second pearl necklace of slightly larger cultivated pearls but these were not uniform in size either. Scroll down to see a close up of the two necklaces http://www.jewelsdujour.com/2014/02/the-duchess-of-windsors-pearls/ I cannot think of another necklace, known to have natural pearls, which has large pearls of similar size.
--Previous Message-- : I was indeed referring to natural, ie not : cultured versus cultured pearls. Natural : pearl necklaces command very high prices : again these days and large size round pearls : such as the Crown Princess's are very rare : as far as I know. : I don't think a natural pearl necklace of : this size, with such wonderfully round and : perfectly matched pearls exists, or ever : existed, for that matter. I would love to : have more opinions on this, but this is my : understanding. : : --Previous Message-- : Alex, I am not sure whether you were : referring : to natural pearls or to genuine cultivated : pearls. : I would be very surprised if these were not : real, but I also suspect that they are : cultivated. What I am fairly confident about : is that they are South Sea pearls. The : colour and size indicate this, as does the : type of lustre, unfortunately not seen to : advantage in these photographs. : Nevertheless, I acknowledge that it is : difficult to gauge these things unless they : can be inspected in person. Some of the : pearls do not seem to be perfectly round, : but this is difficult to judge without a : close up photo, and does not necessarily : indicate that these are natural. Matching a : long rope of such large pearls would take : time, even for cultivated pearls. Strands : which can be divided are a specialty of : Paspaley, the company which has the largest : cultivated pearl farms in Australia, : although other jewellery firms can do : similar joins. : This link shows how the pearls can be : divided or lengthened : : http://www.paspaley.com/pearls/-pearls-our-promise : About the pearls : http://www.paspaley.com/pearls/virtues : and : for strands : http://www.paspaley.com/collection/strands : Other firms also produce and sell very large : pearls so these do not necessarily have to : be from Paspaley. : It is also possible that the pearls are : natural. Natural pearls are still found : today, and there was a very large pearl : industry in North Queensland and near Darwin : in the Northern Territory (Australia) in the : nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, : long before cultivation commenced. Once : someone becomes accustomed to the lustre of : good South Sea pearls, he/she is rarely a : devotee of other types of white pearls. : I believe that the large pearl necklaces : worn by Crown Princess Mary and Princess : Benedikte of Denmark are South Sea pearls. I : think the Duchess of Gloucester also has : one. : : --Previous Message-- : I would be very surprised if those were : natural pearls - they seem much too big to : be so... : : --Previous Message-- : CP Marie Chantal is a multimilionaire, : please : be sure her jewelry is definatelly very : real...and certainly very expensive... : She has worn those long diamond earrings : before, looking at the size of the stones : I'm sure they must be quite expensive. : : At the CP weeding in Denmark : : : At a more recent event : : : If I am not mistaken the earrings can be : arranged in diferent combinations of : diamonds and size. : : At the prewedding of the Astúrias couple in : 2004 she wore earrings with huge canary : diamonds. : : She also has her fabulous pearl sautoir, : that can be worn as such, or divided into : smaller necklaces and/bracelets. At the time : of her wedding I read it was a gift from her : father, and that such valuable natural pearl : necklaces could cost up to 1-3 million : dollars...(he naturally could afford it). : : As a long sautoir : : : As a smaller pearl necklace and two : bracelets : : : She also has worns several other diamond : earrings in recent times : : : : : : : : (credits to Getty images) : : : : : : : : --Previous Message-- : Arthur posted a nice picture of her at the : Golden Wedding. : Her dress as often is from Haute Couture , : but an awful manchette bracelet and her : earrings with large real or fake diamonds ? : Her daughter owns the fringe tiara. : For Queen Fredericka's tiara is it hers ? : This was spoken before ! : Which are his own jewels , I think a great : pearl necklace and... : : : : : : : : :
on September 25, 2014, 9:43 pm, in reply to "