This is a hand carved antique conch shell bead necklace that has a salmon/angel skin coral tint to it. The beads are really lovely and so unusual. They were professionally polished - they had been stored badly and were filthy. They are really beautiful now! The largest bead is 25mms by 19.5mms, and the total length of the necklace is 19 inches, not including the clasp. It weighs 87 grams.
The clasp is contemporary and is sterling silver. Because the beads are so heavy, the previous owner had her jeweler use a clasp that could bear the weight when she had this restrung on silk. The clasp can be changed for a heavy antique sterling clasp. The beads are not machined - they are antique and were carved by hand, so there are variations in each one. The imperfections are the hallmarked of their age and their hand made origins. The shell that these came from must have been huge.
Conch beads are made from the shell of a type of Caribbean conch which is now a protected species. There aren't many of these around anymore, and this strand is really exceptional!
This necklace will arrive carefully presented in a gift box.
