This item is typically worth $25 – $3,000, depending on reference, condition, originality, and provenance.
Market values current as of October 2026Most pearl necklaces in family jewelry boxes are cultured pearls, made by inserting a bead or tissue into an oyster or mussel. A good cultured strand typically sells for $100 to $1,500, a signed Mikimoto strand for more, and imitation pearls for $5 to $50. A small number of old strands turn out to be natural pearls, which can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The value depends on four questions: are the pearls real, which type are they, how big and lustrous are they, and is the clasp signed or made of gold.
An imitation strand is worth $5 to $50. Freshwater cultured pearls usually bring $25 to $300, unbranded Akoya strands $100 to $1,000, and Mikimoto Akoya strands $700 to $3,000 at auction. South Sea and Tahitian strands run $500 to $6,000. Natural pearls with a lab report can bring $20,000 or far more.
What do I have? Identify the pearls and the clasp
- Type: Akoya pearls (Japan, China) are round, white to cream with pink or silver overtones, usually 6 to 9 mm. Freshwater pearls are often slightly off-round or rice-shaped. South Sea pearls are large (10 to 16 mm), white or golden. Tahitian pearls are dark gray, green or peacock, usually 8 to 14 mm. GIA explains each pearl type.
- Size: Measure the largest pearl with a ruler. Each extra millimeter in an Akoya strand adds noticeably to value.
- Clasp: Look for 14K, 18K, 585, 750 or "Sterling" stamps, and for a maker's mark. Mikimoto engraves its clasps with "MIKIMOTO" or an M inside an oyster shell, and many strands carry a small round M charm. A gold clasp has its own melt value.
- Boxes and papers: Keep any box, pouch or receipt. Mikimoto itself says that, except for some engagement rings, its products do not come with certificates, so a "Mikimoto certificate" from a seller is not an official document.
To get a first estimate, photograph the full strand, a close-up of the pearls and the clasp stamps. See our jewelry valuation page for how it works.
Are my pearls real?
- Tooth test: Rub a pearl gently against the edge of your front tooth. Real pearls, natural or cultured, feel slightly gritty. Glass and plastic feel perfectly smooth.
- Drill holes: Under a magnifier, real pearls have clean holes, sometimes with a visible line where the bead meets the nacre. Imitations often show peeling coating, a chipped rim or bare glass around the hole.
- Weight and temperature: Real pearls feel cool at first and warm up on the skin. Plastic feels warm and light. Heavy glass imitations (Majorica and similar) can feel convincingly weighty, so do not rely on weight alone.
- Luster and matching: Real strands show small differences in shape, size and overtone. Pearls that are all identical and uniformly glossy are often imitation.
Natural versus cultured cannot be told by eye. It needs X-ray testing at a lab such as GIA or the Swiss lab SSEF. If your strand dates from before about 1930, has small graduated pearls and an old platinum or gold clasp, a lab report (often $150 to $500 per strand) is worth considering.
What pearl necklaces actually sell for
| Item | Typical value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Imitation (glass, plastic, shell-based) | $5 to $50 | Signed costume makers such as Miriam Haskell or Chanel can be worth more. |
| Freshwater cultured strand | $25 to $300 | Large, round, high-luster strands sit at the top. |
| Akoya cultured, 6 to 7 mm, unbranded | $100 to $500 | Gold clasp adds value; worn silk lowers offers slightly. |
| Akoya cultured, 7.5 to 9 mm, unbranded | $300 to $1,200 | Luster and matching drive the price. |
| Mikimoto Akoya strand | $700 to $3,000 | Signed clasp is essential; double strands and larger pearls bring more. |
| South Sea or Tahitian strand | $500 to $6,000 | Size above 12 mm and round shape add most. |
| Natural saltwater pearls with lab report | $20,000 to $250,000+ | Rare; the lab report is what creates the value. |
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These are auction and buyer results as of October 2026. Retail prices for new strands are several times higher. Results we could verify:
- AU$676.50: 39 graduated cultured pearls, 10.0 to 12.5 mm, 9ct gold clasp. Bonhams Sydney Jewels Online, August 2025 (verified).
- US$1,024: Mikimoto 15-inch strand of 6.6 mm Akoya pearls, 14k gold clasp. Bonhams Los Angeles online, August 2025 (verified).
- £1,536: Mikimoto strand of 8.0 to 10.0 mm pearls, clasp signed Mikimoto with a diamond, silk frayed in places. Bonhams Jewels Online, London, August 2025 (verified).
- US$2,816: Mikimoto two-strand necklace, 4.45 to 8.1 mm, 14k gold, with signed pouch. Bonhams Los Angeles online, August 2025 (verified).
- US$5,760: South Sea strand, 12.0 to 15.89 mm, diamond clasp, GIA report. Bonhams California Jewels, September 2025 (verified).
- £37,500: two-row natural pearl necklace, 4.4 to 10.4 mm, SSEF report. Bonhams London, September 2017 (verified).
- £229,000: two-row natural saltwater pearl necklace, 6.4 to 7.9 mm, diamond clasp, SSEF report. Bonhams London Jewels, December 2024 (verified).
The last result shows why a lab report matters: those pearls are small, and as cultured pearls they would be worth a few hundred dollars.
What drives the price
GIA's seven pearl value factors are size, shape, color, luster, surface, nacre quality and matching. Luster matters most to buyers: good pearls reflect a sharp image, while chalky or dull pearls with thin nacre sell for much less. A strand that has lost luster, or shows peeling or chips, is worth far less than one in fresh condition.
What to do now: care, restringing and selling
- Do not clean with jewelry dip, vinegar, ultrasonic cleaners or toothpaste. Wipe with a soft dry cloth only.
- Restringing on knotted silk typically costs $50 to $150. It is not needed before selling; buyers expect to restring and loose silk barely changes auction results.
- Imitation or freshwater: sell locally, on eBay, or keep for wearing. The clasp may be worth more than the pearls; see how to identify real gold.
- Akoya and Mikimoto: online jewelry sales at Bonhams, Heritage or regional houses usually beat a jeweler's offer. Sellers typically pay 10 to 20 percent commission; buyers pay a premium of up to 28 percent. Find houses in our fine jewelry and gems directory.
- Possible natural pearls: get a lab report, then go to a major jewelry sale at Bonhams, Christie's or Sotheby's.
Trusted resources
- GIA pearl pages (linked above): pearl types and value factors.
- SSEF (linked above): natural pearl testing.
- American Society of Appraisers: independent appraisers who do not buy what they value.
What Drives the Value
- Natural or cultured — natural saltwater pearls with a lab report sell for many times the price of cultured pearls of the same size.
- Pearl type — South Sea and Tahitian strands usually outsell Akoya, and Akoya outsells freshwater.
- Size — each extra millimeter adds noticeably, especially above 8 mm for Akoya and 12 mm for South Sea.
- Luster — sharp, mirror-like reflections bring the most; chalky or dull pearls sell far lower.
- Nacre and surface — thick nacre and clean surfaces hold value; peeling, chips or worn-through nacre cut it sharply.
- Matching — strands well matched in size, shape, color and overtone are worth more than mixed ones.
- Brand and clasp — a signed Mikimoto clasp, a gold or diamond clasp, and original boxes all add value.
- Selling route — a jeweler's buy offer is usually lowest; online jewelry auctions generally net more.
Identification Checklist
- Measure the largest pearl: Akoya pearls are usually 6 to 9 mm, South Sea 10 to 16 mm, Tahitian 8 to 14 mm.
- Check the clasp for MIKIMOTO or an M inside an oyster shell, plus a metal mark such as 14K, 18K, 750 or S for silver.
- Look for a small round M charm near the clasp on Mikimoto strands; its absence does not rule Mikimoto out, but it is a useful clue.
- Note the color: white to cream with pink or silver overtones suggests Akoya; dark gray, green or peacock suggests Tahitian; deep gold suggests South Sea.
- Freshwater pearls are often slightly oval, rice-shaped or uneven even in better strands; perfectly round freshwater pearls are less common.
- Graduated strands of small pearls with an old platinum or gold clasp from before about 1930 are the ones to consider for natural pearl testing.
- Weigh the clasp separately if it is gold; at current prices a 14k clasp can be worth $100 or more on its own.
How to Spot a Fake
- The tooth test separates real pearls from imitations but cannot tell natural from cultured pearls.
- Imitation pearls often show peeling coating, chips or bare glass at the drill hole under a 10x loupe.
- Heavy glass imitations such as Majorica can pass a weight test, so combine weight with the tooth test and drill-hole inspection.
- A Mikimoto clasp can be moved onto other pearls; check that the pearls match well and that the clasp and strand look original.
- Mikimoto does not issue certificates for most products, so treat third-party 'Mikimoto certificates' as seller documents only.
- Dyed pearls can imitate Tahitian or golden South Sea colors; uneven color concentrated around drill holes is a warning sign.
- Only X-ray testing at a lab such as GIA or SSEF can confirm natural pearls; never pay a natural pearl price without a report.
Thinking of Selling?
The route often matters as much as the item. A dealer typically pays 45–70% of an item's value, so they can resell it at a profit; an auction house typically returns 75–88% after its commission, but takes weeks.
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