French Vintage 18k GOLD " Pearl " Solid Traditional Marseille Necklace w/ Spacer Beads Uniform Alternating Collar Layering Chain

ABOUT:

Back by popular demand! I collected a few of these during my inventory trips to France and this is so sweet as it has the added accent of small spacer beads alternating between the larger sized beads. The beads are uniform in diameter all the way around (vs. some that graduate in size). I'll be looking for more on my next trip of course because they are quite popular and on trend right now, they tend to move quickly.

Found in France - Such a gorgeous glow! These have a beautiful story.

This is an all original French vintage necklace / chain in rich, buttery 18k gold. It is very relevant and wearable today, but its design has origins that date back to the 18th century. In France it is called "Collier Marseille" (Marseille Necklace) or Grain d'Or (Grains of Gold). In those olden times, the women in this region of Provence would collect these gold beads as a form of savings. They would collect or sell these beads as their finances dictated.

This then became a tradition where a bead was bought at the birth of a girl, and then additional beads were given for subsequent birthdays and life events, eventually resulting in a complete gold bead necklace. What a wonderful tradition! These necklaces are still popular in the south of France. Here is a lovely vintage to antique one with beautiful patina and quality that came Paris.

Each bead is run on a dainty gold chain. The piece is in real/solid 18k gold - not plated or gold filled, although the beads are hollow / have vacant space inside them which is the common fabrication. They are sturdy though and do not feel tinny, they do not flex when squeezing, etc.

There are French hallmarks for 18k gold with goldsmith stamp on the clasp and on the loop of the chain.

Antique boxes / items in displays in photos are not included. Please note the measurements as I have small hands and it can be difficult to decipher scale from photos, especially with the zoomed images that I am required to present for detail.

MEASUREMENTS:
It weighs 17g. Stretched end to end it's 18 inches. The larger beads are all 5.8mm in diameter. The smaller spacers are about 2.3mm.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:

Please note that all my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. It has a beautiful glow in an uncommon design with the two alternating sizes. A lot of the beads have shallow, gradual impressions. They aren't sharp pin dings and the beads still appear round to the eye, I didn't notice this as frequently when I was handling it until I started studying it individually. Now that I'm looking for them, I'd say about half dozen have an impression deep enough to be noticeable About 20 when they are spun outward to catch the light. The rest are much more gradual but I marked it down from what I usually sell these for due to this. I tried to capture the ones with the deepest wear in the final zoomed photo. The beads / gold balls have space inside to run the chain through but do not feel thin or tinny, the piece was just worn and loved. But they all appear full and round for the most part, some surface wear in addition to the ripples but the beads are mirrored and reflective with a gorgeous glow. Something to look for in photos.

The clasp is very sturdy and functions well. There are no dark or colored spots to the gold, it was just difficult to photograph because it is so shiny and mirrored that it reflects its surroundings. Impactful worn alone but also layers well with other pieces.

Please note that all my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. They will have patina, surface wear, a few small nicks. These pieces may also have evidence of a sizing, some build up around the stones and / or inclusions seen under magnification, typical for antique pieces. I have mentioned any noticeable issues above and they are all still wearable and eager to be loved and accepted for many years to come, (the preservation of antique jewelry, even those with signs of their age and history, is important to me. : )
But - Please note due to age, this piece is not in mint condition. Pictures also serve as part of the description and condition report so please utilize the zoom feature which will magnify any wear significantly more than what is visible to the eye while wearing : )

SOCIAL:
Please feel free watch @mouseshouseantiques on Instagram for inventory drops, sneak peaks and previews! And check out my website www.MousesHouseAntiques.com as I can add more pics there so you can get extra looks : )

All items hand picked by me, one at a time from all over the world. All listings individually written by me, and not AI, after studying each piece to discuss its beauties and its ; ) eccentricities (which I am picky to point out).

Box #m@.5#2