• Freshwater pearl necklace with a textured gold vermeil circle clasp at center front, on a white background
  • Close-up of the ridged gold vermeil circle clasp joining the two ends of the white pearl strand
  • Model in a black crew neck tee wearing the pearl strand, gold vermeil circle resting just below the neckline
  • Angled view of the gold vermeil circle clasp and its two end caps between rows of white pearls
  • Whole freshwater pearl necklace laid flat in an oval with the gold vermeil circle clasp at the bottom
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Infinite Jewels

Freshwater Pearl Necklace with 18K Gold Vermeil Circle Clasp

Freshwater Pearl Necklace with 18K Gold Vermeil Circle Clasp

$480.95 USD
$480.95 USD
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  • Ships To: United States
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Product Type: Necklaces

This freshwater pearl necklace strings small white cultured pearls on a 16.5 inch strand and fastens at the front with a textured circle of 18K gold vermeil, so the clasp most necklaces hide becomes the focal point. The label calls that ring an infinity circle, and on the neck it reads as a little vermeil medallion set between two runs of pearls.

  • Clasp on show The fold-over circle opens at the front of the neck, so fastening it takes no mirror and no fumbling at the nape.
  • Pearls about 4 mm Each pearl measures 4 to 4.5 mm, a fine scale that slips under a collar or beside a thin chain.
  • Vermeil, not flash plating An 18K gold layer over sterling silver, laid on at the thickness the word vermeil requires.
  • Collarbone length At 16.5 inches it settles at or just below the collarbone on most necks.

Freshwater Pearls at 4 Millimeters

A freshwater pearl necklace at this scale looks modern rather than formal. Classic pearl strands run around 7 mm, so these pearls are roughly half that width, and the eye takes them in as a soft line of light instead of a row of beads. At this size the pearls read as texture, so the strand sits as easily on a black tee as on a silk blouse. They are cultured, white and round, drilled and strung end to end. Look closely and you will find a soft, medium glow and the small surface marks every cultured pearl carries, a natural texture that keeps them looking alive beside the polished vermeil.

What Gold Vermeil Means Here

Vermeil is a term with a rule behind it in the United States: sterling silver coated in 10K gold or higher karat, with the coat at least 2.5 microns thick. Here the layer is 18K yellow gold over .925 sterling, which gives the clasp the deep, buttery yellow that 18K is known for. That thickness is what separates vermeil from the thin flash of gold plating on costume jewelry, and it is why the textured ridges on the circle hold their color through ordinary wear.

Fasten the necklace once perfume, hairspray and lotion have dried, and take it off before a shower, a pool or the gym, because pearls are among the softest gems you can own and chlorine and sweat dull gold over time.

Wearing the Circle Clasp up Front

Worn with the circle centered, the necklace needs nothing else at the neckline. A crew neck frames it best, since the vermeil circle settles just below the neckband, as it does on the model. To layer, add one fine chain at 18 inches or longer so the two pieces keep their own space instead of tangling. On a day when you want the classic look, turn the circle round to the back and the front becomes an unbroken row of pearls.

Living with a Vermeil Pearl Strand

Is vermeil made of real 18K gold? Yes. It is a layer of 18K gold over sterling silver, much thicker than ordinary plating, though still a layer. After years of wear the hinge of the clasp is where it may thin first, and a jeweler can replate it.

Is a 16.5 inch necklace a choker? No. Chokers run about 14 to 16 inches and hug the base of the neck, while 16.5 inches leaves a little drape so the strand moves when you turn your head.

How should a pearl necklace be stored? Flat, in a soft pouch of its own, away from chains and faceted stones that can scratch the pearl surface. A drawer suits it better than a hook.

Does the clasp have to sit in front? It is made to be seen, but the strand is the same on both sides, so you can wear the circle at the nape whenever you prefer.

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