Antique 14k Gold Bead Necklace, 9.2mm Hollow Beads, Invisible Bead Clasp, 16.25", Antique Fine Jewelry

A strand of forty-six hollow antique gold beads, generous in scale and nearly uniform from end to end. Forty-six beads in total, most measure 9.2 mm with a few that measure 8.7 mm, so the line stays bold and even all the way around the neck. Hollow construction is what makes a bead this size wearable. The strand has real presence at the collarbone without the weight solid gold beads would carry.

When I hunt for antique gold beads, it always excites me when I find one with this style clasp, that is invisible when worn, with a tongue closure, built to look like one more bead, so the strand reads as a single unbroken circle of gold. The clasp is marked "14K", and the beads test as 14k gold.

Gold beads this large are more often found in gold-filled or plated construction. A full strand of 14k beads with its original matching clasp is a rarer find. Worn alone, it's a confident statement. Layered with a fine chain or a pendant, it anchors the look with warmth and weight.

*Worth noting, the 8.7 mm 14k gold beads were added to lengthen the necklace to a comfortable length. They are dispersed throughout the necklace and do not have the bloomed (high karat gold finish) like the larger beads. It is difficult to see when worn. 

Dimensions: 9.2 - 8.7 mm hollow beads (46 beads in total)
Length: 16.25"
Clasp: Invisible bead clasp with tongue
Metal: Tests as 14k yellow gold, strung on gold-filled chain
Circa: 1890
Markings: '14K' inscribed on clasp
Weight: 34.7 grams (gold beads weigh 34.3 grams)
Condition: the holes of the beads show wear, some are larger than others, some minor dents in various beads.