Five strands of graduated crystals, prong set with open backs, run like a river around your neck. It's the style we fell in love with in the 1920s and kept going into the 1950s. And it's back at the height of fashion!
A note: Not all necklaces currently described as crystal, especially rock crystal, actually are. Many are glass. All three can be nice, but you should know what you're getting--that is, don't pay for rock crystal when you are getting faceted glass.
All three materials can be faceted; all three can reflect light prismatically. Think of chandeliers. They are not made out of rock crystal, but they do transform light beautifully, even when they are plain glass.
Lead crystal: is heavier and cooler to the touch than regular glass, but it is a form of glass. It's makes that high, singing noise when you run a wet finger around the rim of a wineglass. It is more prismatic than regular glass, too, and the cuts for the facets are sharper. This is Swarovski-type.
Rock crystal: is an actual gemstone, very clear quartz. It is heaviest and coolest of all, and it can take the sharpest cuts and reflect back the brightest light; it is also the most prismatic.
How to tell the difference:
If you have a gem tester, it's easy; it will identify rock crystal with hardness of 7.
If you have a loupe, look under high magnification. Glass may have some bubbles, but it will have no striations (very fine lines). Rock crystal has no bubbles and is likely to show fine striations.
This necklace is crystal. Gorgeous!
The silver-tone metal is not actually silver. It may be rhodium; it is not the cheap crumply stuff, and it has remained bright for about 70 years.
Closure is with a hook, wearable length up to about 17 inches. The drop of the five strands will vary depending on where you close the hook.
For sense of size, see the photos laid out on the mat. Each small square equals 1/2 inch.
This estate piece is in a nonsmoking, pet-loving environment, where it was cleaned in an ultrasonic machine.
This item is sold from a vintage boutique in Virginia.
