Irregular shaped pearls give a beachy bohemian vibe; well constructed with knots between pearls
This is a pearl necklace to where you get what you pay for.  Pearls don't quite match, aren't quite round, and don't have much luster.  The clasp is pot metal.  That said, construction is OK.  There's a knot between each pearl, so it's put together well.  For the price, this is a situation where you get what you pay for.  It's definitely for more of a casual or bohemian look, or good for small girls where you want to gift something real but not super high end.<br /><br />Are the pearls real?:  First off, Jacqueline Kennedy's iconic pearl necklace was fake.  It was painted glass.  When it went to auction in the 1990s it was appraised at four hundred dollars, just as jewelry and not with any Kennedy connection (of course it sold for more).  That was a while ago, there's been inflation, and that's already more than ten times what this Crane Pearl necklace costs even before inflation.  My point is that in this price range, fake and real overlap.  For a necklace, unless you are spending four figures or up, fake pearls can be the better quality over real pearls.  In this price range, what you see is what you get and looks is all that matters.  There's a world of difference between low grade plastic pearls and high quality glass with several layer of paint to get a good luster.  Now that that's out of the way, this necklace is real pearls.  They aren't terrible, but they aren't great quality.  Shapes are semiround and are irregular, and it shows from across a room.  Shapes and sizes don't match across the necklace, and the size variation is enough that it shows from across a room.  They don't have a ton of luster.<br /><br />The look:  So... these pearls are not graded very well.  But also, this necklace is thirty dollars.  To me, you get what you pay for.  This isn't terrible.  It won't have that classic pearl necklace look.  The product pic of the woman in a business suit wearing these is a total lie.  These are too irregular, and it's better to get a higher grade of matched pearls in the hundred dollar price range if you want to look corporate or polished.  Instead, this Crane Pearl necklace has more of a beachy bohemian vibe.  The size and shape makes the necklace look a little bumpy and chunky from across the room.  Meanwhile, pearls have that beachy vibe.  They come from the ocean, and they are white rather than bright but have an interesting sheen.  This necklace can be a great casual look.  This also can be a good gift for small girls, because these are smaller pearls with a fresh innocent look, and the irregular shapes can work for children who maybe aren't as dressy because they play rough even when dressed up.  Also, it's a good gift for smaller girls, because they are real, and so getting into nicer things, but casual and low cost enough that the child can use them.  I would say, if this is for you, then plan on wearing it with a bohemian sundress or peasant top look.  And it's also a good "first jewelry" gift for girls who are old enough to operate the clasp.<br /><br />Length:  This is adjustable from 16 to 18 inches.  That's a classic length for a pearl necklace.  The biggest length is still to where someone has to operate the clasp behind their neck.  It's a lobster claw style clasp, which is a little harder to operate.  That's a limitation.<br /><br />Construction:  The clasp to this is pot metal.  It looks like something that will resist corrosion.  Some other reviews say it's sterling silver, and it most definitely is not a silver.  The strand of pearls is on thick thread that is knotted between each pearl, which is great.  That keeps the pearls from scratching against each other and gives a nice even spacing.  It also means that if the string breaks, you loose only one pearl, and can take the rest home and restring it with a new silk thread.  Nothing at all is wrong with how this is constructed.  It's every bit as well done as a much more expensive pearl necklace.  (The low price is the irregular pearls, but they did the pearls right and quality of the settings and stringing is fine.)<br /><br />For gifting:  I wouldn't gift this to an adult, unless you got it for you and a friend truly seems to admire it.  I do think it's great for girls, where you want to gift something real, but you also want to ensure the child is responsible with their things before gifting something super expensive.  The way this is put together is nice with the knots between each pearl, and it is real so has some heft to it.  The biggest limitation for gifting is that the lobster claw clasp is a style of clasp that may be difficult for some to operate, and this is short enough that it has to be clasped and unclasped to take it off and on and can't be fit over the head.  I would say, it's a good gift for ages 8 and up girls, but even as an adult, I tend to avoid lobster claw clasps.<br /><br />Overall, this is fine for what it is.  It's a classic length strand of irregularly shaped and sized pearls.  The look is not classic sleek business.  Instead, the slight irregularities show from a distance.  This has a beachy bohemian vibe, and is better for casual looks.  This is a case of you get what you pay for, and if you want the sleek classic look, I think you are looking at hundred dollars and up on a different necklace.  That said, this is real pearls, and the way they are strung and presented is perfect, with knots between each pearl to prevent them scratching.  It can be a great gift to a child, provided the child is old enough to operate the clasp, because it is real adult jewelry so has some quality to it, but also isn't terribly expensive to where someone might protect it from children.  It's short enough that it needs to be clasped and unclasped to take off and on, so if gifting, try to check whether the recipient likes and wears necklaces with this style of clasp.
Rating: 5 stars