Anybody know what this piece of jewelry could be?

[dreamjewels4u]

Found this in a box of jewelry. I first thought it was an earring, but you can't wear it as one. It's 1-1/4" long and 5/8" wide. Hinged, the end has a hook that snaps into a hole.  It has a loop/bale on one end. The center of the front tests as silver and it has tiny rough diamond chips set in the center. The metal has a light pink color of gold and it tests as 14k. There is a hallmark, but I have yet to make it out. Seems foreign made to me. Not particularly beautiful, but very interesting and handmade. Any ideas what it could be? Has anyone ever seen something similar before? I thought maybe an enhancer of some sort for pearls or beads but do not know how old enhancers are, if used long ago.  I've turned it different ways. If for an ear you would have to put it on backwards for the diamonds to show forward, besides the hook is too sharp for an ear.

[luckyhenri2014]

My guess would be a charm holding pendant. 

[idealgems1]

40 years in the industry and this is a puzzler to me.  I am going with a pearl enhancer.

You put a pearl enhancer on a uniform strand of pearls to dress it up.  They have to open up and clip to get on the strand and they have to be thin enough to fit between the pearls.  The loop is probably for a charm or drop of some kind...perhaps it came with a number of different colored ones that were interchangeable?

It looks like it can alternatively just be worn as a pendant, putting the chain (or cord) through the fixed section.

[dreamjewels4u]

I thought the same yesterday and tried it. The larger pearls go through the bottom loop and the smaller through the top loop and then it closes. It wasn't perfect because my larger strand has too large of spaces between the pearls. However, it does indicate that it holds the strands together and also displays the diamonds forward. And you are most likely correct about the loop at the bottom having something that suspended from it.  It has to be an enhancer.  I can tell this is a very old piece, I just thought enhancers were a more modern invention. Guess I am wrong because I sure can't figure out what else it could be for.  Thank you for the input.  It helped.

[dreamjewels4u]

Also, it does not work with a chain or cord because it just makes the piece hang sideways instead of forward.

[idealgems1]

This doesn't look particularly old to me in the grand scheme of things.  I'd guess 1960s to 1970s + or - .  1940s at the absolute earliest IMHO, but I'd be surprised if it is earlier than 1965ish.

It may want to lean forward or crooked or even flip over if worn on a chain the way I'm thinking, but it shouldn't go sideways.

[evelyb30]

It looks like an old,old earring that lost its mate.  Someone added the loop on top and turned it into a pendant. Or...a pearl enhancer with a loop for a pendant, if flipped upside-down.