MetaChat - First World Woes

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26 February 2009

First World Woes My pearls pinch.

→[More:]An aunt gave me a strand of pearls when I first married 9 years ago, and they always pulled the tiny hairs at the nape of my neck. Teeny tiny pains that accumulated into unmanageable frustration. Right around the time I considered getting them restrung, (the clasp is cheap and i thought they might be strung too tight), they stopped hurting.

My SO gave me a pearl bracelet for Christmas, and it's doing the same thing even though the clasp is a much higher quality, Which makes me think they are less likely to be strung too tightly. It's driving me nuts, and I don't want to wear them much because of it.

Is there any fix to this problem? Is it common with strung pearl jewlery? Do I have to sacrifice a certain number of arm hairs to the pearl oyster gods?

post by: rhapsodie at: 21:19 | 6 comments

You don't wax your arms?

posted by gomichild 26 February | 21:23

Only half kidding (^_~)

posted by gomichild 26 February | 21:24

Are they knotted in between? If not, then yeah, they pinch me. If so, I've never had that problem.

posted by Stewriffic 26 February | 21:43

If they're not knotted, they should be restrung with knots. Knots have two advantages:

1) The pearls can't rub against one another and wear the nacre down.
2) If the strand breaks, worst case is you lose one pearl. You won't get a cascade of beads flying off the string.

posted by middleclasstool 26 February | 22:12

There are a few knots near the clasp. I need to get the necklace clasp replaced, might as well have them restrung and knotted at the same time.

Thanks!

posted by rhapsodie 27 February | 01:33

This hasn't happened to me with my pearls, but it has with other cheaper beaded necklaces. I agree with those above who think knotting is the answer. Pearls should have two tiny knots on either side like this xxOxxOxx. You can get away with one xOxOx but 2 is better.

posted by rmless2 27 February | 10:42

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