restringing pearls?

[AmberGretchen]

Hi all - unfortunately I don''t have a picture of these because my digital camera is out of battery life, but I will try to post one at some point. I have a beautiful single strand of pearls that were given to me as a family heirloom (bought for my mother about 50+ years ago). They are beautifully matched and have a lovely lustre and color, which is to say, almost none at all. They are beautifully matched and have a lovely white metal antique-looking filigree clasp with a small pearl set into it. I have no idea what they are worth, although my mom thinks that they are dive pearls, but they only way to verify that would be to send them away to have them x-rayed or to cut one open and I''m not sure I''m willing to do that. I noticed the last time I wore them that the string they are on has started to get stretched a little unevenly. I''m wondering if pearls have to be restrung as a normal thing periodically, or if they should be left as-is. Also if anyone has any idea what the appraisal price might be one these - I have to get them appraised so they can be insured. I think the individual pearls are about 6-7 mm in size, although they could be smaller or larger. Any tips if they do need to be restrung?

Thanks!

 

[youngster]

By the way, when I restrung mine last year, I got quotes of anywhere from $2 to $5 per inch for restringing, with double knots. So, its pretty affordable. Just make sure you count the exact number of pearls on your necklace before you hand it over for restringing and make them write it down on your receipt. Where I live, there is only one person in the area that does this, so I had to leave the necklace for a couple of weeks while it was sent off-site. The neat thing about restringing is that this can be a great time to change the clasp if you like, or do something entirely different. I made a shorter princess length necklace and a matching bracelet out of one longer strand.

 

[Bethanying]

I recently had my heirloom pearls restrung, and at a local jeweler, I got them restrung for $2 an inch- great deal, I thought.

Then I asked them to replace the clasp (white gold filigree clasp) but it often slipped out of place so it was time for a new one. They charged me $60!!!!! for the clasp alone!!!!!!

It doesn''t sound like your clasp needs to be replaced, but if you do, be prepared. It seemed like a lot to me and I was shocked to get a bill for $100.

Hope this helps.

 

[Nicrez]

Does anyone know of a video, book or something helpful in learning to restring pearls? I have a wedding to go to this month and I have a fabulous pair of pink shell pearls I want to wear.

There is a course at GIA for a weekend, but it''s past the time i would like to have these pearls strung, and I figure I would try it out on my own first....