Pearls: Three ways to restyle
Regular readers know that one of my 'things' is (all together now): Rehab your pearls!Take 'em apart if they're too bland, too girlish, or just if you'd enjoy a change.
Example #1 shows why I'm devoted to Pam Chandler and Don Collins of Artworks by Collins and Chandler Gallery (aka "Pam and Don") in Toronto.
These started life as a 48-inch strand of lavender-to-pink 9mm ovals. Nice, but not interesting on their own. Pam styled them as bib, accented with big nuggets of aquamarine, amethyst, and Bali silver beads. People have offered to buy them off my neck.
Example #2 (middle): an 18-inch strand of keshis I bought on eBay for about $60 because of their shimmering orient. They arrived strung with one of those dreadful "gold" filigree clasps, but madly iridescent.
I sent them to Rosalind Wolchok, a Winnipeg-based designer I've known for years through craft shows. Rosalind makes her own findings and beads; she added a handmade silver clasp, silver circles (centre of bottom of strand) and one tiny amethyst bead (just above the centre on the right) that highlights the intense glow.
Finally, if your strand's mysteriously become a little tight, turn it into a wrapped bracelet (below). This one's from Rosalind's site; she can create a similar look with your pearls.
.JPG)
Freshwater pearls are nearly solid nacre, so last a lifetime and more with a little care.I recently took a pearl-grading course, along with about 40 jewelers and one other civilian. When shown the current crop of big, gorgeous freshwaters in delicious natural colours, one jeweler asked, "Why would people buy saltwater pearls any more?" The instructor just shrugged.
You can buy a lavishly lustrous strand for the price of a pair of good shoes! Don't walk away from a beautiful strand that is not strung to your liking, just have it restyled by someone whose work you love.
Comments
Of course I still love my pearls which I've had for about six years, but I would now think twice before buying any more.
deja - do you get the same type of luminosity with freshwater, or variation of colour?
gp - I'm not educated enough about pearls to be able to make that call. I have one strand of (tiny, graduated) real saltwater pearls inherited from my grandmother that probably aren't the highest quality, but the freshwater strands I looked at had lovely, smooth, glowing nacre. A step up from my fun fakes, anyway.
I have had experience of having my pearls restrung in various countries in Europe and I would say that London is still the best place as you can actually choose the size of the knot you want. I like big knots as it stops the pearls touching and the knots don't wear down as quickly between restringings.
I'm learning in my middle age that owning luxury items requires not only an initial high expense but also costly ongoing maintenance. But it's all worth it for a decent string of pearls!
Anyway I'm sure you'll like his work.
Usual advice is to not let anything ouch your pearls but pearls (and even they can scratch one another) but I will often wear mine with a 22k chain, life is short.
re clasp: I set one with a ruby and small diamond; for another, I had jeweler make a clasp of a "baroque pearl" in gold, for another I used a Balinese clasp in 22k I bought on eBay.
materfamilias: I see it in my mind's eye! Lapis is such a beautiful stone for your colouring.
With regard to Gilbert Albert, I have a year to save up as the PhD finishes in Sept 2009. I'll probably go for a pair of earrings as that is what is lacking in my jewellery box. Those diamonds are twinkling away at me from the end of the dark tunnel I'm plodding through!
duchesse - this has been a great post. Even just thinking and writing about pearls lifts the spirits - wearing them is heaven!