The Passage reopens with a Wild-Dyed Draw

Welcome! The Passage reopens with its traditional pearl post, fluffed by a pearl giveaway!

But first—and don't you dare skip to the bottom—I'm showing off my milestone birthday pearls, a gift from a loved one. Not just swanning about here, I have a point: orbit clasps are genius!

Mine are at left and upper right, a 39-inch necklace of 3-5mm Chinese keshis and gold-filled beads. When I use the term "pearl chain", this is what I mean: small pearls that take the place of metal links. Layer these or wear them on their own; the orbit clasp handles a pendant perfectly.

Someone else's pearls are at bottom right; I'm posting her Kamoka Tahitians (Madonna, look at those colours!) to show how orbits can join two bracelets to form a necklace.



That clasp is two ellipses that close with a pinch on one piece. To wear a removeable pendant, rotate the clasp to the front, as shown on my necklace and hang the pendant on one ellipse. That works best with a uniform-sized or only subtly-graduated strand.

If you're restringing, the orbit clasp is available from Pearl Paradise in silver, and 14k yellow or white gold. They are also known as oval push clasps or double triggerless lobster clasps.


The Wild-Dyed Draw

A giveaway is always fun, and this one is especially cheeky! These are wild stacked keshis from Kojima Company, dyed to extreme peacock-ness, as if Mardi Gras beads and a mollusc had a baby.

The 6mm-12mm pearls flash metallic tones of teal, aubergine, bronze and rose; the clasp is a hook and eye on textured matte gold-tone cones. This is a choker-length necklace, 16 inches including the clasp.



To enter:
1. Comment by noon EST on Sunday, September 9
2. Include DRAW in your comment.
Good luck!

My neighbour Bob will draw the winner on Sunday evening, and I'll announce the name on Tuesday, Sept. 11 and ask for a postal address. I will send by Canada Post express tracked delivery. Recipient responsible for any applicable import taxes and duties; retail value is $US 100.


Comments

Laura J said…
Please enter me in the draw! I am usually a little shy about pearls tat are not in the white or blush pink category but these would be a wonderful way to step out of my comfort zone!
Rita said…
Please enter me in the drawing, those colors are gorgeous!
fmcgmccllc said…
I would love to be in the drawing, please draw my name. Seriously what a wonderful necklace for the fall.
JJP said…
Welcome back! What a fantastic necklace! I hope Bob will draw my name hehe!
Kamchick said…
Glad to have you back,,,you were missed!
Please enter me in the draw for that beautiful necklace,,,if I am lucky, it will be for my daughter's milestone birthday!
Madame Là-bas said…
Welcome back! We missed you. The drawing must be so exciting. So many eager readers. I would love those pearls. Please enter me.
Ellen said…
So glad you are back! Girl, you were gone too long!
I know that whoever's name you draw, they will be thrilled! Please put my name in!

Lumi said…
Welcome back, and thank you for the lovely draw! I always follow your pearl and reno posts with interest, but I haven't yet found my way back to wearing pearls, which I did in my 20s. Maybe this peacock strand is the way!
Missionista said…
Please enter me in the draw! I love the colors in the necklace, and that it doesn't look at all stuffy. Welcome back and thank you for the draw.
Wendelah said…
Your new necklace is gorgeous but I don't understand how the clasp works. It would need to be a hands-on learning experience for me.

Please enter me in the draw.
Anne At Large said…
So nice to see you back and the orbit clasp is so interesting!

Please enter me in the draw, those pearls are lovely!
Denise said…
Please put my name in the draw. And thank you for posting about the clasps!
Unknown said…
I was so excited to see you back! Please enter my name in the draw.
Molliqua said…
Welcome back! Love the color on the keshis. Please enter my name in the draw.
Jane said…
I'm so glad the Passage is open again! Please enter my name in the drawing!
Ms. Liz said…
Please enter my name in the draw. I hope you had a lovely summer.
Nina said…
Beautiful- please enter me!
Unknown said…
I'd love to win this draw!
Unknown said…
Well, I don't know why my comment was listed as unknown above. I'm Karin. And I'd love to win this draw.
Northmoon said…
Welcome back, I hope you had a great summer. Of course I would love to enter your generous draw.

Looking forward to reading your weekly posts again.
Lucie said…
Wonderful to see you back. Please enter me in you draw.
Anonymous said…
Pretty-please enter me in your generous DRAW! I have a vintage 90's Thierry Mugler black velvet cocktail dress that is crying out for these. (Thought of you over the summer when I snagged a bordeaux colored ca va de soi cardi at Renaissance for seven bucks! It was you who turned me on to that mark....) Welcome back online!
Lia said…
Thank you for keeping my love of pearls alive!!!
Please enter me in your draw....thank you.
Kare said…
Yea!!! She's back. Does Bob accept bribes? I would love to be in the draw.
karen
Cat said…
Happy that you are back, autumn has really begun. I was playing with pearls this morning and looking forward to wearing them with sweaters. Please enter me in the draw.
Thanks.
Unknown said…
Please enter my name for the DRAW of these lovely pearls.
Very much enjoy your blog. Welcome back.
Deb A said…
Posting for the first time. My husband gave me two necklaces of pearls with 8 years between them, first set Tahitian, undyed, next set silver toned. But both were choker length, and at 56, I wanted longer. Behold, within 20 minutes of receiving second pair, and him saying, I’ll get a longer necklace and return this one, I noticed they both had box clasps exactly the same size. I joined the two together and was THRILLED with the result. My bohemian side and my classic side both fullfilled. I wear them with either the black pearls and gold clasp mainly showing or the silver pearls and silver clasp.
Please enter me into the draw. I know just how to wear these too, despite them being kind of short necklace also.

Deb
Cosimom said…
So glad that you are back after a long, hot summer in Montreal. I love pearls and wear mine regularly. The colours of the pearls you show are beautiful. Please enter me in the draw, and I look forward to another year of interesting topics that you share with your readers.
Duchesse said…
Wendeleh: It's a simple pinch clasp. One ellipse pinches open/shut, nothing to it.

LauraH said…
So good to see your post pop in my email. Love your new pearls, they are just yummy...those colours! And that clasp is genius.
Amie Rikke said…
Please enter me in the draw. How exciting.
Hi Bob, hope you are well, and pick me!
Thank you, and best of luck to everyone.
Paula said…
Welcome back! Thank you for entering me in the draw. Paula
Wendy said…
So happy to see your post pop up in my emails today! I’d love to be entered in the drawing. I’ve never seen anything by Kojima that I didn’t like!
Beth said…
How lovely to see you back, even though that means it's fall...what beautiful pearls! I'd love to draw or paint them!
Champycorn said…
This gorgeous necklace will certainly liven a very simple outfit - formal or otherwise, it is going to be a versatile accessory. Please include me in the DRAW, and thank you, Kojima and Duchesse, for this wonderful and generous giveaway!
Unknown said…
Welcome back and I hope you had a lovely summer. I'm looking forward to reading you through the coming winter and spring.

Please enter me in the drawing.
Adele said…
Bienvenue!

I was just thinking about you the other day, Duchesse, feeling a little bit antsy and wondering when you would be "back". Hope you had the most wonderful, magical, restorative summer! Looking forward to reading you again.
Jean Shaw said…
DRAW!!

Sarah's work is just wonderful. I have to control how often I look at the website. :)

Welcome back--I always love your posts. Tell us about your summer!!!!
Nancie Nelson said…
So happy to have you back. ! One of my faves. And PLEASE! DRAW my name. These pearls speak to me. I have two girls. One is a diamonds only princess. The other has been pearls only since she was 14. When Barbara Bush died I told her to wear her pearls the day of the funeral in memoriam. Her reply : Mom, I wear my pearls every day. (She is 20 now.) So obviously I need more pearls to hand down!
(That 20 yr old has my mother’s pearls AND some Tiffany pearls her ex boyfriend gave her when she graduated from high school plus my pearl stud earrings. The other princess has my diamond tennis bracelet. She’s 22. And diamond earrings and a drop from some ex boyfriend. I’m pretty sure I never got diamonds or pearls from a boyfriend... and certainly not at that age. Apparently boyfriends are better now.)
Marina said…
SO HAPPY to see you back!
I love Sarah's work and have 2 of her clasps necklaces.
royleen said…
Hope you had a lovely summer!

Please enter me in the draw! I would love to have another bit of Sarah’s artwork!

Your necklace is gorgeous. Lucky you!
Maggie said…
She's BAAACCCKK! Missed you and hope you had a grand summer. Thanks for introducing me to Sarah and Kojima Pearls. Just got a funky pair of earrings in the summer sale. So do include me in the DRAW. Can't have enough pearls in the jewelry box, and for summer in particular, choker is my go-to. Maggie
E said…
Welcome back! Please enter me in the draw. I'd love to win.
So glad to find you back posting - I hope you had a lovely summer and didn't have to hide inside the whole time to escape that horrible humidity! I have found it exhausting and cannot wait for Fall - my sweaters are calling to me! :-)

Please enter me in the DRAW - I am moving more and more to wearing my navy and blue clothes and these would be a lovely addition to my accessory collection.
Congratulations on that lovely necklace, and more important, having loved ones who recognise your taste!

Fascinating as usual and I love the green tones, and the wild violet choker, but I'll take a pass on the draw as I can't abide choker necklaces or anything that "chokes" me, and it is far too lovely as it is to repurpose the pearls.

I'm still thinking over what to do with a coral choker I don't wear, but I suppose I could simply repurpose it with semi-precious stones and glass beads we can find nearby - and tone down the pinkness a bit.

I'm happy to read your posts again, but heartily agree with your decision to take summer, midwinter and other breaks.
Picture said…
Merci pour le draw et bienvenue.
Araminta said…
Back in London UK but still a devoted reader. Please include me in your draw for the necklace.
tess said…
draw please,
what pretty things you show
Pamela said…
Who knew that pearls could be dyed! and the effect is stunning. I'd love to win your draw. Pamela
s. said…
DRAW! Oh, what a way to start the new school year, Duchesse! Please do let me know if you'll be passing through Toronto this autumn; The Tiny had his first day of JK, yesterday, and I finally have a few hours/ day to myself... enough to meet for a croissant, tea and hug. xo
Unknown said…
Oh what fun. Please enter me in the DRAW! So happy to have your lovely thoughtful blog back. Julie
spacegeek33 said…
Yay my pearl friend is back!! I was just thinking about you! Do enter me in the DRAW! 16" is not choker length on me, but full on necklace! (Husband says I have a pinhead, and a skinny neck too! LOL)
Cathy said…
I'm glad to see you back, I hope your summer was great! Please enter me in the draw. Colored pearls are a whole new and interesting category of jewelry for me.
elke said…
Welcome back! Your pearl chain is lovely, modern and different. Please enter me in the DRAW.
vi said…
i love the idea of a pearl chain, it is so different and a good use of some of the amazing freshwater pearls that are available lately.
Bev said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bev said…
Oh my, these are beautiful! Please enter me in your draw. I would love to win!
sandra said…
It is lovely to have you back! Please enter me in the DRAW. Your sage advice has lead me to add lovely pearls to my life and these would be a nice addition to my growing collection
satsumi said…
please do indeed enter me in this fabulous draw.
The pearl draw is a wonderful way to celebrate your return, you have been missed!
Marguerite
Diane said…
What beautiful pearls! Please include me in your DRAW for them. I do have lovely traditional pearls and wear them often. These look so fun, though.

Diane O'Neal
ckasper said…
There are so very unusual. I would never have thought that pearls could look like this. Amazing.
NancyO. said…
Please DRAW my name. I love pearls so much that I named my cat Pearl. She's a lovely white short-haired girl who has a pearl of a disposition!

NancyO.
Unknown said…
What a lovely way to open the new season. Yes, please enter me in the DRAW! BTW, your birthday pearls are loverly! best wishes - helene
Ruth J said…
Welcome back, and please enter me in the drawing. I, too, am a convert to these oval clasps. So easy to combine strands, and/or add a pendant.
Frugal Scholar said…
Happy milestone birthday and thanks for the glimpses of beauty. I have learned so much from you. And, of course, I need to enter your draw.
Mardel said…
I am not entering for the prize. Someone else should enjoy it. But I did want to say how beautiful your new pearls are, and admire the orbit clasp. I hadn't heard that term, the others yes. I recently discovered them and wish for more, as thy add such versatility.
buzzy said…
Happy autumn & please enter me in the draw!
Letteratura said…
please oh please DRAW!!!

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