Remember those add a pearl necklaces...help

[Pearladore]

Hi all,

I have been a so called "lurker" for some time and have been feeding my passion for pearls. What wonderful information here. I've been a little shy about posting, but I have a specific question to ask which makes it easier. I hope I'm doing this correctly and in the right place!

My daughter was given one of those add-a-pearl necklaces from her aunt as a baby. The pearls are about 7mm Akoya (good quality, I think). Her aunt continues to give her 2 pearls every birthday. The only problem is that my daughter is now going to be 24 and only has half a necklace! Certainly past the age where I would have given her her first pearl necklace. I cannot step on toes.

My question...does anyone know of a source where we can have the necklace finished. Her aunt is paying a ridiculous price for individual pearls through a retail jewelry store. I am sure that she would welcome the opportunity to have the necklace finished and around my daughter's pretty neck. We are close enough that I can make such a suggestion without offending her. I just can't have the necklace finished myself or buy her one because this is her Auntie's gift to her, but I think I can make this suggestion.

Thanks for any help. I look forward to becoming a more active member of Pearl-guide and not such a lurker.

[Kevin Canning]

definitely a tricky situation as you don't want to hurt any feelings, especially since the Aunt has been working on the necklace for so long.

The loose pearls will be relatively cheap but matching is an issue. A retailer can send you pearls with a similar overtone but without having the other pearls in hand a perfect match is not going to happen. The ideal situation would be to send the nearly finished strand to someone so they can match and string the strand.

I think most vendors on PG would be able to help you, just send out some emails. Good luck!

[pearlescence]

Def a tricky one. Could you point out to Aunt that she will be paying a hugely inflated price and that, now your daughter is indeed 24 and needing that necklace..maybe she could get the necklace from one of the USA based sellers and have the already bought pearls made into a matching bracelet (you said there was about half a necklace which = a bracelet, maybe with a pair of dangly ones if there are a couple left over for earrings, plus one for a ring...)

[Pearladore]

thank you, Kevin...you are absolutely right. I don't want to hurt any feelings. I know her aunt would love to see her wearing her necklace and wouldn't mind the suggestions on how to finally finish the necklace.

My daughter is in Boston, but I know that I can retrieve the 1/2 necklace and send it to anyone who is willing to try to match the pearls and restring it. It would still be her aunt's gift...just finished a little sooner (before my daughter graduates to big-girl pearls). I would love to see her wear it. There is a gold chain where the missing pearls should be, but my daughter doesn't like the way it looks unfinished and doesn't wear it...she borrows from me!

[Pearladore]

Thanks Wendy for your good suggestion. Unfortunately, I don't think I can ask her to "spring" for another whole necklace. I think she might be receptive to finishing this one if I can come up with a quicker and more cost effective way. Thanks again.

[pattye]

Pearladore,

Welcome---

Just a thought, have the existing pearls finished into a tin cup style necklace--but if she doesn't like chain, perhaps that isn't a good solution. However, if the issue is that she doesn't like yellow gold colored chain and would prefer white metal, this might work. Sounds like there would be plenty of pearls; enough for earrings also; the matching issue isn't so significant.

[Pearladore]

Thanks Pattye. That is a great idea but I think that she really wants a string of pearls. I kind of get the feeling from the responses that matching these pearls will be really difficult to do. Am I correct?

Thanks again, Pearladore

[Kevin Canning]

I kind of get the feeling from the responses that matching these pearls will be really difficult to do. Am I correct?

It will only be difficult if you try to do it remotely, if you send the pearls you have to a good dealer they will have no problem matching them. If you can swing it you should let the dealer see them in person if you want a good match, most likely they can restring it for you also.

Let us know how you make out.

[pattye]

Akoya pearls tend to get a bit more creamy as they age, so without seeing photos of the strand it is difficult to know how well matched the pearls are that she already has. For example, Kevin will have access to many strands of akoya pearls with their different overtone variations, to best be able to make a good match, as he suggests, with your Daughter's pearls in hand.

We will look forward to hearing how this all works out!

[Raisondetre]

I'm thinking the half a strand would be around 7-8 inches, which will make a lovely bracelet. You can then match up a necklace. If I were to give someone an add a pearl necklace I would have the whole strand at hand and give them the pearls as they grow. But that would not be a preferred gift choice.

[Pearl Dreams]

I have to agree with the idea of making the current Add-a Pearl strand into a bracelet. If you do that, you can avoid the whole issue of having to find additional pearls to match the existing ones.

Furthermore, if you or her aunt choose to buy a necklace to go with the bracelet, it doesn't have to be Akoya-- nowadays one can buy very lustrous, top grade, round cultured freshwater pearls, an affordable alternative to Akoyas.

[Esther Sonenblick]

Hi all,

I have been a so called "lurker" for some time and have been feeding my passion for pearls. What wonderful information here. I've been a little shy about posting, but I have a specific question to ask which makes it easier. I hope I'm doing this correctly and in the right place!

My daughter was given one of those add-a-pearl necklaces from her aunt as a baby. The pearls are about 7mm Akoya (good quality, I think). Her aunt continues to give her 2 pearls every birthday. The only problem is that my daughter is now going to be 24 and only has half a necklace! Certainly past the age where I would have given her her first pearl necklace. I cannot step on toes.

My question...does anyone know of a source where we can have the necklace finished. Her aunt is paying a ridiculous price for individual pearls through a retail jewelry store. I am sure that she would welcome the opportunity to have the necklace finished and around my daughter's pretty neck. We are close enough that I can make such a suggestion without offending her. I just can't have the necklace finished myself or buy her one because this is her Auntie's gift to her, but I think I can make this suggestion.

Thanks for any help. I look forward to becoming a more active member of Pearl-guide and not such a lurker.

I do restringing alot, and many times if something is to short we get a chain in sterling silver or in gold and attached to both ends and put some nice beads between pearls. Maybe you want to try that.

[knotty panda]

Your question raises an interesting question. Does a jeweler add the pearl each time? If so, that really is very labor intensive. Hard to believe pearls purchased individually over many years from different harvests would match.

As I understand it, the only reason the necklace isn't worn is because your daughter doesn't care for it as she sees it as an unfinished piece? It is a finished piece. Even a chain with one pearl, a design which many of our vendors sell, is a finished piece. Check out Meg Ryan in "Sleepless in Seattle" and her GORGEOUS add-a-pearl necklace. It's a very professional office piece without being too formal for a young woman.

[MWP]

Interesting topic. I like the idea of making it into a bracelet. That is still a beautiful piece that can be worn now. I guess the aunt really wants to do the necklace and really wants to do it the way she has been doing it, just let her. Maybe your daughter can get a different style/or color strand of pearls in the meantime.