I would definitely do this on wire. Keep in mind that it does come in different diameters from .10mm to ginormous. You want to make sure the crimps you use are appropriate for the wire size. Most wires have a notation on which crimps will work. I think Bella or Gempacked also sells wire in...
In my opinion, spending $163 USD on very poor quality is $163 that cannot be saved to purchase something far nicer in the future. I would return the pair for a refund.
Pattye is on the mark! Keep in mind, if the pearls are under 5mm, you may not want many knots on the necklace as they can begin to take away from the look. You can knot every 3 or 5 pearls or even just the last few on each of the ends. Experiment and see which look you prefer. Another thing to...
May I ask, is one of the pearls the third from the end of a strand? If so, I would suspect that glue has been used. If you have access to acetone, I would give it a try.
I agree. Soldering is one of those life skills like learning to ride a bike. Once you learn how to do it, it's really not difficult...plus it's a whole lot of fun to use a torch!