Knotted or Unknotted

[Maria D]

I have a 6.0-7.0 mm 16' Mikimoto pearl strand my husband bought in japan 14 years ago, what matters to me is thas is unknotted, does somebody knows why some pearl strands are unknotted?

 

[Amanda]

As I understand it, in Japan they don't knot between pearls, and pretty much everywhere else, they do.

 

[Caitlin]

Amanda is right. None of those WWII pearl necklaces from Japan are knotted except at the first pearl to the clasp. And Japan and Miki have kept up that tradition since.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

As I understand it, in Japan they don't knot between pearls, and pretty much everywhere else, they do.

I wonder why this is? Do they just like the look better, despite the risk of losing pearls if the silk breaks?

Perhaps there is not as much risk of pearls scratching each other if there is no knot in between as I thought?

 

[lisa c]

Well, knotted is better, never mind tradition. On two separate occasions I've had to chase pearls; once in a mall when I was heavily pregnant and exhausted, the other time at my HS reunion. I felt like a fool both times, on my hands and knees, but wasn't willing to lose a single one.

Also, unknotted beads or pearls pinch the skin or pull hair, not pleasant.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Lisa, a bit of backstory to my earlier post and why I'm thinking about the knotting issue:

Last year I wanted to rearrange the pearls in the exotic strand I bought in 2008, but wasn't prepared to knot it at the time (knotting is a slow and tedious job for me, and I didn't have the right thread for it) so I just strung it on higher-quality Beadalon beading wire (unknotted). It's never pinched even a bit-- nor is the beading wire likely to break the way silk would. I'd assumed that someday I would knot it again, but now I'm thinking of leaving it on the wire. I don't see that it's done the pearls any harm. I also strung my oval 7.5-8.5mm exotics from 2008 several years ago, and they seem to be okay.

 

[lisa c]

I wonder if they don't pinch or pull because of the size of the pearl? I've never thought to check on the size 'bead' re pinching... I suppose I generalized!

I will say that hunting pearls on my hands and knees was upsetting, and I vowed I'd not risk it again.

I'm glad yours are still hanging in there!

 

[R&B]

Gidday All

PearlDreams, we put all our pearls in bags together for storage all the time.

However once drilled I totally suggest you have them knotted. A nice knot of silk thread is a better bed for a drilled pearl than another nacre edge from the next drilled pear.