Pearl Paradise and Freshadamas

[barbie biggs]

Dear Spherical Flower:
Don't panic if it seems like you can't get everything done before your wedding. My sister has an enormous house in Arcadia and we have given weddings for about 5 friends and relatives there over the years, so we know how difficult all this can be. You WILL find the right clasp. If you can't find it in time for the wedding, you can always use a mystery clasp which does not show at all and makes everyone wonder. Then your husband can buy you a marvelous clasp for your first anniversary when you have more time. As you say, you have tons of stuff to do now. Try not to sweat the small stuff; it will be beautiful and you'll have a wonderful wedding you'll be proud to remember. The pearls, however gorgeous, are just part of the day.
barbie

 

[jerin]

Hi Barbie,

I just think if a mystery clasp is used and is later to be replaced by some other clasp, you have to remember to get at least two extra pearls as the mystery clasp is set within the two last pearls and I don?t think, you can use the same pearls but I don?t know, I do have no mystery clasp as yet.

 

[lisamla]

I had inquired about some lengthening alternatives and one mentioned was a mystery clasp, but I understood it to be a bad idea. The pearls used to make the clasp would be of no use other than as part of the clasp and it was also mentioned that future clasps would be out of the question. I'm not sure of the reasoning why future alternative clasps would be out of the question, but just wanted to pass on the info.

 

[Valeria101]

... it was also mentioned that future clasps would be out of the question.

Hm... Perhaps that was meant to say that for any future restringing, the pearls used in the hidden 'mystery' clasp will have to be left out of he strand. That makes sense because those pearls will have to be drilled to accommodate the elements of the clasp sunk in them and may not fit on a normal strand later on because of the large holes, even if you could get the clasp bits out of them.

Now, I suppose you could use a pair of less fine pearls for the hidden clasp - even of a different type or color: the clasp is what it is, no one says the pearls used for it cannot stand apart in a way.

'Ciclasp' had some examples posted; in this one below, two small pearls hide the ends of the clasp (or at least this is what I see int he picture!) and a large pearl makes the detachable part:

http://www.cliclasp.com/Images/exchangeable_clasp_tahiti.jpg

There are other examples on the website... none exactly what your strand might end up looking like, but that is a good thing

 

[barbie biggs]

I am not a professional pearl anything. I wish). My degress are mostly in psychology. I started out as a beader looking for pearls who was unhappy with the poor quality available in the area I live in. I can tell you honestly though that alternative clasps are always an option. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either not honest or thinking very 'in the box'. It's true that if you used a hidden clasp you might loose 1/2 an inch or so of necklace later, or, I wonder if those two pearls, depending on the size we are talking, could later have the clasp removed and be put on a Solara or Snake chain. If it's too small for that (7-9mm), once you find the clasp you like, remove the 2 hidden clasp pearls, have the rest of the necklace restrung, glue the clasp shut and have someone very good build a delicate gold wire cage around the pearls and you will have a perfect pendant that matches your necklace exactly. There are always options.
barbie

 

[lisamla]

Valeria - I love the look of the necklace you showed. I never thought about mixing pearls like that, but it makes a very nice and interesting look.

Is a mystery clasp something that can be used with any pearl type/quality? Will drilling a larger hole in an Akoya increase the speed at which the pearl wears out (for a lack of better words). Would a freshwater pearl be better to use?

 

[Nerida]

Spherical Flower - there is a nice X clasp on the TPO website - sorry, can't quickly figure out links - I will work on that one! Anyway - if you go to the single strand clasps, there is a lovely 2 tone - 14K yellow gold and platinum - x clasp - maybe they could advise if it is possible to get it in platinum only? Just a thought.... Weddings are full of way too many things to think about/things that could potentially go "wrong" - as someone else said - don't sweat the small stuff - you can always find your ideal clasp later - no doubt those gorgeous pearls you are looking at ordering will be all that anyone notices on the day!

 

[jerin]

Valeria - I love the look of the necklace you showed. I never thought about mixing pearls like that, but it makes a very nice and interesting look.

Is a mystery clasp something that can be used with any pearl type/quality? Will drilling a larger hole in an Akoya increase the speed at which the pearl wears out (for a lack of better words). Would a freshwater pearl be better to use?

I think any pearl of a certain size would be OK with a mystery clasp. An Akoya pearl would not suffer other then at the drillhole?s beginning (the nacre could peel off faster than otherwise) but the hole that?s drilled is in the nucleus (MOP bead) so it does not affect the nacre. And in the 100% nacre pearls (freshwater) it would not hurt the pearls since there are so many layers of nacre.