Repairing a Woven Pearl Bracelet

[pattye]

Hello, Everyone! Yes, I'm back!! (Fully recovered from cataract surgery, with proper glasses so I can spend more time on the computer. And Granddaughter's wedding with lots of company!))

The Project: to repair this pretty vintage woven akoya pearl and gold bead bracelet with a broken tongue. The pearls are 5-5.5 mm and the 14 k gold beads are 3 mm. Stuller had a replacement tongue which hopefully is the right size and will arrive next week; you can see the 14 K clasp itself is pretty and well made with the pattern on both sides. If the current clasp can't be made to work, a 14 K round filigree clasp can be used.



So next I scanned a copy of the bracelet to be sure I would have a pattern to follow. I've marked the threading with purple and green ink. I will only cut it apart when I have a working clasp and can devote an uninterrupted hour or two.





The holes in the gold beads are large, so passing thread through twice won't be a problem. I'm not certain if I will use Beader's Secret in IVORY or white PowerPro. I can't tell yet what kind of thread has been used.

Has anyone else worked on a piece similar to this? Any helpful tips?

 

[GemGeek]

I admire your skills and fearlessness. Wish I could contribute ideas, but I can say that we are lucky that there are kind and patient people like you in the world to help in dilemmas like this.

 

[CathyKeshi]

Ah, we've missed you! So glad your cataract surgery AND the granddaughter's wedding were so successful

 

[pearlescence]

Getting rid of those cataracts is great. Bet you are now wondering why you waited so long!
My only suggestion is to take apart and make as one sequence. remove a pearl from the old and add it to the new so you can see exactly what needs to happen where. Otherwise it could end up like having to reassemble a graduated strand because you simply took them off the temp thread (which we all did at the beginning I'm sure!)

 

[Pareltje]

Pattye, great that you've recovered from your cataract surgery.
I would do the same as what you plan to do with the bracelet, in beading terms the stitch is called right angle weave, I'm sure you're familiar with that. I think you can choose whether you're going to use 1 or 2 needles.
I hope this link helps https://www.thespruce.com/two-needle-raw-tutorial-4126815

 

[Lugana]

I don't know anything helpful for that particular project, but I adore the pattern and now want to make one for myself with it thank you for sharing and glad your surgery went well!!

 

[BWeaves]

Pattye, congratulations on your successful surgery.

 

[Fidgetnator]

Best wishes for your continued recovery.
J.

 

[pattye]

Thank you for your kind comments, Blaire, Cathy, Wendy, Lugana, Bweaves and Fidgetnator! And Pareltje, that tutorial was most helpful! I haven't done this kind of bead weaving before at all.

~so, the replacement tongue came today, and miracle of miracles, it actually fits the clasp! So with no reason to delay, I got started! Decided to use 10 lb PowerPro, as it is somewhat more abrasion resistant than my thread, though the break strength is the same. After a couple of false starts, I was on my way and very thankful for my pattern.



Two and 1/2 hours later, finished and glued! A few of the gold beads were dented, but reusable.



Lugana, I hope you will make a bracelet like this one! So pretty and flexible!

 

[Red]

Hooray! Thank you for taking us along on this project, Pattye.

 

[CathyKeshi]

What wonderful results Pattye!

 

[pearlescence]

Isn't it great when you can see what you're doing again! Great job as always Pattye.
It's such a total pain when these box clasps fail because the tongue gets metal fatigue where it is bent over to make the spring. But it happens

 

[JerseyPearl]

Go Pattye!! I somehow missed this thread...so glad your surgery went well. And what a beautiful bracelet.

 

[pattye]

Thanks so much, Red and Cathy! The bracelet has great sentimental value to Gina. The previous repair estimates were in the $100's and as she has been a special friend to our whole family, so totally worth the effort.

Wendy, oh yes, so happy for the clearer vision! Magnifying glasses help, but can't completely compensate with cataracts. (The lens inside the eye gets cloudy and yellows.) My doc does each eye separately about a month apart, then there is an additional adjustment period until the eyes can be measured for glasses again. That's the difficult part after a totally painless surgery.

What was most interesting to me was after the first eye was done, I could see a difference in the color of white paper! Also a shifting was pearl bracelet I'd been wearing for months which suddenly went from beigey-peach to very light pink! I didn't notice this distinct a change with blues and greens.

 

[Katbran]

Great job Pattye !! I would have been terrified !! I'm going to need that surgery at some point in the near future...you and Wendy are giving me courage !!

 

[pearlescence]

Believe me you will wonder why you put it off. Even on the way home I could see more clearly. It really is painless too.
Note..not everyone experiences a yellowing and colour change. I got blurry double vision, but colour was unchanged

 

[battah]

So glad to hear you're feeling so well, Pattye! And back to eagle-vision

That bracelet is beautiful, well done! What a nice thing to do for your friend.

 

[pattye]

Right, Wendy, not everyone experiences color changes. I was told some notice it in dark blues also. I had the double vision in one eye, too; here the doc decides when one is ready for surgery. Katbran, having the clarity again is wonderful!
Thank you, Jersey Pearl and Battah! I agree the bracelet is so pretty it should be worn, not gathering dust in a jewelry box.

 

[Katbran]

It's a really pretty bracelet ! And you did a spectacular job reweaving it !

Yes the Ophthalmologist here is the final judge of whether or not you need to have the procedure. My eyes weren't bad enough last year but I can tell they have gotten worse