The art of opening and closing a necklace - managable clasps

[jshepherd]

Grassman and Blake is a good one. It is not like them to ignore. Call Bruce Brazee (their sales agent), 714-928-4555. He will take care of you.

 

[knotty panda]

Are you kidding? A name????? Oh, be still my heart! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!!!

 

[pearl-man]

One or two major US made clasp co's are found in NY

One or two major US made clasp co's are found in NY

Unfortunately most commercially made clasps are really poor quality. If you have a high quality strand, finding a clasp that matches it in quality can be a task.

We solved the problem by making our own. There are also some very high quality European made clasps out there.

Good luck.

Try clasps plus they make all sorts of clasps. Not cheap but good

PM

 

[jerin]

Hi, pearl-man

I am not sure I understand what you write here: is Try Clasps a name of a company? If so - what name has their site? Where are they situated? China or in the US? Thanks for reply.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I think he meant Clasps Plus. I googled them and found this:

http://www.macraesbluebook.com/search/company.cfm?company=503136

64 W 48th St Ste 800
New York, NY , 10036-1708
Phone: 212-354-5662
FAX: 212-354-5668
Website: www.claspsplus.com

Products Description:
Manufactures Jewelry Clasps Fine jewelry, Imitation jewelry, Jewelry making tools and supplies

But when I clicked on the link for the website, all I got was a list of sponsored listings (ads).

 

[Sueki]

I met with Anna (Cliclasp) this week and saw her clasps in action.
I am bowled over at how easy they are to use and at their simplicity and versatility.
It seems that they have a variety of uses - even for ring settings - and can be fitted in lots of different beads and gems.

Anna was wearing a gorgeous SS pearl ring which I admired, and she promptly removed the pearl.......
Also a beautiful Tahitian pearl necklace with a fabulous Venetian glass bead clasp.


She has designed a couple of pendant fittings, too, which means that pearls, gems etc. can be swapped around for a completely different look.
I've added some photos.
The second last photo. is of a pendant and ring / pendant.
The last photo. is of a ring with removeable pearl.

I can't wait to get started on the ideas I have in my head since I saw these clasps......

 

[Hanaleimom]

wow

wow

WOW !!! They are so gorgeous. I love interchangeable jewelry. The rings really appeal to me. Very nice pics, too, Sueki.

When I was at Tahiti Pearl Market (TPM), they carry Cliclasp too. The store manager, Jean, has a Tahitian pendant on stainless steel chain with Cliclasp. It was so nice. But TPM's price was really steep, about $500-$600 for the leather or carbon strand and the mechanism to put the pearl on a man's necklace. The stainless steel one is probably much more.

Here is a picture of Jean's necklace:

 

[Raisondetre]

Do pearls have to be custom drilled for the Cliclasp?

I still say magnetic is the best. If only they make decent solid gold ones that don't break the bank. I'm fine with good looking gold-filled too, though my vermeil aren't bad.

 

[Hanaleimom]

Sueki, I believe the drill hole is much larger than regular drill hole to put the gold tubing in ?

TPM told me once the drill hole is made for a Cliclasp, you can't change back to a regular leather cord.

 

[dkan 168]

I can't wait to get started on the ideas I have in my head since I saw these clasps......

I'll have one each of 14mm round Tahitian, South Sea, black opal ball, plain polished white gold ball, pave ruby ball, pave pink sapphire ball, and a pave diamond ball

DK

 

[pattye]

DK,
You are just as bad as those of us that have been hanging around here for years!!! And want one of (almost) everything!!!

 

[dkan 168]

DK,
You are just as bad as those of us that have been hanging around here for years!!! And want one of (almost) everything!!!

Nah, I am not obsessed with jewellery at all!

If I were, I would want one in every coloured stone of the rainbow

I am just practicing my belief that a girl can never have too much jewellery



DK

 

[CLICLASP]

Many thanks to Sueki about her presentation and interest.
We had a wonderdul time in London together

Thanks everybody for your interest,

Here are some facts about this versatile jewelry :
1 - CliClasp is my brand name, worldwide registered trademark ?
glad it is becoming a common name so easily
(because it's hard to say for french speaking ones, thinking of Clic'Clasp for them...)

2 - The pearl or the bead has to be drilled through at 3,4 m for receiving the special finding inside (see pict.).

3 - You cannot really say once it is set : "you can't change back to a regular leather cord" (or you would say as well : I cannot change my ring pearl to a pendant or else). I would rather say :
You can change your center-removable piece with any changeable necklace/cord/chain as you like :
- stingray, twisted steel chain/ wires chain/ rubber/ silicon/ multi colored nylon chain/ silver fancy beads chain/ gold chain
or
- your own strand of pearls converted for that purpose (very easy re-stringing)

4 - The minimum size of pearl/bead to fit is about 8 mm, so almost any pearl can be converted into.

5 - The price depends on how much the pearl /stone is graded more than the changeable finding itself...

This features wonderfully man jewellery as well.
I am launching on november a new line of pearls for men ;
and a pendant with accessories in a special box as a kit, to play and change with.

Lots of fun to come...

Thanks for your interest, all questions welcome

PS : I do recommend V n A museum and British museum to pearl lovers in London. I shall soon post more pict of pearls here :
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/pearl-history/2755-how-old-pearl-play-again.html

 

[dkan 168]

Thanks for your interest, all questions welcome[/url]

Hi Anna,

PM sent

DK

 

[pearl-man]

clasps

clasps

Hello, members and guests of this forum!

I am aware that the clasp of a necklace shouldn´t be to large but I insist on not being the only one who has difficulties some times because the clasps are so tiny and especially hard to close or open, when the pearls at the "end" are 8 mm or larger. Than the pearl comes between my fingers and the clasp and it is really hard to get it through the different small holes to secure it before closing it. I do not want to squeeze the "end-pearls" but very often this is what happens anyway.

To clearify myself: I am talking about clasps like the filligran fishhook-clasps and oval interlocking clasps, they are especially hard to manage but for security-reasons they are great. However: why is it not possible to get a larger clasp that could act as decoration for the pearls without being extremely expensive?

Ball clasps are no better than the above metioned and the only other clasp that I think would be simple enough to close or open and is quite safe to wear does not look elegantly enough to suit a pearlnecklace. I mean the lobster-clasp.

I have seen a hinged clasp, which is trademarked Applaudere by A & Z Pearls. So far I was unable to find their WEB-site though.

A lot of fine clasps/pin adaptors, shorteners and pearlenhancers where shown and mentioned in the Pearl Buying Guide by Renée Newman but where can I get them?

I do not have large hands with thick fingers and usually am not clumsy with them, still it is not easy to fasten/open my necklaces.

I have posted these questions earlier but so far no answers from anyone.

I am aware that many of the members of this forum ar men who are not daily wearers of pearlnecklaces - could it be because of that, that I am getting nowhere with my questions?


Secondly: where can I get Pearl shorteners for pearls larger than 8 mm? And where are there more than one type to choose from? PP had only one type, granted it was in 14 K gold, but still I would like to have some more to choose from. Any web-sites available for findings?


Have a nice day all of You,


Inge Jernberg

Inge
Some US made clasps which are "fishhook"
are made in larger styles. They also cost more.
one or two in particular are squareish with a filligree design. For larger pearls they work quite well..Sometimes we have put 1 0r2 smaller pearls at the clasp to permit easier access. Some German firma make speciality clasps altho' costly are ezxtreamly easy to use.

pearlman

ps:
pearl shortners are another matter. Usuallythey are custom made. A safety pin type works quite well even without pearls.
A manufactured 1/2 dollar sized ring with a figure 8 safety works very well. It is made in
14k and YGF

 

[jerin]

Hi pearlman,

thanks for answering but can you give me some sites or names to contact, thanks?

By now I have learned to make figure eight clasps + hook from Cathy (Cathybear), still I would like a larger choice.... Cliclasp has very nice clasps, unfortunately rather expensive - too expensive for me right now at least.

 

[Hanaleimom]

pearl shortener

pearl shortener

Hi Inge,
I bought this pearl shortener from bellafindings.com http://www.bellafindings.com/jewels..._viewItem.asp?idProduct=7037&idCategory=13266. It worked great for a while and then part of one side's tube opening became loose or chipped. It's doesn't work anymore; and it was quite expensive.

So I have bought this http://www.bellafindings.com/jewels...istCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=13267

The safety pin type is a lot less expensive and if it breaks, I don't feel as bad. I bought both the 17mm (for smaller pearls) and 21mm (for larger pearls).

 

[jerin]

Hi Cathy and thanks for the info. BTW: I have bought my shorteners from PP and they work just fine. The safety pin type does not look elegant enough, even if it is cheaper. Luckily I don?t use shorteners often, a long rope is always elegant in itself in my opinion. As an option it is OK though with the "pins" if need be.

 

[dkan 168]

So I have bought this http://www.bellafindings.com/jewels...istCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=13267

Thanks for the link!

They have 14kt White Gold findings, chains and wires etc..., which means I can re-cycle some of my pearl jewellery, e.g. making tin cup necklace and bracelets etc...

DK

 

[Hanaleimom]

The safety pin type does not look elegant enough, even if it is cheaper. Luckily I don?t use shorteners often, a long rope is always elegant in itself in my opinion. As an option it is OK though with the "pins" if need be.

Hi Inge,
I know what you mean. I've only used it to shorten my strand to 16" when I wear button-down shirt; so it's covered in the back. I haven't tried it with the rope. When I wear the rope as a double strand, I let it hang naturally without keeping them flat and neat. I noticed lately that when people wear 2 strands, they let them look sort of haphazard (maybe not the right word???) where the strands don't lay flat and neat in place ( one strand is not completely nested inside the other). See Ashley Judd here: