Pearl Restringing: When It's Needed and What It Involves

How to tell a strand is ready for pearl restringing

Pearl restringing is the process of taking a strand apart and rethreading it. At Griffin & Co, that work happens at our bench in Chichester.

Silk stretches. Knots loosen. The thread between pearls picks up moisture and dirt from skin and perfume, and it weakens long before you notice anything wrong.

Below are the signs to check for at home, and what the work involves when a strand comes in.

The stretch test and the gap test

Two simple checks tell you most of what you need to know.

The stretch test: hold the strand at both ends and let it hang. A healthy strand hangs in a soft, even curve. If it drops straight or looks longer than you remember, the silk has given up.

The gap test: lay the strand flat on a dark cloth and look between the pearls. You should see a small, tidy knot sitting snugly in each gap. If you can see bare thread, or the knots have worked loose and sit off-centre, that is your answer.

Run your fingers gently along the strand too. Any fraying, fuzziness or darkening on the thread means it is time.

Seven signs your pearls need restringing

Check a strand in good light, near a window, and look at these in order.

1. Visible bare thread between two or more pearls.
2. Loose knots that have slipped out of position.
3. A stretched or sagging strand that hangs longer than it should.
4. Frayed or darkened silk near the clasp, where wear concentrates.
5. A gap at the clasp where the thread has relaxed.
6. Pearls that rotate freely instead of sitting snugly against their knots.
7. A strand worn weekly that has not been restrung in several years.

If you spot three or more of these, stop wearing the strand until it has been looked at.

How often should pearls be restrung?

There is no fixed interval that suits every strand. A necklace worn often, against skin and under perfume, will need attention sooner than one worn for occasions. The right moment is when the signs above appear, not when a particular number of years has passed.

Silk is the traditional choice because it is soft against the pearl and holds a knot well. It is also a natural fibre, so it absorbs moisture and gradually loses strength. That is not a fault, just how the material behaves.

A few things shorten the interval:

• Wearing the strand against bare skin in warm weather
• Perfume or hairspray applied while the necklace is on
• Storing the strand hanging, which puts weight on the silk
• A clasp that catches or has a sharp edge

If any of those apply, have the strand looked at sooner rather than later. It costs nothing to ask.

How we restring pearls in the workshop

You can read more about our jewellery repair service, which covers the rest of the bench work we do.

The materials matter more than people expect.

Silk, knots and the tools involved

Knotting between pearls is not decoration. It stops pearls rubbing against each other, which over the years would wear the nacre where they meet, and it means a broken thread only ever releases one pearl rather than all of them.

A restring is straightforward in principle and patient in practice. The pearls come off the old silk and go back onto new silk, with a fresh knot tied between each one, matching thread colour and pearl size so the finished strand sits as it should. A clasp that has weakened can be replaced at the same time.

Like all our repairs, a restring finishes with a professional clean and polish. Book a consultation and we will look at the strand with you first.

Pearl necklace repair beyond restringing

We offer remodelling and resetting of heirloom pieces. Our guide to restoring an heirloom explains what restoration can bring back and what it cannot, and there is more on remodelling inherited pieces.

If a pearl has been lost along the way, bring the strand in and we will talk through the options before any work starts.

Pearl clasp repair and choosing the right fastening

The clasp takes more wear than any other part of a strand. It is opened and closed every time you put the necklace on, and it carries the full weight of the pearls.

A few fastenings and who they suit:

Caring for a strand after restringing

Fresh silk deserves a little care, and it will reward you with years of wear.

• Put pearls on last, after perfume and hairspray
• Wipe the strand with a soft dry cloth after wearing
• Store it flat in a pouch, never hanging
• Keep pearls away from direct heat and sunlight
• Look the strand over once a year, and sooner if it is worn often

Wearing pearls regularly is good for them. Silk and pearl both benefit from a little natural moisture from the skin, so a strand worn often will usually outlast one left in a drawer. Our necklace length guide helps you work out where a strand sits and how to layer it with other chains.

Book a pearl restringing consultation

Pearls are patient, but silk is not. If your strand is showing any of the signs above, the kindest thing you can do is have it looked at before it decides for you. You can book a private consultation in the showroom at 64 South Street, Chichester, or by home visit across West Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

While you wait, you can browse pearl necklaces to buy or compare against your freshly restored strand.

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