Master Jewelers · Insured Both Ways · Since 1996
Stretched, grubby or broken thread? Mail your strand in and our master jewelers restring it on fresh silk or cord, knotted properly and finished with a clasp that actually holds — then send it back insured. Firm quote before any work begins.
Pearl and bead strands restrung on new silk or cord, sized to the drill holes.
A knot between each pearl so they cannot rub — and one break cannot scatter the strand.
Worn clasps repaired or replaced while the strand is open, so it closes securely again.
Send everything, loose pearls included. We inspect the lot and quote what can be done.
Beaded necklaces and bracelets restrung the same careful way as pearls.
Pearls gently cleaned and drill holes checked for wear before anything goes back on.
Silk is soft on purpose — it lets pearls hang the way they should. The price of that softness is that it stretches, absorbs skin oils, perfume and hairspray, and slowly gives up. Nothing about the pearls has to be wrong for the thread to be finished.
Two things make a proper job. First, knots between the pearls: they keep the nacre from rubbing pearl-on-pearl, and if the thread ever parts you lose one pearl, not sixty across a tiled floor. Second, the right thread for the drill holes — too thin and the strand goes slack and rattles, too thick and the knots sit badly and the strand looks stiff.
As a rule of thumb: about once a year for a strand you wear regularly, every couple of years for one that lives in a drawer. Pearls worn against skin every day age their thread quickly.
One more, the honest one: if a strand has never been restrung and you cannot remember when it was bought, it is due.
Do not try to fix it yourself. Fishing line, glue and a knotted-off end will cost you more later than the restringing would have. If the strand has already broken, gather every pearl you can find — including the ones that rolled — and seal them in a small bag or a closed container so nothing escapes in transit.
Send the clasp too, even if it is broken or you dislike it. We will tell you in your quote whether it is worth keeping, repairing or replacing.
Do not clean the pearls with anything but a soft dry cloth. Ultrasonic cleaners, steam and household cleaners damage nacre, and once nacre is dull it does not come back. Cleaning is part of what we do, safely, at the bench. Our trained gemologists (HRD Antwerp and ERIJ) look at anything set with stones.
Not sure what your strand needs? Send us a photo and we will tell you before you ship anything. Broken chain rather than pearls? See chain & necklace repair. Need the clasp area polished as well? That falls under polishing & cleaning.
Tell us about your strand. We email a prepaid, fully-insured FedEx label — free to ship.
Pack it and drop it at FedEx. Insured door to door through IFS, signature required.
We inspect, then send a firm flat quote. Work starts only once you say yes.
Restrung, knotted and returned fully insured, ready to wear again.
As a rule of thumb, about once a year for a strand worn regularly, and every couple of years for one worn occasionally. Silk stretches and absorbs skin oils, perfume and hairspray, so the thread ages even when the pearls look perfect.
Look for gaps opening between the knots, thread that has turned gray or grubby near the clasp, a strand that has grown noticeably longer, or pearls that spin and rattle loosely. Any of those means the silk is worn.
For a strand, yes. Knots stop the pearls rubbing against each other and wearing down the nacre, and if the thread ever gives way you lose one pearl instead of the whole strand across the floor.
Yes. Send everything you have, including the loose pearls and the clasp, packed so nothing can escape. We inspect the lot and your written quote tells you exactly what we can do before anything is started.
Yes. Clasp repair and replacement is part of our necklace work, and restringing is the natural moment to do it since the strand is already open.
Necklace and chain work starts at $39. What your strand costs depends on its length, the number of pearls and the finish, so we send one firm flat quote after we inspect it, and nothing is worked on until you approve it.
Yes. You ship on a prepaid, fully insured FedEx label through IFS (In4Sure), tracked, with signature required, both ways.
Request a free, insured shipping kit — no obligation. See your firm quote before any work begins.