I broke my pearl necklace :(

Tanya

I was in a hurry this morning and while putting my AT pearls on I broke it. Both metal pieces at the ends are separated from the string as well as one pearl. Does anyone know if it is fixable and to what kind of place do I need to bring it to do it?

I am so so sad about it Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

15 years ago

General

33 replies

Latest reply was from Steph

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh no! Can you use super glue?

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

to stick the thread back onto the metal clasps.

15 years ago

Active Member

It sounds to me like it is fixable. I've also had good luck finding someone to repair jewelry by calling a local bead shop that has jewelry making classes and asking for a name of someone who does jewelry repair. If they are real pearls, you could also call a couple of jewelry stores and ask for a recommendation of a repair person.

15 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

Hmm, I haven't thought of super glue, I might try that. But I also have to put that one pearl back somehow.

Aj, they are costume pearls, but very dear to me. I'll try calling a local bead shop, hopefully there is one here.

15 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Tanya, while you are at the bead shop, can you ask them for me if they shorten necklaces? And how much it would cost?

I have a few necklaces (some pearls, some links) that I would love to have shortened. After checking around numerous jewelry shops, and learning none of them offer jewelry repair or shortening anymore, I have been tempted to learn how to do this myself! It can't be that hard with the right tools, can it? Hmmm....

15 years ago

shiny

Veteran

... meant to also tell you that I think there is a bead shop in Harvard Square - across from the mexican restaurant. I've never been in the store but I've walked past it a zillion times.

Don't bother trying jewelry stores: DH went all around Cambridge looking for a jewelry store that will shorten a bracelet he bought for me last Valentine's day, and had no luck anywhere.

15 years ago

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Tanya, three weeks ago, the same exact thing happened to my AT chunky pearls!

I paid only about $25 for them but wore them loads, so it was super disappointing.

I am going to try to find a jewelry store that repairs costume jewelry, but I don't hold out a lot of hope, since with my luck, the repair will cost as much as the necklace. We'll see. Let me know if you find a way to repair yours at home.

15 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Oh no! I hope you can get it fixed.

15 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

Thank you for the sympathy everyone. Laura, I will let you know what happens.

Shiny, you got my ears perked up. There's a bead store in Harvard Square? Which Mexican restaurant do you mean, is it Borders cafe? If I find it I'll ask about shortening yours for sure!

15 years ago

Patience

Veteran

The same thing happened to my AT pearls through no fault of mine-- they just fell off one day. I took them back to the store and they exchanged them. Now I'm wondering if it's a quality issue. I decided not to hang up my new pair so as not to stress the string any more than necessary.

15 years ago

Laura

(website)

Veteran

I took mine back to the store too, and since they no longer have the pearls, they said they would refund me if I had the receipt. Of course I purchased them probably six months ago, so it's a matter of searching for the receipt or trying to have them repaired. Neither is a super attractive option!

15 years ago

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Actually as I think about this, I might search for the receipt and get the refund, then use that $ either to repair them or put it toward one of those new JCrew pearl necklaces, which will hopefully be better quality.

http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Brows...../14503.jsp

Do you still have your receipt, Tanya?

15 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

No, I have sadly tossed my receipt, I do not have the habit on hanging on to them after I wear something I really hope that the bead store will work out, and if not I am going to try the super glue as Angie suggested.

That J Crew necklace is gorgeous, btw.

15 years ago

Laura

(website)

Veteran

It's gorgeous but naturally it costs $100 more than the AT necklace

15 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Oh I saw that J. Crew pearl necklace and thought of the forum. I love it! Unfortunately, I'm finding that necklaces aren't working as well with my short hair. I feel like it makes my neck look shorter.

I've always had good luck with J. Crew jewelry in the past. I think it's well made for costume jewelry. If you can pick some up on sale, then it's definitely a great deal.

15 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Yes, Tanya - and I just checked google streetview: it's called Beadworks. Good luck, and let me know how it goes....

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

They have restocked them at AT if anyone is interested. Hope you all get sorted. This is so unlike AT quality.

15 years ago

Patience

Veteran

Tanya, I did not have the receipt with me when I exchanged. I was lucky enough that there was one necklace left at the time. Without the receipt you'd have to be willing to get the same necklace again.

15 years ago

Ariadne

Veteran

Tanya, you could also try taking them to a bead store and asking them to show you how to fix them. You may have to buy some tools (pliers maybe) to do it, but many bead stores will instruct you on how to do things like that.

15 years ago

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Really, Angie? That's great news! I thought they were gone from AT forever. I'm going to march right over there and get a new one. Thanks for the tip!

This forum is invaluable.

15 years ago

ChristineB

Active Member

I have my grandmother's costume pearls, and a couple of years ago one of the glass beads in the middle of the strand broke somehow. I went to a regular jewelry store & paid about $70 to have them restrung. They were double strand & graduaded which made it more expensive, I'm sure. The clerk warned me it would cost more than they were worth to fix them, but sentimentally they were worth way more. Single strand, same size, in US (vs Canada) would probably be less than half of what I paid.

Anyway, the point is that it's totally possible to have costume jewelry repaired at a regular jewelry store that does repairs.

However, exchanging them for a new strand is by far the easiest & cheapest thing to do!!

15 years ago

JewelryGirl

Active Member

Most beadshops will restring something for about $10 (here in the midwest anyway). That would include shortening too Shiny. You can do it yourself if you go to your local Michael's or Hobby Lobby or Bead shop & pick things up. It's really easy to do...

15 years ago

Lena

Active Member

Oh no. I hope you can get it replaced asap free of charge, Tanya.

15 years ago

Nicole

Veteran

Tanya and Shiny, there are several jewlers in my area who do repairs. I don't know if they can fix costume pieces, but I don't see why not. I actually have several pieces I need to bring in for repair. I've been putting it off because I'm afraid to find out how much it will cost. I have a double strand of pearls that belonged to Jason's grandmother. I twisted them (after seeing Greenglove twist her beads), but I over twisted them and they broke. Luckily the pearls were tied, so I didn't loose any. But I had wanted it shortened before the strand broke anyway. I also have this really cool ring that was my mother's. It was her college ring (Modern School of Design)...it's black onyx with the school's insignia, inset in a gold rectangle shape. The band cracked many years ago.

Maybe on Friday I'll go to one of our local jewelers and see about repairs and ask them about your situations. So one costume pearls with a broken strand? And shortening bracelet and necklace for Shiny?

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

Oh no, I'm sorry Tanya (and everyone else). I'm alarmed at how common this problem is. I don't wear mine too frequently. Somehow even though they are fake, they still seem dressy to me. But I have noticed that they are a bit harder to get on than most of my necklaces and I definitely do strain them while struggling to get them clasped, so if I wore them more frequently I probably would have broken them by now. I'll try to be more gentle with them.

I'm sure you'll be able to get them repaired. It doesn't sound like a difficult fix.

15 years ago

Tanya

Veteran

So, I went to the bead store that Shiny recommended, and they are going to fix it! My local AT did not have them so I couldn't exchange.

Anyway, for Shiny, they charge based on how much time they put into rebeading, andhour is $40, and they can only give you an estimate once they see the necklace(s). They estimated it would take around 45 min to do mine so the guess is about $30. it should be done in a week, so I'll let you know how it looks.

15 years ago

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Glad to hear it, Tanya. My local AT didn't have the necklace either. Hope the restringing solves the problem!

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

Yay, glad they could fix it for you Tanya. Hopefully whatever method they use will make them a bit stronger. I better do some research on bead shops here before mine snaps...

15 years ago

mia0807

Active Member

I think you can search online to find necklace repairing store or go to the place
where you bought the necklace to ask now to find the solution.
And you can also have a look here:
http://www.jewelrybase.com/hom.....catexp=191
as you are concerning about pearl necklace.
All styles of jewelry are available on this site.
nice and fashion.
Good quality and inexpensive.
Hope you will love the site.

14 years ago

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