I am delighted to have been asked to take part in this blog to share with you all what I do, in particular my pearl knotting service.
So, here is a little background on me and how I have come to learn the art of pearl stringing.
I am a jewellery designer for both my day job and my hobby. I live on the South coast with my husband and our two gorgeous little dogs. I have always, from a very young age, had a love and great passion for all things sparkly. I am the biggest magpie known.
Jewellery has always been in the forefront of my life. I achieved a degree in Metalwork and Jewellery at university and the last ten years have been the greatest foundation in my jewellery experience. In that decade I have worked for two companies who have taught me a great deal about the bespoke design industry. They continue to help springboard my career and encourage me to learn new techniques. The jewellery industry is so diverse - there is always something new to learn.
I have been extremely lucky to have been taught by a wonderful lady up in London. She taught me all I need to know about the art of pearl knotting and this is a service I can now offer to Pinky and Pearly clients.
Pearl knotting is the art of ensuring your pearls are securely strung on a thread, with tiny knots in between each pearl to the secure your pearl jewellery. Here I will show you some examples of pearl knotting, as well as a couple of videos of my tutor showing me how to pearl thread.
It is extremely important to know why pearls need re-knotting. This is for two reasons:
So the pearls don’t rub against each other and damage the pearls. This will prevent any chipping and constant wear to the pearls, which overtime will deteriorate the pearls.
The second important reason to knot in between your pearls is to ensure that, if they break, no pearls will fall off your necklace or bracelet. If they are knotted in between each pearl, this will save any pearls being lost if broken.
It is very important to bear in mind that pearl necklaces will need regular reviewing and regular knotting. Keep a firm eye on the thread and keep an eye out for any stretching, fraying and thinning of the silk. If this is evident it is important to not delay the re-knotting, as this could cause the silk to break. During this time your pearls will be checked for any damage which may cause possible breakages in the future. At this point we sometimes swap these pearls for new ones.
I have been lucky enough to be asked to pearl knot a gorgeous piece designed for a collection. This item is a striking piece of jewellery and a really great item to pearl knot. This will show you how multiple strands have been threaded together onto the gorgeous clasp. I will show you all of the elements I went through to knot this up for the client.
Here are some images showing you the different stages we have been through to thread this necklace up. This will show you some different stages we have taken, from dividing the pearls out, so we know what pearls will be located on which row, measuring enough silk to cover each row including the knots, and two videos showing the process of pearl knotting and starting off our row.
I do hope this gives you a little insight into the importance of looking after your pearls. Here at Pinky and Pearly we pride ourselves on our stringing service and are always on hand to help if you have any questions or wish to speak to us about the service we can offer you.
