Why Your Pearl Necklace Gets Shorter After Restringing

When Jewelry Shrinks...

One of the most common surprises customers experience after a pearl or beaded necklace repair is this:

“I swear it used to be longer.”

And you’re right — it was longer! But not because any pearls or beads were removed!

Just today a customer came into The Pearl Girls shop pick up her repair and yes, it was shorter than it had been before it broke. So, I pulled out our before photo:

"I count 59 beads," I told her. "Now, you count."

She took out her finished necklace and counted...57, 58, 59.

They were the exact same number of beads! What does this mean?

Necklaces Stretch Over Time

Pearl and beaded necklaces are traditionally strung on silk thread and hand-knotted between each bead. Silk is strong and flexible, which protects the beads from rubbing and breaking — but it also slowly stretches.

Everyday wear causes:
• body oils to soften the silk
• gravity to pull on the strand
• movement to widen the knots

Over months and years, tiny spaces form between the beads. Those tiny gaps add up, and the necklace becomes noticeably longer than its original length. And sometimes, not so noticeably!

Here are some close up of this Pearl Girl's necklace:

Many people become used to this stretched length and assume it is the correct size. And it is so deceiving because the small stretching adds up to a big difference in length.

What Happens During Professional Restringing

When we restring a necklace, we remove the worn, stretched thread and carefully knot each bead snugly into place again.

No beads are removed.
We are restoring the necklace to how it was originally made.

Once those gaps are gone, the necklace returns to its true bead-to-bead length — which can feel ½" to 2"+ shorter depending on how stretched it had become.

Why This Is Actually a Good Thing

A stretched strand is at risk of breaking. When silk weakens, it can snap without warning and beads can be lost.

Which again, is exactly what happened to this strand! So sad!

Proper restringing:
• protects the beads
• prevents loss
• restores original structure
• keeps pearls from rubbing and wearing down

The “shorter” length means the necklace is healthy again.

What If You Prefer the Longer Fit?

Many clients have worn their necklace stretched for years and simply prefer how it feels at that length. That’s completely okay.

We can add an extender chain or discuss length adjustments so you receive a piece that is both secure and comfortable to wear. Plus we have SO many pearls in stock, many times we can match pearls and beads to seamlessly extend your necklace!

This client asked us to add an extension chain to make her necklaces longer again! We can easily do this!

Our goal is always the same — a necklace you can wear confidently and safely for many more years.

Enjoy!

India