Featured Opinions on restringing and value

Hi all. I am hoping to get your opinions on a few questions I have.

When making a purchase, do you think value is affected when an old, necklace, bracelet is restrung?
If so, why?
If not, what material used for restringing is acceptible? Is there a preference?

Thank you. I look forward to your responses.

 

I don't think it is affected, as long as it is in keeping with the original string and technique. I find it usually gives our buyers more confidence that it is in good condition.
It is best if the material is the same as the original string. If you can't get the same, use something comparable. And if the beads were individually knotted, copy that, including the way they were knotted.

 

And if there is a clasp original to the piece, reuse it if it is in good shape

 

Don't think value would be affected so much as price would be. If profit the seller's motive, cost of restringing should be rolled into sales price which means, in some cases, cost might be be above value.

Debora

 

Sometimes it does have to be done, if the original is damaged or already broken. I just did some Venetian ones that had been on the original cord. The cotton had already broken, and the little metal bits were corroded. I hand knotted them onto waxed hemp. It's not anything like the original, but at least it won't fall apart again any time soon.

 

No question it sometimes has to be done to save a necklace.

But if the question is about value, I do think it can impact price in a certain kind of way. Although the buyer should be happy because the piece is more stable, one might ask the question whether the restringing occurred because some of the original beads had gone missing.

I think re-stringing might take a slight hit on the value, although maybe it shouldn't.

 

What would someone charge to restring. I am asking because i purchased a cobalt blue glass bead necklace. it was very cheap but by the time i got it home the string had broken. i don't know what the necklace is worth or if it is cost effective to have it repaired.
here is a pic.

 

Those are 20s/30s Czech beads, with that stringing. They aren't high value, but I love the color. It wouldn't be hard to restring that yourself; all you'd need is the right diameter cording, a hat pin (to get the knots in the right place) and a little patience.

 

If you value your possession for boxed display purposes and memories - leave the necklace alone. If you need to use it for daily personal use - restring it (if the old string is too worn and unstable to hold your gems) lady you got to secure and wear it confidently for your own good. Find a shop or online sites that sell (bead/bracelet) strings that conforms to your needs. A 0.5 to 1mm nylon (beading.macrame,rattail) string thread may conform, there are lot color varieties available at ebay.

 

These are the beads I was talking about. Bought them at a yard sale some 15 yrs ago. The cording was almost completely disintegrated. It was on a beige cording. was thinking about putting it on black cording, but I am concerned over time it too will disintegrate. This will be for resell, so was attempting to figure out the best way. Also I believe these are french jet.

Would waxed vs unwaxed be preferable material? whats the difference? I had originally purchased sterling silver chain to run through but after looking through my loupe and noticing little chips etc my concern was the chain will only create a problem where (in the holes for stringing) there isn't one.
Also was thinking about using a sterling fish hook clasp as the original (clasp) was long gone. Looking for opinions I can't make up my mind..lol

Please pardon my horrible lack of a manicure. just woke up!

 

anyone out there with recommendations on places that restring nice costume at reasonable cost?

 

I do my own, so .... The black beads above look like they were a bracelet. They're meant to be on elastic cording, I'd use black, and that does fall apart eventually. The beads are probably Czech.

 

Thanks Evelyn. It was on very old fiber type string that was disintegrating. So did you mean it should probably be restrung on elastic? Thanks for the heads up that they are Czech.

 

That's what they were on originally. The elastic fell apart and someone put them on a cord to keep them together. If you want to put them back the way they started life, then elastic is the way to go. I've done it before, but also turned a bracelet like that on degraded elastic into a necklace.

 

Wow. I never knew they had elastic back then. And that the cording it was on would have then decayed on top of the elastic. Thanks for the info. Also took your to top and read up on the type of glass on these beads because under a loupe I see chips , they are fine but circular, almost oval in nature . But this was a good read. Thanks again!

http://texasantiquemall.com/general...tell-the-difference-is-it-jet-or-black-glass/

 

The Victorians had elastic bracelets, and I restrung a bakelite one not too long ago. The elastic ones weren't as common 50+ years ago, but they were around.

 

yeah i was shocked to learn doing research that elastic go its start around the mid 1800's. Thank you. I do have elastic but not black.. have to see if I can find it somewhere. maybe JoAnns or Michaels.. thanks again!