Please Help - small issue with my Tahitian/Akoya rope

[BWise]

I have shared with excitement, my new rope in this topic:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/preview-of-two-new-strands.212391/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/preview-of-two-new-strands.212391/[/URL]

I have been waiting for it to arrive but I got this emailmfrom PP today:

"The 14k white gold beads are so soft that they are getting dented as the pearls are touching it every time it bends. We can't put a knot between the gold beads and the pearl because the hole in the gold bead is too large and swallows up the knot."

Can the experts here help me to find some alternative options such as roudelle spacers? I want them to have silver color, not too complicated looking and not too large. The Tahitians are about 13-14mm near round.

In advance, thanks for your help!

 

[Lovinggems]

So you need solid gold beads cause the current ones are too soft?

 

[Lovinggems]

This necklace has diamond cut gold beads.

http://www.tahitianpearls.biz/south-sea-pearl-necklace/south-sea-baroque-pearl-necklace-mnxb.htm

 

[cmd2014]

Do you need the rondelles? They're small and it's hard to tell if you'd see them much anyway.

If yes, does PP have a suggestion? They are usually pretty good at solving these kinds of design issues.

 

[ennui]

So you need solid gold beads cause the current ones are too soft?

Beads wouldn't be solid because they are drilled through the middle. Gold is a strong yet soft metal, which is why it can be spun into thread.

I'd remove the beads. I don't think they are necessary to the design. If you have your heart set on metal spacers, silver is tough, and stainless steel is tougher.

 

[Lovinggems]

So you need solid gold beads cause the current ones are too soft?

Beads wouldn't be solid because they are drilled through the middle. Gold is a strong yet soft metal, which is why it can be spun into thread.

I'd remove the beads. I don't think they are necessary to the design. If you have your heart set on metal spacers, silver is tough, and stainless steel is tougher.

Yes but some are just a shell not 'solid'.

 

[katbran]

If you use the inexpensive really lightweight gold beads they are very fragile and dent really easily. Ask for the heavier walled ones..price will go up... or eliminate the gold beads.

 

[Lovinggems]

If you use the inexpensive really lightweight gold beads they are very fragile and dent really easily. Ask for the heavier walled ones..price will go up... or eliminate the gold beads.

This! Thanks katbran for the correct terminology!

 

[katbran]

Lovingems I had this issue myself a few years back ... learned not to use them in a necklace . Fine when in earrings or somewhere they are not stressed ..

I was looking a the gorgeous photo (thinking about having to restring all of that lol .. I just finished off a long Harvest Tahitian strand and if I had to turn around and do it all over .... arrrgggghhh ! ) But looking at the photo and considering the cost it might be worth having them try a few different gemstone combos to see what looks best ... tiny moonstones? Or even the tiny spinels? Or... this just popped into my mind.. a little FLAT disk of gold?

 

[Lovinggems]

Lovingems I had this issue myself a few years back ... learned not to use them in a necklace . Fine when in earrings or somewhere they are not stressed ..

I was looking a the gorgeous photo (thinking about having to restring all of that lol .. I just finished off a long Harvest Tahitian strand and if I had to turn around and do it all over .... arrrgggghhh ! ) But looking at the photo and considering the cost it might be worth having them try a few different gemstone combos to see what looks best ... tiny moonstones? Or even the tiny spinels? Or... this just popped into my mind.. a little FLAT disk of gold?

Do post your harvest strand here or elsewhere Katbran,I would love to see it!
I like the disk of gold idea!
Also how about smooth opal rondelle beads? Blue sapphire rondelles?

 

[katbran]

I like the opal idea .. been trying to picture something neutral that would pick up on the colours of the pearls .. sapphire would be pretty too.
As forHarvest photos, rules here don't allow trade to post photos unless they are instructional in some way (I think that's right..) so we can just post on a different forum.

 

[pregcurious]

Just wanted to say that I like your Tahitian/Akoya rope, and the beads elevate the design for me. However, I think it would still look nice without them. Thanks for sharing your design challenges.

 

[BWise]

Thanks for everyone who replied. You have some really good ideas. I know my last resort can always be not using any spacers, but I want to see if we can find a solution first. When we were designing the rope, we tried both with and without the beads, gold and silver beads, and the little silver beads add a lot of personality. I'm waiting to hear from PP. hopefully they will come up with something.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

You could also use tiny seed pearls as spacers - the little 2mm ones.

 

[Pearlescence]

The beads have too little metal to be robust. You can up the metal weight and go down on the carat to keep costs down possibly, or use silver plated with rhodium or white gold to get the same look and with silver there would be no worry about increasing cost.
You have to look very hard to tell the difference and if you have problems with nickel allergy then ask for silver which complies with EU regulations (no nickel, no lead no cadmium)