Very silly questuon re: bracelet length

[lovedogs]

I expect this is a silly question, but I'm going to ask anyway

How do I figure out how many pearls are needed for a bracelet? I have an existing pearl bracelet that fits well, but the pearls are very small (I think 3-5mm). If I have significantly bigger pearls and am going to ask PP to drill/string them, do I just line them up until the large pearls are as "long" as the bracelet w the small pearls? I just dont want it to be too long or too short!

 

[lissyflo]

It would need to be longer for bigger pearls: the centre of the pearls, where the thread is, will be further from your wrist because of the greater diameter of the pearls and will therefore form a bigger circle. I think the maths is relatively straight forward , or you could buy a pack of cheap glass beads in the same size as the pearls you want and mock up the length (then ask pp to make it as close as possible to the same length after factoring in knots, if you don’t do those in your mock up).

 

[lovedogs]

It would need to be longer for bigger pearls: the centre of the pearls, where the thread is, will be further from your wrist because of the greater diameter of the pearls and will therefore form a bigger circle. I think the maths is relatively straight forward , or you could buy a pack of cheap glass beads in the same size as the pearls you want and mock up the length?

Very helpful, thanks! I figured it couldnt be as easy as lining them up, but couldn't articulate why. Duhhhh, thread is further away from my wrist. Math is not my strong suit!!!

 

[lissyflo]

If you’re using PP and you’ve got a bracelet that’s the right length in smaller pearls, I’m sure they’d be able to advise the best length for larger sized pearls. That might take the guess work out of it? And/or the maths!

 

[pearlsngems]

I just had to nerd out.
Knots, by the way, tend to be about 0.3mm each.

 

[yssie]

@molinePDG had a pearl education post on IG about this but I can’t find it!! His advice was to measure (I would say measure around your forearm, where you want the bracelet to stop) with a piece of string or something, and tell your stringer to make sure the *interior circumference* of the bracelet is that same length including half the clasp.

Perfect way to do it IMO!