Restringing
Pearl & Bead Restringing in Hamilton
Silk thread wears out. It stretches, yellows, and one day it lets go — usually in a parking lot. We restring pearls and beaded necklaces by hand, here in our Upper James store, the way it was done before the work got sent overseas.
Call us: 905-318-3456
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 10:30am–5:00pm | Sat 10:30am–3:00pm
Your pearls never leave our store
This matters more than anything else on this page. A lot of jewellers take your necklace and mail it somewhere else to be worked on. Mail-in services do the same. We don't. Your pearls stay at 1595 Upper James Street, in our hands, from the moment you hand them over to the moment you collect them.
And if we look at your strand and the thread still has years left in it, we will tell you that and send you home. We would rather see you again in three years than sell you something you don't need today.
The person doing the work
Vicki has been restringing pearls since 2010. She does every strand herself, at our bench, by hand.
Restringing looks simple and is not. The tension has to be even down the whole strand or it will not hang right. The knots have to sit tight against each bead with no gap. Get either slightly wrong and the necklace never drapes the way it should — and you usually cannot see the mistake until it is finished.
That is why it comes back right.
What we restring
Pearls are most of our work, but they are not all of it. Bring us:
- Cultured, freshwater, Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian pearls
- Costume and imitation pearl strands
- Jade, coral, amber, turquoise, lapis, onyx and other gemstone beads
- Glass, crystal and vintage bead necklaces
- Wood, bone and hand-carved beads
- Bracelets, single strand and multi-strand
- Graduated strands, where every bead has to go back in the right order
If you are not sure whether yours can be saved, bring it in. Most can.
How we do it
We clean first. Years of hand cream, perfume and hairspray collect around the drill holes and inside them. We clean every bead and clear the holes before anything is threaded, so the new thread isn't pulled through old residue.
We use high-quality silk thread, colour matched to your beads. Silk moves and drapes the way a strand should — nylon goes stiff and hangs wrong. We match the thread shade to your pearls so the knots disappear instead of standing out against them. It is a small thing that changes how the whole necklace looks on.
We knot between every bead. The knot does two jobs. It stops the beads rubbing against each other, and if the thread ever does break, you lose one bead instead of the whole strand across the floor.
We protect both ends with French wire. This is the part most shops skip. French wire is a fine metal coil that the thread passes through where it meets the clasp. That spot — thread rubbing directly on a metal clasp ring — is where nearly every strand eventually fails. The coil takes the wear instead of the thread. You get years more out of the job.
Then we check it. Knot tightness, spacing, clasp action, and the drape when it hangs.
See the work
Before and after, on real customer pieces. Nothing here is sped up or staged.
Knotted pearl restring
Silk thread, French wire ends, knot between every pearl.
What it costs
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
|
Plain restringing New thread, no knots, your existing clasp |
from $45 |
|
Signature knotted restringing Cleaning, silk thread, knot between every bead, French wire both ends |
from $90 |
|
Clasp replacement Sterling silver or gold |
from $60 |
|
Multi-strand and graduated strands Priced in store — more strands means more work |
Quoted |
Final price depends on the length of your strand, the size of the beads, and how many knots the job takes. We will give you the exact number before we start any work. No surprises when you collect.
Turnaround: about one week. Need it sooner — for an anniversary, a wedding, a funeral — tell us and we will do what we can. Rush service is usually possible.
Bring it in, or ask us first
The fastest way is to call: 905-318-3456
Or leave your details below and we will get back to you. No appointment needed if you would rather just walk in — we are at 1595 Upper James Street, Unit 3, Hamilton.
Questions we get asked
How do I know when my pearls need restringing?
Look at the thread between the beads. If it is grey or yellow where it used to be white, if you can see gaps opening between the knots and the pearls, or if the strand hangs longer than it used to, the silk has stretched. Most strands worn regularly need doing every two to three years.
Do you have to knot between every pearl?
For pearls, we recommend it. Knots stop the pearls rubbing against each other and keep them from scattering if the thread ever fails. For some bead necklaces, knotting is not traditional and we will string them the way they were made.
Can you keep my original clasp?
Yes, if it is sound. We check the spring and the ring first. If it is worn to the point where it will open on its own, we will show you and let you decide.
Will you match the thread to my pearls?
Always. We match the silk to the body colour of your beads so the knots blend in rather than showing as a contrasting line.
Do you work on things that aren't pearls?
Yes — jade, coral, amber, turquoise, glass, crystal, wood and costume bead necklaces all come through our bench regularly.
Who actually does the restringing?
Vicki, here at our bench. She has been restringing pearls since 2010. Your necklace is not sent to a third party or shipped overseas.
How long will it take?
About a week for most jobs. If you need it faster, ask — we can often accommodate a rush.
Rudix Jewellery
1595 Upper James Street, Unit 3
Hamilton, Ontario
905-318-3456
info@rudixjewellery.com
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 10:30am – 5:00pm
Sat: 10:30am – 3:00pm
Closed Thursday and Sunday
Wholesale since 2007. Retail since 2017. All restringing done on site.