Today at Planderful we will give you a tip so you can reuse almost any necklace you have at home. You know that fashion change and necklaces that used to be long are now almost chokers, or you just want to shorten a necklace that is too long. Also, keep in mind that if you are short in stature, long necklaces may not be the best choice for you.
Stay reading this article to find out the best tip to shorten a necklace that is too long.
Tools you need
We are going to need two pliers, if they are thin-tipped, much better.
Procedure
- First of all, try on your necklace and measure how much chain you want to cut. Don't forget that both sides must be equal, so remove material from both sides.
- With the measurement already taken, take off the necklace and place it on a table with the chains stretched and straight (no twisted links). You can count the links of the chain to take more accurate measurements. This is the best way to maintain symmetry.
- Your necklace may have another chain as an embellishment besides the one that holds the necklace. So open the large washer (where you fasten the necklace) being careful not to deform it too much. Use the pliers to help you: with one plier you hold one side and with the other one you have to open a little hole in the washer.
- Once you have measured the links you want to remove, grab the last link you are going to discard with one of the pliers and open it with the other to separate it from the rest of the chain. Set aside the rest of the chain that is left over, including the open link.
- Reattach the large washer to the side we have already fixed and close the washer tightly so that no link can come loose.
- Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 for the other side.
How to shorten a pearl necklace
Whether it is freshwater pearls, gemstones, or resin pearls, you have no choice: you will have to redesign your necklace! To do this, remove the clasp and wire while maintaining the order of your pearls. Use a bead mounting tray for this step.
All you have to do is string the beads on a new wire, tie a knot if it's a stretchy wire or add beads to flatten and put the clasp back on. Be careful to keep some balance by removing as many beads from the left and right sides as you want, until you get the length you want.
How to shorten a necklace without cutting the chain
If you do not want to cut your chain or if your chain links are too complex (e.g. serpentine link or ball link) and impossible to cut without altering the link, there are other solutions:
- loop several times around the wrist to have a multi-row bracelet or around the neck to make a choker build-up.
- If your chain is not too big, place a pendant on the chain and tie a knot just above it.
- Place the clasp on another link, at another point on the chain. When you close the necklace, you will have a piece of chain hanging like an extension chain.
Depending on the necklace you will need to repeat more steps or separate more pieces, but I'm sure you won't have a problem. If you follow this tip your necklace will be perfect and now you will be able to wear it the way you want.
And now? You can reuse the leftover chain and create a very original ring.
How to make a chain ring
To make the chain ring we need:
-Nail polish in the color of your choice or nail polish.
-Pliers.
-Thin chain.
Steps to follow:
- Place a piece, or join two if they are small, of chain and place it on the finger of your choice. Calculate the size and add or remove links to make it fit without problems. Remember that it does not have a clasp, so make sure it is a little loose so you can take it off easily. We don't want you to hurt your fingers.
- Do not join both ends of the chain together yet. Paint first the desired color, or transparent enamel to avoid staining your finger and to make the chain more resistant to moisture or friction.
- When the chain is painted on both sides let the glaze dry.
- Join the ends. Open one of the links and join it to another end of the chain. Close very carefully so as not to lose the paint and not deform the link.
The importance of recycling in jewelry
I hope this post not only helps you to shorten your necklaces for aesthetic reasons but also helps you to understand the importance of recycling in jewelry. The awareness of environmental care has such relevance that nowadays new jewelry designs favor the reuse of metals and precious stones for sustainable jewelry production.
Sustainable jewelry is that which works responsibly under ecological standards. It is based on the recycling of metals such as gold or silver for the production of new pieces, as well as the reuse of precious stones or the use of synthetic gems.
This type of jewelry does not use raw materials from endangered animals or plants such as ivory, coral, and ebony, among others. The main idea is to raise awareness about the importance of caring for our environment by promoting the conservation of the biodiversity of species and the health of water and soil.
Sustainable jewelry also uses new metals but from artisanal mining where fair trade labor standards are used. In addition, the extraction of precious metals such as gold or silver is done without the use of polluting chemicals such as cyanide and mercury.
We should not think that by buying sustainable jewelry we are buying lower quality products because, although they come from recycled raw materials, these products have the same quality and purity control systems as the pieces made with direct raw materials.
Fortunately, ethical and sustainable jewelry is already a reality. Did you know about sustainable jewelry? Now you too can be part of taking care of the environment by reusing your jewelry with these tips. Visit Planderful's website to learn more about our products.
