Frequently Asked Questions

Our most-requested starter necklaces feature a single cultured pearl — available in 5mm, 5.5mm, or 6mm — set on a 14k yellow or white gold chain. Simple, refined, and designed to grow more beautiful with every pearl added.

Yes. Every Add-A-Pearl necklace comes complete with a clasp — a classic spring ring and jump ring, delicate enough to suit the necklace beautifully at every stage of its growth. The Add-A-Pearl trademark is stamped on every clasp as your assurance of authenticity. Should you wish to upgrade to a fancier style at any time, we are always happy to help.

The Add-A-Pearl name engraved on the clasp is your assurance of authenticity and fine quality. Add-A-Pearl has been in business since 1854 and is the nation's largest single user of natural pearls — a heritage we are deeply proud of.

We would be delighted to create one for you. Please contact our team at 855-392-6640 and we will guide you through the options and find the perfect fit for your wrist.

Yes — we have a gallery of completed necklaces in both uniform and graduated styles for your inspiration. Please visit our gallery or contact us and we will be happy to share examples with you.

Adding pearls is a labor of love best left to a professional. Because each pearl must be individually strung with fine silk thread using specialized tools and a jeweler's trained eye, it is not something that can be done at home. We — or a qualified jeweler — will need to string them for you. We think you'll find it is well worth the wait, and the result will be something truly beautiful.

No — and this is by design. In the finest quality pearls, the drill hole is deliberately kept very small so that only a single strand of silk thread may pass through. This preserves the structural integrity of the pearl and ensures a uniform, lasting result. The chain is then carefully secured to the silk thread, anchoring each pearl in its proper place on your necklace.

This is truly our specialty, and it is something we take great pride in. Every pearl added to your necklace is individually hand-selected by our specialists to match your existing pearls in color, size, and luster — ensuring the finished necklace is harmonious and beautiful as a whole. When new pearls are added, the entire necklace is carefully taken apart and lovingly reassembled, allowing us to reposition each pearl for the most flattering result. Our team has been trained to exacting standards, because we believe that a pearl necklace should be as lovely at 85 pearls as it was at one.

The traditional way— Order your pearls and have them delivered to you in an Add-A-Pearl gift box. When you are ready, complete our Send-In Necklace Form and mail your pearls and necklace to us for stringing. We recommend shipping with insurance.

Pearls on Hold— Purchase your pearls online and, rather than having them sent to you, we will set them aside in our studio until your necklace arrives. Simply complete the Send-In Necklace Form and ship your necklace to us. We will add the pearls and return it to you promptly.

Pearls may be added one at a time or several at once — entirely as you wish, and whenever the moment feels right. For a graduated style necklace, adding an uneven number of pearls ensures there is always a single pearl at the center for the most pleasing symmetry. For a uniform necklace, any number works beautifully since all the pearls are the same size. There is no rush — many necklaces are begun for a very young child who will grow into wearing it, and that is part of what makes each one so meaningful.

Part of the enduring beauty of Add-A-Pearl is that it transcends generations. A necklace in progress has a quiet, personal beauty all its own — and we have had the privilege of seeing necklaces pass through several generations before they are complete. If you received a necklace from a loved one, we would be delighted to help you continue it, and we also offer engraved charms with a name and date to capture the moments it has spent with you.

We recommend shipping via UPS or FedEx, as both offer reliable tracking and insurance options — important when sending something so precious. You have two easy options for getting your necklace to us:

By carrier — Print and complete the Send-In Necklace Form and send it along with your necklace and any additional pearls to:

The AAP® Company
29 E. Madison Street, Suite 1650
Chicago, Illinois 60602

By phone — Call our customer service team at 855-392-6640 and we will be happy to guide you through the process step by step. Please always retain your tracking information.

Once we receive your necklace, stringing typically takes approximately three to five business days. Please allow an additional five to seven business days for transit via UPS or FedEx. During November and December, times may be a little longer due to the holiday season — we appreciate your patience and will always keep you informed.

Necklaces of more than ten pearls are individually knotted between each pearl. This traditional technique prevents the pearls from rubbing against one another — preserving their luster for years to come — and ensures that if the strand should ever break, only one pearl is at risk of loss. Starter necklaces of ten pearls or fewer are left unknotted, as they drape more naturally and gracefully against the neck at that length.

Restringing and pearl additions are a complimentary service for necklaces where the starter and all additional pearls were purchased directly from Add-A-Pearl. Each pearl card should bear the Add-A-Pearl seal of authenticity intact on the reverse. The only charge is a return shipping fee of $6.95. If your pearls were sourced elsewhere, a stringing fee will apply based on the time required and number of pearls involved — we will always provide an estimate before any work begins. Please call us at 855-392-6640 and we will be glad to assist.

Please do not worry — simply gather all the pearls and send the necklace to us. We will repair it with care. Repairs are complimentary within 90 days of purchasing a new necklace or within 90 days of a pearl addition strung by The Add-A-Pearl Company. With a little care and good judgment in daily wear, your necklace will maintain its beauty for many years to come.

For the most beautiful result, we recommend trimming the chain as pearls are added so the necklace maintains its original 16" length. This is our standard practice for all Add-A-Pearl necklaces. If you would prefer to keep the chain intact as the necklace grows, simply let us know by calling 855-392-6640 — we are always happy to accommodate your wishes. For reference, adding four inches of pearls to a 16" chain would result in a 20" necklace.

A few familiar objects make it easy to visualize pearl sizes:

• The shaft of a cotton swab is approximately 2.5mm
• The opening of an ordinary drinking straw is approximately 5mm
• The numerals on a credit card are approximately 5mm
• A standard pencil eraser is approximately 7mm

We also have a few size guides available to help you visualize the pearls side by side —view our size guides here. Our pearl specialists are always available to help you choose with confidence.

They are similar in many ways, but each has its own distinct character. Both are round, organic gems formed by oysters with the same creamy color tones that have made pearls beloved for centuries. Cultured pearls tend to be more perfectly round with a high, mirror-like luster — the classic bridal pearl. Natural pearls, formed entirely without human assistance, are rarer and more individual: slightly smaller, less perfectly round, with a softer, more matte luster and a beautiful vintage quality. We find both types truly extraordinary.

Natural pearl necklaces follow a specific graduated plan designed to ensure a properly proportioned, elegantly balanced result. We recommend contacting our pearl specialists at 855-392-6640, who will guide you through the ideal next additions for your necklace and help you select pearl sizes that complement what you already have.

Both are timelessly beautiful, and there is truly no wrong choice. A uniform necklace — all pearls the same size — is a classic of understated elegance. A graduated necklace, with a larger pearl at the center and successively smaller pearls running back toward the clasp on each side, has a more traditional, formal beauty. You do not need to decide right away — we can always graduate a necklace that began with uniform pearls by adding the appropriate larger and smaller sizes later. Our pearl experts will be delighted to assist whenever you are ready.

We would be delighted to. A classic 16" graduated necklace typically consists of the following:

• 1 pearl at 7mm (center)
• 2 pearls at 6.5mm
• 4 pearls at 6mm
• 10 pearls at 5.5mm
• 14 pearls at 5.0mm
• 12 pearls at 4.5mm
• 18 pearls at 4.0mm
• 18 pearls at 3.5mm
• 8 pearls at 3.0mm

A completed necklace of this style will have 87 pearls in total. For a personalized recommendation, please call our pearl specialists at 855-392-6640 — we love helping you create something truly your own.

Every pearl used in an Add-A-Pearl necklace is of the absolute finest quality — a genuine gem, selected to become part of a piece of jewelry meant to last a lifetime and beyond. Our cultured pearls are Akoya pearls, not freshwater, prized for their exceptional luster, perfect roundness, and remarkably clean surfaces. We have a dedicated team of pearl specialists whose sole focus is ensuring that your necklace is nothing less than stunning.