R.T. MAYFAIR

The New York Times

R.T. Of Mayfair Expert Pearl Stringer — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 00:54:51 +0000

Pearl by Pearl, She Built a Jewelry Career

The stringing, repair and redesign of pearls are a deeply held passion for Renata Terjeki, one of the few remaining artists of her kind.

By Felicia Craddock

July 4, 2022

LONDON — Before her successful, if somewhat niche, career, the Hungarian-born pearl stringer Renata Terjeki was never a fan of pearls.

“I never wanted to string,” said Ms. Terjeki, 47, in a recent video interview from her small, windowless, lamp-lit workshop, tucked in the basement of the luxury antique jeweler Bentley & Skinner on London’s bustling Piccadilly.

To her mind, pearl necklaces were the preserve of people over 80, and stringing was an easy pursuit: “I assumed all they do is just chuck the pearls on a string, tie it somehow, and that’s it,” she said.

But the variety and complexity of her work over her 15-year career has proved otherwise.

[Ms. Terjeki’s tips on how to store, clean and preserve your pearl jewelry]

Today, Ms. Terjeki is entrusted with some of the world’s most exquisite pearl jewelry, to be restrung, repaired and occasionally redesigned.

Discretion “is an unspoken rule in the trade,” said Ms. Terjeki, who is often required to sign confidentiality agreements when working on high-end pieces. But clients she can name include the auction houses Bonhams and Sotheby’s, and the jewelry emporiums Moussaieff and Bentley & Skinner. Private clients have included a daughter of the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, (for whom she strung a prayer-bead-like gold and pearl necklace one Christmas), and European royalty.

Almost all find her via word of mouth.

In 2015, Ms. Terjeki, opened an Instagram account under the moniker @stringing_along. She wanted to correct the misconceptions around pearl stringing that she herself had harbored. Among the works on display there are woven pearl watch straps, black diamond loafer tassels, gemstone curtain ornaments and an antique Cartier bag covered in tiny pearls.

Contrary to what one might expect, precious and semiprecious stone beads, and occasionally even coral, make up an estimated 35 to 40 percent of Ms. Terjeki’s work, she said. (“It’s the same technique,” she said. “Just a different material.”) And even ribbon is part of her repertoire. It is traditionally a pearl stringer’s job to wind velvet, hair-colored ribbons about the frames of some tiaras, she said.

To date, her Instagram feed has more than 17,000 followers, some no doubt drawn by the profession’s unusual nature: Expert pearl stringers are hard to come by.

“She is one of a dwindling number of independent practitioners keeping alive this valuable skill,” said Emily Barber, director of jewelry at Bonhams UK — an auction house that has worked with Ms. Terjeki for 12 years. (“Renata is the doyenne of pearl stringers,” she said.)

Ms. Terjeki estimates there are only a handful of high-level pearl stringers left in London.

This scarcity is likely the result of a shift away from the regular wearing of expensive, natural pearls, said Kristian Spofforth, head of department, Sotheby’s jewelry, London. In the early 20th century, when natural pearls were at their peak, “it’s something you got done regularly,” he said. In this day and age, he said, more people are wearing cultured pearls or less valuable pearls.

“Perfecting it and doing it well is remarkably difficult,” he said of the work.

Ms. Terjeki came upon the profession by chance, when a veteran stringer offered her an apprenticeship, and in part credits her success to her background as a goldsmith.

In Budapest, she studied under a master goldsmith, Rezso Ludvig, an artist well known within Hungarian jewelry circles for restoring the Hungarian crown jewels, she said. His insistence that all students learn to craft everything by hand using only the most basic tools can be seen in her work today.

Though specialist tools exist, her own are simple. And, except for her drill and mannequin, all fit into a wooden box she carries with her when the value of a piece means she’s required to string elsewhere.

Among the few items arranged inside, said Ms. Terjeki, can be found a “gimp” — a tiny coil of metal that prevents the pearl from rubbing against the clasp, a 0.23-millimeter needle — the slimmest available — for threading, and a section of a red cotton table runner brought from a housewares store. (The color allows her to see the pearls clearly, and the fabric “has little grooves, which stops the pearls rolling,” she said.) Knots are tied with an “ordinary” needle that slots into a rounded wooden handle, she said. And as for her thread, though some use silk, Ms. Terjeki favors nylon: Unlike silk, nylon “is durable, so the knot stays nice and neat,” she said.

Though she declined to give a base price because of the many variables (principally whether the client is trade or private, the value of the piece and the time it will take), her work ranges widely in cost and complexity.

At one end of the scale are single-row necklaces. At the other are plaited sautoirs — the French name for long necklaces formed of woven ropes of pearls with wires crisscrossing inside that often culminate in one or more tassels. As the work can require up to 10 hours a day of complete concentration for three weeks to a month, she said, the cost can rise to a few thousand pounds.

In addition to its intricacy, the time spent on a sautoir can depend on the size of its pearls.

“Sometimes the pearl hole, and the pearl itself, is so tiny even my thinnest needle won’t go through,” Ms. Terjeki said.

Her solution: Split the nylon thread into its component strands and, taking the slimmest, harden it with a minuscule dab of strong glue and slide it through the pearls like a needle. That’s why she is nearsighted, she said. “I don’t need glasses for work, but I do need glasses for driving, watching a movie, because I stare at everything so close all day long.”

Time restrictions and the value of a piece can add to the sometime high-pressure nature of her job, said Ms. Terjeki, who was once required to complete a five-row natural pearl necklace worth over £1 million in only two hours while seated beside a bodyguard in the SSEF pearl lab in Zurich.

“With a 17th-century necklace, I can’t just go and get another one,” she said.

But this gives the job its appeal.

“I like challenges,” said Ms. Terjeki, whose maxim is “nothing is impossible” and who has no plans to retire.

Today, pearl stringing is her passion, she said. “I don’t know if I could live without it.”

A version of this article appears in print on July 5, 2022, Section S, Page 4 in The New York Times International Edition.

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ft.com

R.T. Of Mayfair Expert Pearl Stringer — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 21:32:00 +0000

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forbes.com

R.T. Of Mayfair Expert Pearl Stringer — Wed, 01 May 2019 21:30:53 +0000

The Pearl Stringer Who Does Work For Vladimir Putin and European Royalty

A highly important but little understood craft in the world of high jewelry is pearl stringing and one of the few remaining artisans skilled in this old world technique is Renata Terjeki.

The Hungarian native has lived in London for the past 18 years. She designs, restrings and restores pearl jewelry for clients around the world. She began working in the trade at the age of 18 originally as a goldsmith in her native country before moving to pearl stringing 13 years ago.

When she arrived in London she had £20 and no real plan. She first worked as an au pair while studying English at night. She wasn’t looking to return to the jewelry trade but a job opened at a jewelry store and she was hired as a salesperson.

“I worked in various shops; most of them don’t exist anymore in Wimbledon, Chelsea and Mayfair. It was in the Mayfair store where I met a lady who gave me a new skill set that cemented my future.”

The women’s name was Uti and she did pearl stringing for the store. She introduced Terjeki to the craft.

“I was looking for bench work and I thought she knew a lot of people so somebody might be able to give me a job,” Terjeki said. “But she had a different idea. She offered to teach me to string.”

Terjeki isn’t sure how many pearl stringers remain, particularly those who can work on valuable antique pieces, but the numbers are few. “Sadly it’s a dying skill; very few people are doing it at such a high level.”

However, this means she doesn’t have to compete for work. Her clientele includes auction houses, antique jewelry retail stores and luxury jewelry houses from the United Kingdom, Middle East and U.S. She also has a steady stream of private customers. Among her clients are Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, European royalty, Sotheby’s, and London high jewelry houses Moussaieff and Garrard. Some of her clients request anonymity.

“I built my clientele purely by recommendation,” she said. “I’ve never had a website and at the moment the only social media platform I use is Instagram.”

According to Terjeki, there isn’t a particular skill set needed to learn the craft but it does help to have a background in jewelry making. The more you know the more you can do yourself.

“I definitely benefit from having a goldsmith background, which means I do understand the technical side of it,” she said. “I know what works or wouldn’t work. My background also enables me to drill pearls myself without giving the job to someone else. I work closely with Paul Bradley (a London goldsmith). He does the metalwork which means I can concentrate on the stringing side. But having the technical background myself, it allows us to sit down and discuss what techniques would be suitable for the actual piece, regardless if it involves remodeling, redesigning or restoration.”

Terjeki says the tools of the trade are basic: pliers, scissors, needles, razor blades, threads, tweezers, tape measure and glue. She will use nylon or silk thread but prefers the former. “Silk is not as durable as nylon and it doesn’t keep as long. Visually, nobody can tell the difference.”

The work may seem repetitious but Terjeki says every job is different and most jobs are intricate and complex. Working on antique jewels is particularly demanding.

“I never know what to expect until I start on a complicated piece,” she said. “However, in my line of work I had to learn to adjust to any situation that might arise. Antique pieces tend to be more challenging because of their age. There is no place for errors as they are irreplaceable.”

With the exception of occasionally working with Bradley, Terjeki works alone in a nondescript studio in Mayfair, but she enjoys her work, particularly when the piece is rare and valuable.

“I like creating. I feel honored to work on pieces that other people can only see in catalogs or behind a glass window. I like the fact that my job is versatile. Not one single day is the same,” she said. “When I create, I zone out. I block out the outside world and channel all my energy and attention into the piece I’m working on in that moment. My job is very therapeutic as for a short period of time I don’t think about my problems, only the piece.”

While there is no typical day, there are times when it will be particularly busy. During the auction seasons she spends most of her time working on antique and vintage jewels. When there are major jewelry fairs in Hong Kong, Doha and Basel, her time is spent helping to create and build new jewels.

“Nothing ever goes by plan so it’s hard to forecast.”

Repetitive ailments are a concern but over the years she’s learned to take breaks between jobs. Complicated jewels such as plaited sautoirs where she sits for hours with her hands in one position can be especially difficult.

“I find stress toys are good to get the fingers moving,” she said.

At the age of 45, Terjeki, has quite a few years left as a pearl stringer and has a near monopoly for much of the world’s high jewelry work. However, there is a need for more stringers. Learning the basics is easy enough but becoming good enough to work on rare jewels requires years of practice.

Terjeki suggests that a proper attitude may be the most important attribute in being successful at the job.

“My advice would be to stay determined, focused and patient as sometimes things gets hard,” she said. “Never underestimate your customers, and treat people the way you would like to be treated. Life is never black and white. Stringing is no different. There are plenty of shades but you have to be open minded to see it.”

Terjeki would like to see more people enter her profession, “but not too many.”

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Barrons.com

R.T. Of Mayfair Expert Pearl Stringer — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 22:26:54 +0000

One of the U.K.’s Last-Remaining Expert Pearl Stringers Is in High Demand

In her small loft-style workshop atop a nondescript building in London’s Mayfair neighborhood, Renata Terjeki cuts an unassuming figure.

A casual observer would not know that the craftswoman, who is understated and chic in a jean jacket, wrap skirt, and Converse sneakers, regularly rubs shoulders with Europe’s rich and famous. As one of the U.K.’s last-remaining expert pearl stringers, Hungarian-born Terjeki is ingrained in the fabric of London’s jewelry world; auction houses have her on speed dial and she works on rare pieces, sometimes worth millions of pounds, for clients around the world.

Pearls are increasing in popularity as younger generations take an interest in what has traditionally been seen as an older woman’s jewel. But few people are learning to string them today.

“It is a dying-out trade,” says Terjeki, 44. “All my competitors are in their 70s and 80s.”

When she began learning to string pearls a decade ago, Terjeki was worried the work might be dull. A goldsmith by training, she was looking for bench work making metal jewelry when an older London pearl stringer offered to take her on as an apprentice.

“I thought, I’m probably going to be stringing [single-row] pieces for really old people,” Terjeki says. “Then I realized what a variety you can have.”

The changing market demographics allow her more scope for creativity—stringing chokers and French plaits, making earrings and hair pins, restoring auction pieces, and creating her own designs.

“People have started discovering how many different options they can have—color, size, style,” Terjeki says. “It isn’t always about a necklace: pearls could be sewn on a pair of shoes or a skirt, broaches are coming back… I think sometimes people have to be presented with options because they can’t always think outside of the box.”

“The spectrum has changed massively over the last 100 years,” says Kristian Spofforth, head of sales for Sotheby’s London jewelry department.

He said artificially made “cultured” pearls such as Tahitian and South Sea pearls are becoming more common and bringing the jewel into the mainstream. They are more affordable than natural pearls, which are formed organically when minuscule bits of grit make their way into oysters.

“Design becomes more innovative,” Spofforth says. “A lot of the little pearl necklaces and bracelets we see now are lighter, driven towards a young market, because they are a lovely thing that are easy to use, very versatile.”

Sotheby’s, however, trusts few people to work with their pieces. When it comes to pearl skinning—a technique used to add luster to dull pearls—Spofforth said there are no longer any qualified experts in the U.K. And as for stringing, there are only two people in London that Sotheby’s regularly commissions.

“If [Terjeki] decides to hang up her hat, I don’t know what we will do,” he says.

The luxury jeweler Alisa Moussaieff is another regular client of Terjeki’s. She said pearls are becoming “all the rage.”

“They are no longer perceived as conventional, and designs are more modern, playful, and edgy,” she says. “They are a symbol of female empowerment and direction.”

The bulk of Terjeki’s work comes from referrals from clients such as Moussaieff, the auction houses, colleagues in the industry, and, once, the Victoria and Albert Museum. She does not have a website or name over her door and acknowledges that it adds to her mystique.

“It’s kind of like an underworld,” she says. “You press the buzzer—‘Hi my name is so-and-so, I came to see so-and-so’—the door opens, you go in the back.”

(Terjeki’s rates depend on the piece’s length, intricacy, and age, and start at £80 for a basic 20-inch single row of pearls. She recently charged £2000 for a pearl set consisting of an intricate necklace, earrings, a bracelet, broach, and hairpiece, which she anticipates will take 3-4 weeks.)

But, Terjeki says, the secrecy can also make it difficult to gain exposure. She sometimes signs confidentiality agreements barring her from speaking about clients or claiming credit for her work. Previous customers she cannot name include a European royal (“I thought it was a joke—somebody just phoned me up and said, ‘Her majesty will be in town’”), and a British duchess who has since passed away.

Three years ago, a client came to see her at the busiest time of year asking for a rush job on an unusual necklace, claiming it was “really important.”

“I said, ‘Yes but it’s only a week to Christmas, who is it for, the Queen?’” Terjeki recalls.

In fact, the recipient was one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughters, she said. The piece was like a string of prayer beads with pearls, tassels, and gold beads. Though it could likely have been strung in Russia, she was told it was more alluring if handmade in London.

Pearl stringing has to be done by hand, unlike other kinds of jewelry where machinery can be used, according to Terjeki. Each knot needs to be hand tied between each pearl, and pearls scratch or damage easily if held by claws like the kind used for diamonds.

According to Spofforth, there are still jewelers who can perhaps string a single-row necklace, but few who can do anything more complex than that.

Being in the Bond Street area, where Terjeki has worked for the past three years, certainly adds to her professional appeal—even if her office feels like a far cry from the posh world of her customers.

Her fourth-floor rented space resembles a Parisian attic with skylights overlooking neighboring rooftops. A simple (and portable) workstation includes sewing scissors, tweezers, small pliers, and a basic needle with a wooden handle for knotting string. On the desk, a bright red cloth helps her to see the pearls and is meant to prevent them from rolling away—though, she says, “they still do anyway; I’m always on the floor.”

Her method of washing the jewels might appear rudimentary—tap water and dish soap—but when Terjeki begins stringing them into intricate patterns, she works with the deftness of a seasoned professional. She can spend hours on end on her ergonomic kneeling chair, stringing under the glow of a day light. (The work has made her short-sighted, despite the lamp.)

When Terjeki works on highly expensive pieces, clients sometimes send a bodyguard to sit with her; other times, they will not let her keep the jewelry overnight, even though her office is secured with a fob system, cameras, and a heavy fire door.

Transporting expensive items is another concern, though she is steps away from many of her clients, including Bonham’s and Sotheby’s. She is careful not to take phone calls or listen to music when carrying jewelry.

One person Terjeki frequently pops in to see is diamond-mounter and goldsmith Paul Bradley, a few minute’s walk from her in another unmarked workshop. He does the metal work for the pieces she strings.

Bradley says he is seeing more pearls nowadays as clients move away from traditional single-row strings and toward new styles. One pair of pearl earrings he has been working on can be worn five different ways with minor adjustments and additions.

“People realize they’re something special… they’re not like diamonds where they can just keep being dug up,” he says.

Scared to Touch

Terjeki said there are few sophisticated courses in pearl stringing, unlike with other types of jewelry.

“Nowadays jewelers don’t know much about them and so they don’t want to touch them,” she says. “Many people are scared to touch really expensive things.” She has worked on pieces worth as much as £12.5 million (US$15.8 million).

Terjeki does have her eye on an apprentice, “but sadly she’s only 10,” she said.

She hosted the girl, a client’s daughter, for an afternoon last year and was impressed her with her ability to knot the string—the hardest part of the job—as well as her willingness to keep working until she got it right.

“I thought, ‘You’ve got what you need, really,’” Terjeki said. “You need to have determination.”

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