If your pendant will not fit over the clasp of your necklace, slide it on from the other end: the small ring there is almost always narrower than the lobster clasp. If that does not succeed either, choose a clip pendant or have a jeweller fit a smaller ring or a different clasp. Never force the bail of the pendant open.
It is a well known problem. Videos showing this trick are doing the rounds on TikTok and Instagram, with hundreds of thousands of views. In this blog you will read why it happens and which solution suits your pendant.
Why does a pendant not fit over the clasp?
It comes down to two sizes: the opening of the pendant and the thickness of the clasp.
The bail is smaller than the lobster clasp
A pendant hangs from a small loop. Jewellers call that a bail. How big that opening is, you can read in what a bail is exactly. If the lobster clasp is thicker than that opening, the pendant will not slide over it.
Clasps differ in size
A lobster clasp is often the thickest part of a fine necklace. A spring ring is a little smaller, a toggle much bigger. Have a look at which types of necklace clasps there are to see what is on your necklace.
Which tricks can you try yourself?
Always start with the gentlest solution.
Trick 1: via the small ring
At one end sits the lobster clasp, at the other end a small closed ring. That ring is almost always narrower. So turn the necklace around and slide the pendant on via the ring. This is the trick from the popular videos.
Trick 2: hold the ring at an angle
Does the ring just not fit straight through the bail? Then hold it at an angle and gently turn it through the opening, the way you turn a key onto a key ring. A flat ring often slips through after all.
Trick 3: pendant first, clasp later
Sometimes the clasp is attached to the chain with an open ring. A jeweller then removes the clasp for a moment, slides the pendant on and puts the clasp back. Rather not do this yourself with pliers, because the silver scratches easily.
Trick 4: measure beforehand
Buying a new pendant or necklace? Measure first. Hold the lobster clasp next to the bail of the pendant and see whether there is room to spare. A few tenths of a millimetre already make a difference.
Not sure when ordering online? Look at the top of the pendant on the product photo. An open clip or a wide bail gives you the most freedom with every necklace.
When do you choose a different solution?
If no trick succeeds, there is a lasting solution.
Choose a clip pendant
A clip pendant has a hinge that you push open. You simply click it around the chain, so the clasp no longer matters. The Dune Pendant Clip and the Pendant Clip Fuse are both made of 925 sterling silver, with a gold plated or rhodium plated finish.
This is also the basis of the Mix & Match concept that Sharon van het Hof came up with together with Ton Tijhuis. With separate pendants and different chains you create a new combination time and again. In 2024 the Mix & Match Studio followed, where you combine pendants, chains and gemstones yourself.
Choose a finer chain
A fine link chain has a small clasp. That fits through almost any bail. Have a look at the necklace pendants and check which system each pendant has. Buying a new necklace at the same time? Also check which necklace length suits your neckline.
Do not stretch the bail
It is tempting to bend the bail a little wider with pliers. Yet that weakens the metal. A stretched bail no longer closes properly and the pendant slides off by itself later. You can read more about all systems in the guide on how to attach a pendant to a chain.
What do you ask a jeweller?
A jeweller often solves this in a few minutes.
A different ring or a different clasp
Ask whether the ring at the end of the chain can be replaced with a smaller one. Or have a clasp fitted that goes through the bail of your pendant. Sparkling Jewels has more than 500 affiliated jewellers in Europe, so there is often one nearby.
Bring both pendant and necklace
That way the jeweller measures both sizes straight away. Then you know for sure that the new clasp fits. Back home you quickly put the necklace on again with the tricks from how to put on a necklace by yourself.
Frequently asked questions about a pendant that will not fit over the clasp
I'm happy to answer a few frequently asked questions:
Can I make the bail of my pendant bigger myself?
Better not. The metal weakens and the bail no longer closes neatly afterwards.
Does a clip pendant fit every necklace?
Almost every link chain, yes. With a very thick chain or large beads, the clip has to open wide enough.
Why does the pendant fit via the small ring?
Because that ring is thinner and flatter than the lobster clasp. That is why it slips through the opening more easily.
Is a smaller ring less strong?
A properly closed ring is strong enough for a normal pendant. Do have it fitted by a professional.
Want to know more, or have questions? The experts at Sparkling Jewels are happy to help.
