Jewelry

[Jana111]

Ladies -- I have recently bought two of Barbara Bixby's Maltese cross enhancers. They are beautiful, but I'm concerned about the clasps. Do any of you have experience with taking her enhancers on and off the necklace using the catch (as opposed to sliding it on without opening the catch)? My question is whether these clasps hold up to repeated use. The question comes to mind because I bought an enhancer years ago from another shopping channel, and the enhancer clasp quit working almost immediately -- it became too loose to stay closed and hold the pendant on the chain, and I ultimately had to have a jeweler solder it closed.

[Sameolmollysmama]

I always wonder too. All my clasps seem flimsy too - Bixby, Ripka, diamonique, etc. I tend to save them them for special occasions, which is silly.

[CamilleP]

I have a large collection of Bixby enhancers, gathered over several years, mostly from QVC but also a few from her couture collection. I have never, ever had an enhancer bail fail, ever. Most of her bails have a figure 8 safety clasp that secures the bail's latch, in addition to being very sturdily constructed, so I have no concerns at all about my enhancers, and I don't think you need be concerned, either. Out of curiosity, which enhancers did you get?

[Jana111]

Thanks for your answers. Camille, you make me feel better about the bails. I got the pink mother-of-pearl Maltese cross (J292819) and the most recent cross enhancer (J292210). I don't wear much silver, but these are both just gorgeous. I'm wearing the pink Maltese cross with the Judith Ripka raspberry doublet station necklace (J284793), and it's just awesome.

[GRACIE]

The first pansy butterfly key pendant I bought kept opening,one day I look down it was gone. I purchase another one almost a year later. This time I had the jeweler solder the enchancer.I love Bixby jewelry,but with all enchancer use a jewelry pincher, or have a jeweler solder it.

[CamilleP]

Glad I could be helpful, Jana. I asked about the enhancers you got because I have the older abalone maltese cross and also purchased the new Chapel Window cross on Barbara's last visit as a gift to my BFF for Christmas, as she loves amethyst. Of course, having seen it, now I want one for myself, but I have a dog who has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, so my budget is too constrained for me to buy myself another BB cross right now.

If you are really worried about the bails opening, there's some work-arounds you can do yourself with a pair of needle-nosed pliers, as long as you have chains that can slide through the bails, or if you order one of the Bixby necklaces that have the opening circles on them. Though they were made for her newer charms that have closed bails, I use them for my enhancers all the time as well. I'm wearing the triple strand chain with the opening circle today with the yellow sapphire Amazing Grace cross on it, and I just slid the open circle through the cross's enhancer bail when I put it on this morning. I also have a 16" Sunday Market chain with the opening bail, as well as the Friends 2 necklace I bought from Bixby Designs, which also has an opening circle, these necklaces are very versatile.

[corvette mary]

I never buy enhancers or magnetic clasps...Easy on is also easy off! Since most are now enhancers I just don't buy. Which is ok too, I mean how much of this stuff does one actually need? I have hotrods to feed...LOL. they give me better return on my investments, that is if I could ever actually part with any.

[Kachina624]

I have had Bixby enhancers come unfastened. I've got a small jeweler's plier, and I use it to tighten the figure 8 safety catch; just very slightly pinch it together so it's tight. Her enhancer clasps are the worst. Carolyn Pollack makes the best.

[lolakimono]

On 11/26/2014 Jana111 said:

I got the pink mother-of-pearl Maltese cross (J292819) and the most recent cross enhancer (J292210). I'm wearing the pink Maltese cross with the Judith Ripka raspberry doublet station necklace (J284793), and it's just awesome.