How do I keep my necklace clasp at the back of my neck?

[QA:Q] Aloha, Anna! Why do my necklaces keep spinning around my neck, so that the clasps are in the front? It is annoying and unsightly. It doesn't seem to matter what kind of chain or clasp or jewelry design. Is my neck too fat? My hair too long? My jewelry choices bad? Help! Tangled in Volcano, Laura

[QA:A] Aloha, Laura!
That is a common problem with many necklace designs. If the necklace is relatively the same weight all around, there is nothing to hold it in place. My favorite fix for that is to hang a counterweight off of the clasp. I like to use an adjustable-style clasp by using a lobster claw on one side of the necklace and a short length of chain on the other. This way, I can change the length of the necklace if desired. But also I like to hang dangles of beads using head pins off of the last several links of the chain. This seems to keep the necklace in place, and if it does start to twist around my neck, I can feel it right away and move it back to where it should be. It is a nice touch at the back of the neck as well, adding an extra design element.

Also, I don’t know what kind of necklace designs you've tried, but if you graduate the beads from smaller/lighter beads at the back of the necklace with bigger/heavier beads toward the front of the necklace, that might help too. Another good design idea to keep the clasp in the back is to make a double-strand necklace; the weight of the strands should help keep the necklace centered as well.

You might also want to use a focal bead or pendant secured at the front of the necklace. If you string half of the necklace, then the focal bead or pendant (making sure the hole through the bead or the bail of the pendant isn't large enough to fit over the beads in the necklace), and then the other half of the necklace, the weight of the focal bead or pendant should keep the necklace from turning.

If you do have a larger neck, wearing a longer necklace with some of the ideas above would probably help too. Different lengths and necklace designs are going to drape differently on different body types, so do a little experimenting to see which style works best for you.

Good luck, Laura, and if anyone has any other great ideas, please share by posting your comment below!
Anna
[caption image="http://www.beadandbutton.com/~/media/Images/How%20To/askanna/bnb-askanna_1109_01.ashx?w=200" targeturl="http://www.beadandbutton.com/~/media/Images/How%20To/askanna/bnb-askanna_1109_01.jpg"] Using an adjustable lobster claw/chain closure allows for a counterweight option to keep your necklace from turning on your neck. [/caption]

[Anna]
 

Comments

KipperCat wrote re: How do I keep my necklace clasp at the back of my neck? on Mon, Dec 21 2009 1:49 AM All this time I thought those little dangles down the back were just for looks!  I just might add some to existing necklaces now.

alankarshilpa wrote re: How do I keep my necklace clasp at the back of my neck? on Mon, Dec 21 2009 1:52 PM I love the way you added several beads, what a nice touch to show -."the attention to details".  I usually do put a last bead  at the very end, but now I'll remember this. Thanks for sharing.  Dita.

Drea wrote re: How do I keep my necklace clasp at the back of my neck? on Thu, Dec 24 2009 1:06 PM I always put several chain dangles with beads or charms on the ends, hanging from one side of the clasp, it looks really pretty and helps to keep the clasp where it belongs - it also looks nice if the necklace is long enough to wind around the neck with the clasp in front.