It seems there must be a new defect in this Necklace. I too had the exact same issue as the previous reviewer, the sharp bits holding the pearls in are so sharp that they poke into the skin. The person I bought it for loved it but after wearing it the first time they brought this problem to my attention. I tried it on and to my surprise it actually is incredibly sharp and uncomfortable. A very poor design that must not have been an issue for the earlier reviews of this product. It's a shame because the necklace is very nice looking.