Stardew Valley Bathhouse Necklace: Complete Guide
While exploring the Railroad area in Pelican Town, you might stumble upon clues pointing to a piece of missing jewelry. Often referred to by players as the Stardew Valley bathhouse necklace, this quest item—officially named the Ornate Necklace—is tied directly to one of the game's secret notes. Locating it is simple once you know the prerequisites, but choosing what to do with it once it is in your inventory requires a quick look at your friendship priorities.
The Prerequisite: Secret Note #25
Before you can fish the necklace out of the water, you must unlock and read Secret Note #25. If you try fishing for the necklace before reading this note, you will only catch trash or standard fish.
To access Secret Notes in Stardew Valley, you need the Magnifying Glass. Here is how to unlock it:
- Walk from your Farm into the Bus Stop during Winter between 6:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
- A cutscene will trigger showing a startled "Shadow Guy" (Krobus) fleeing toward town. This activates the quest A Winter Mystery.
- Follow the footprints in the snow through Pelican Town to the playground next to the Community Center.
- Interact with the bush directly to the right of the playground slide. The figure will pop out, apologize, and hand you the Magnifying Glass.
Once you possess the Magnifying Glass, performing everyday tasks like chopping trees, mining rocks, clearing weeds, and fishing will occasionally yield Secret Notes. Keep playing until you find and read Secret Note #25, which contains the following message:
"I borrowed a necklace from Mom, but lost it somewhere near the bathhouse.. She’s going to freak out if she notices it’s missing."
How to Find the Stardew Valley Bathhouse Necklace
Once you have right-clicked and consumed Secret Note #25 from your inventory, head north to the Railroad area. Keep in mind that the Railroad path is blocked by debris until the 3rd of Summer in Year 1, when an earthquake clears the passage.
Follow these steps to recover the necklace:
- Walk up to the Spa / Bathhouse building in the center of the Railroad area.
- Locate the small, ornamental body of water directly in front of the bathhouse entrance (just outside the doors, surrounded by stone lining).
- Equip any standard fishing rod (Bamboo Pole, Fiberglass Rod, or Iridium Rod).
- Cast your line into this ornamental pool.
You do not need bait, specialized tackle, or a high Fishing skill level. As long as Secret Note #25 has been read, your line will immediately hook the Ornate Necklace. Reeling it in does not trigger a mini-game; it will automatically land in your inventory.
Who Should You Give the Ornate Necklace To?
The note clearly reveals that the author borrowed the necklace from her mother and lost it. In Pelican Town, the resident daughter-and-mother duo this refers to is Abigail and Caroline. You can deliver the Ornate Necklace to either character, but the rewards differ significantly.
Option 1: Give the Necklace to Abigail
Handing the necklace directly to Abigail clears her conscience and earns you the highest possible social benefit from the item.
- Friendship Gain: 100 Friendship Points (equivalent to nearly half a heart).
- Dialogue: Abigail will be immensely relieved that you recovered it before Caroline realized it was gone, thanking you profusely for keeping her secret safe.
Option 2: Give the Necklace to Caroline
Alternatively, you can bypass Abigail and return the lost jewelry straight to its rightful owner, Caroline.
- Friendship Gain: 50 Friendship Points (equivalent to roughly one-quarter of a heart).
- Dialogue: Caroline will be surprised, mentioning she had been searching all over the house for it and wondering how it ended up outside.
Which Choice Is Better?
From a purely mechanical standpoint, giving the necklace to Abigail is the superior choice. It yields double the friendship points (100 points vs. 50 points). This is particularly advantageous if Abigail is your prospective bachelorette, as every point helps accelerate heart events and marriage eligibility.
The only scenario where giving it to Caroline makes sense is if you have already reached max friendship (10 hearts) with Abigail and are actively trying to raise Caroline's friendship to unlock her 2-heart tea room cutscene and the profitable Tea Sapling recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell or trash the Ornate Necklace?
No. The Ornate Necklace is classified as a quest item. It has a sale value of 0 gold and cannot be placed into the shipping bin or sold to vendors like Pierre or Willy. It will occupy an inventory slot until you give it to either Caroline or Abigail.
I am fishing in the pool, but only getting trash. What went wrong?
If you are catching algae, trash, or nothing at all, check your collections tab under Secret Notes. You must ensure that Secret Note #25 is visible in your log. Picking up the note is not enough; you must select it in your hotbar and right-click to read it before the game registers the trigger at the bathhouse pool.
Does the season or weather matter?
No. You can fish the necklace out during Spring, Summer, or Fall, under any weather condition, at any time of day. However, during Winter, the water outside the bathhouse can freeze over, so it is best to retrieve it during the warmer seasons.
