Pearl Earrings

The Romans originally used two words for Pearls. Unio, meaning unique and margaritae, meaning something cherished or of unusual value. While buying pearl earrings look for pearls that are mostly round, with high to medium luster, good uniformity and minimal surface spotting.

Pearl earrings are the all time classic choice. Pearl earrings are well suited for every occasion. For classic, quality pearl earrings, go for Akoya pearls. For more a affordable gift, choose freshwater pearls. Exotic, naturally black Tahitian pearls present dramatic color and impressive size. And for something extraordinary, give silver-white South Sea pearls.
Earrings made up of solid nacre, cultured freshwater pearls are perfectly suited to be worn everyday. They are durable, beautiful, and go well with any outfit for any occasion.

Both akoya and freshwater pearl earrings are appropriate for any style and all ages. Akoya pearls were the first to be cultured by Kokichi Mikimoto nearly 100 years ago and continue to be the preferred pearl choice today. They are perfectly round with mirror like luster and subtle overtones.

Cultured Tahitian pearl earrings make a luxurious statement. Tahitian pearls are known for their rainbow of natural colors and glorious irridescence.
Cultured south sea pearls are the rarest, most valuable cultured pearls. Earrings with these pearls looks strikingly elegant, yet understated!

White Pearls:

Pearls is the unique gemstone among other gemstones in the world, only gemstone which produced by the living organism. People around the world use pearls for beautiful jewelry and decorative objects.

Pearls occur naturally in spectacular array of colors ranging from white to gold, purple to black. Color of the pearls varies from the mollusk and its environment.

Color does not affect the quality of a pearl. Some colors become more popular than others in particular markets.

White pearls go with everything! These white pearl jewelry items are casual, formal and everything in between. White color reflects the color of the wardrobe and effectively matching themselves to the occasion.

Akoya cultured pearls are white lustrous pearls with usually cream or rose colored overtones. These are classic pearls often used in pearl strands. Southsea cultured pearls come in shades of lustrous white, often with silver or rose overtones. They are larger in size than that of Akoya pearls.

How to buy white pearls

Choose Japanese Akoya pearls when you are looking for high end luxury. Freshwater pearls are very affordably priced.

A pearl should have a bright, even, reflective surface. Examine several strands. Higher luster indicates high quality.

Pearls with a clean surface will reflect light more evenly, and is therefore, more valued than that of the blemished surface.

Pearl strands are very basic and a stylish accessory in any women’s wardrobe. These classic fine strands are available in several lengths and colors with beautifully matched pearls, knotted with a clasp.

Cultured Akoya pearls of Japan have been used to string beautiful strand of pearls. Tahitian pearls are also used in pearl strands these are large dark colored pearls.
Tahitian pearls have good uniformity, flawless to lightly spotted surfaces.

Luster is the most important factor when viewing a quality of pearl strand.
High quality pearl strand has high luster and good surface quality, and pearls should match in terms of color, shape and size.

While examining and comparing strands, lay them flat on a white colored non-reflective surface, such as velvet covered tray. The best way to comparing color is to hold the tray just below eye-level with the strands next to each other. Never use black background to judge the quality of pearl strand.

Caring of Pearl strands

1. Store pearls separately from other jewelry. Wrap strands in a cloth bag or jewelry pouch.

2. Avoid contact of pearls with cosmetics, perfumes, creams etc.

3. Wash pearl strand with very mild detergent and dry it with a soft cloth.

4. Re-string pearls regularly, as makeup, powder, etc., will form gluey paste on the string attacking the silk and pearls.

5. Protect pearls from flames and extreme heat as they can burn or become discolored.

6. Do not clean pearls with ammonia based cleansers.

Pearl Necklaces: Classical Necklaces and Unique Necklaces

Necklaces can be made from any sized pearls with great grace and luster. A necklace of perfectly round pearls is the rarest and most valuable.

Necklaces are classified as uniformed or graduated. In a uniform strand of pearls, all pearls are classified as the same size, but actually form in the same range. A graduated strand of pearls, most often has at least 3mm of differentiation from the ends to the center of the necklaces.

There is also a unique way of naming pearl necklaces. While most other necklaces are simply referred to by their physical measurement, strings of pearls have their own set of names that characterize the pearls based on where they hang when worn around the neck. A ‘collar’ will sit directly against the throat; they are often made up of multiple strands of pearls. ‘Pearl Chokers’ nestle just at the base of the neck. The ‘Princess’ comes down to or just below the collarbone. A ‘matinee of pearls’ falls just above the breasts. An ‘opera’ will be long enough to reach the breast bone or sternum of the wearer, and longer still, a ‘pearl rope’ is any length that falls down farther than an opera.

http://www.orientalpearls.net/about_pearls.phpPearl Jewelry

A pearl is valued as a gemstone and is cultivated for jewelry. For centuries, women and men have adorned themselves with pearls, knowing that these enticing orbs represent power, wealth and prestige.

The value of the pearls in jewelry is determined by a combination of luster, color, size, lack of surface flaw and symmetry that are appropriate for the type of pearl under consideration. Among those attributes, luster is the most important differentiator of pearl quality according to the jewelers. Large, perfectly round pearls are rare and highly valued.

Pearls come in eight basic shapes: round, semi round/peanut, button, biwa, drop, pear, oval/rice, baroque and circled. Teardrop shaped pearls are often used in pendants, earrings or as a center pearl in a necklace. Semi round pearls, button pearls, Baroque pearls are used in necklaces. Circled pearls commonly used in rings.

In general, cultured pearl jewelry is less valuable than natural pearls jewelry. There are also many imitation pearl jewelry coming up in the market, so one can choose though a wide range, comfortable with their budget and liking. But one can also get deceived in this process, so look out for quality guarantee certificate to confirm the purity and standard of pearls.

• Heart of darkness- the black pearl
  
  The black pearl is making a comeback in the world of high fashion jewelry. A gift of black pearls is a gift of romance and is considered a sign of eternal love. Black pearls derive their lustrous color from the grayish-black nacre of the oyster shell. There are many different shades of black. The black-lipped Mother of Pearl shell Pinctada Margaritifera is a native of the South Pacific and thrives in the clear, unpolluted waters of the lagoons of the northern Cook Islands in Manihiki and Penrhyn.
  
  First, the oyster is collected and a trained technician places a nucleus into the shell, as well as a piece of mantle from a donor shell. The mantle creates a pouch around the nucleus, and after two years or so, puts thousands of thin layers of nacre over it. The result is a perfectly spherical black pearl. The mother shells have to be kept in good condition and require constant cleaning to prevent the build-up of algae and barnacles.
  
  Surface characteristics can include surface blemishes such as pits, bumps, ridges, cracks or spots. Luster is caused by the reflection of light from the surface.

However, if you are looking for a classic large sized 9-10mm freshwater black pearl necklace for a reasonably low wholesale price, you should take a look at this necklace. According to our customers who bought them and came back to tell us that in most retail stores this black pearl necklace sells for more than $1000 of lessor quality while this round black pearl necklace in 14k gold costs you less than $260. You can check it out yourself.

What is a fresh water pearl?

A pearl is a hard, rounded object with unique luster. Pearls are mainly used in jewelry and also crushed in cosmetics or paint formulations. They are valued and are cultivated or harvested. Freshwater pearls come from freshwater mussels. They are produced in Japan and the United States on a limited scale, but are now almost exclusively produced in China.

The crafting process begins by selecting a suitable mussel, cutting a strip of mantle tissue in 3mm squares which is then handed over to the technician who creates small incisions on the upper side of the valve and inserts the tissue piece. This procedure is performed once again on the other side of the valve.

Their harvests are purchased while still in bed and are delivered for cleaning and sorted by size and shape and then considered for treatment. They are bleached, drilled, followed by polishing and then matched into hanks and are then considered as "wholesale ready."

These pearls are seldom perfectly round and are noted for their wide range of colors. The most desirable are the pastel pinks, roses and purples, which depend on the genetics, water quality, and the location of the tissue graft inside the shell. However, because of technological advances, they are getting better and better. How do they do it? You can read more information about freshwater pearls here.