Posts Tagged ‘pearl earrings’

Jewellery is loved by millions and earrings in particular are a preferred choice, particularly with those who like to show off their facial features…in fact, we buy pearl earrings because we know that they look better than other types of jewellery. We know that they will look good on women of all ages and all different face shapes.   Pearl earrings simply never date and that is why people are still very keen to enhance their jewellery collection with some great items. However, some do question where this earring passion stems from, and they want to know if it is a new attraction. In fact, its not a new attraction at all and many years’ previous have seen women experimenting with their jewellery and body art.

In our fast-paced modern cultures our ears provide one of the easiest and most prominent body parts to adorn. With the jewellery that women wear, moods and expressions can be portrayed through the use of earrings. Of all the earring choices, we buy pearl earrings for their timeless beauty and their ability to make our skin look natural and glowing.

Earrings have been around forever, or so it seems. You might not be aware that the oldest recorded earrings are Lunate ones. These earrings were discovered in the region that is now known as Iraq, which might surprise some people. These earrings are very ancient, and are estimated to be 4500 years old. In fact, the earliest earring designs were made of precious metals which were usually gold and even sometimes bone.

Over the years, different earring styles have become popular and this is often directly related to the hairstyles people have. You only need to consider the Middle Ages when earrings lost popularity slightly. It was considered immoral for respectable married women to be seen in public with their heads uncovered. By the time the 1500s had come around, women were much more outgoing in the way they presented themselves and hair would be worn up with both ears exposed. As earrings have made a comeback, there are now many different styles available and one of the popular choices remains – which is pearl earrings.

Today earrings thrive with as many different variations as there are people wearing them. You can pick up pretty much any style of earring your heart desires, although silver and gold remain the most popular. We wear earrings as art and this helps us to express ourselves. Despite all the different types of earrings, it is pearl earrings that are the most popular choice.

Whether it’s their romantic aura, their subtle beauty or simplistic style, you have decided it’s time to add a beautiful piece of pearl jewelry to your collection. Before running out to your favorite jeweler and snatching up the first thing you see, get informed about the investment you are about to make. There are several things to know about pearls that will help you get the best deal and the right pearl for you.

First, let me start by saying that there is no official grading system industry wide for pearls. There are however, 2 different systems that reputable pearl dealers hold themselves to. The first system is the AAA-A system, which allows jewelers to grade pearls. In this system, a grade of AAA means the pearl is of the highest quality. The pearl should be nearly flawless and have a very high luster. If the pearl has a grade of AA, it should still have a high luster but could have a defect here or there. An A-grade is the lowest grading for a pearl. This type of pearl will likely have many flaws and lack luster.

The second system widely accepted by pearl dealers is the A-D system, sometimes known as the Tahitian system. This is the system often used to grade Tahitian or South Sea pearls in overseas markets. In this system, a grade of A means the pearl is of the highest quality with high luster and is virtually flawless. The grading goes down from there, with a B pearl having a high to medium luster and a few defects. A C-graded pearl will probably have over 50% defects on the surface, and will possess only a medium luster. Any pearl given a grade below D is not considered usable for jewelry.

Because these two grading systems are not industry-wide, it is important that you feel as though you can trust your jeweler. Ask them for the pearl grading in writing, any reputable dealer should provide this. This way, you have the pearl quality in words as opposed to simply the grade they felt was appropriate. The other thing to look for when grading a pearl is its nacre, or surface thickness. The thicker the nacre, the more durable the pearl will be over time. A good, thick nacre begins at about 0.5mm so keep this in mind and use it as a guide when choosing pearls.

When purchasing pearls, it is important to examine the surface carefully. A high-quality pearl should have a bright and shiny appearance. You should be able to see your reflection in a high-quality pearl. Lower quality pearls have milky or chalky characteristics. Also, check the surface of the pearl to make sure it is smooth and free of discoloration or other defects. The perfect pearl should be round, smooth and shiny.

The next thing to consider is the pearl's color. This is an area where personal taste should overtake how valuable the pearl is. There are colors of pearls that are rarer than others in nature but this should not be the determining factor. You should consider your personal taste and what compliments your skin tone when purchasing your pearls. With that being said, pearls range in color from white to black with every color in-between. It shoudl be easy for you to find a high-quality pearl in the perfect color to suit your taste.

Another thing to be aware of when shopping for pearls is size and how that affects cost. Of course, the larger the pearl the more expensive it will be, depending on the other factors as well. Pearls are measured in millimeters and will depend on the type of pearl. Akoya pearls are often the smallest and can range from approximately 6mm to 8mm. Tahitian, South Sea, and fresh water pearls run larger than Akoya pearls. The average pearl sold today is about 7mm. There are also "seed pearls" which are tiny (less than 1mm, at times) that you can find at jewelry stores around the world.

So, before heading out to the stores do some research and be informed about the type of pearl you want to bring home with you. The more knowledgeable consumer you are, the more pearl you will be able to get for your money. In the end, you will feel better about your purchase, will most likely have made a better investment and will choose a piece of jewelry that you will love for years to come.

An oyster bigger than any found before in the UK turned up in a fish marked in Plymouth last weekend. Narrowly escaping becoming someone’s luxury dinner the giant shellfish, unashamedly nicknamed ‘Shelly’ by the newspapers, measures 7” across and weighs 3lb. The oyster has been given a new home in the local aquarium, where it is on public display and proving to be quite the tourist attraction.

Unfortunately for fashionistas who are loving the current revival of pearl jewellery though, there’s no chance of a giant hidden gem inside the shell, because Shelly is the wrong type of oyster. It’s an especially large example of a species called the edible oyster, which live in the English Channel. Edible oysters do produce ‘pearls’ but they are of no value, unlike those which come from other species of oyster.

The valuable pearls used to make pearl earrings, necklaces, bracelets and other jewellery are found in Pteriidae or feathered oysters, which nowadays are farmed on large pearl farms across the world, mainly in China. Pearls are formed when an irritant gets into the oyster’s shell and it coats it with layers of a substance called nacre to make it smooth. Natural pearls are a lot more highly valued than the cultured variety as they are difficult to find and fully formed, perfectly round natural pearls are rare.

Pearls have been worn for hundreds of years, it’s tradition for brides to wear pearls as well as the rich and glamorous across countless generations. They are well known as a demonstration of purity and love, as well as suggesting wealth and class. The introduction of cultured pearls to the jewellery market has made them more widely available in recent years, and the popular vintage fashion revival along with a number of high profile celebrities publicly displaying their love for pearl sets and other classic jewellery means pearls are as desirable as ever. Michelle Obama is the latest in a long line of celebrities showing off their pearls in the fashion pages, she is becoming a star in her own right for her individual style and ‘imaginative’ jewellery choices including lots of pearls and brooches.

For years, pearls have been prized for their beauty; pearls have been ornaments to royalty and criminals alike. Regarded with great value in China, Greece, Europe and the Americas, these jewels have always been a popular choice as highly valued gems. With their variety of designs, we’ll show you how to choose the right kind of pearl earrings for the right occasion.

While naturally formed pearls come in all forms of irregular shapes and often cannot be used for jewelry, cultured pearls can be grown in a variety of shapes – spherical, oval, teardrop and baroque. Learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion will involve finding a design or combining various shapes of pearls that suit your face shape.

Before you go about learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion, it is imperative that you learn how to spot quality pearl drop earrings. Judging a pearl requires consideration of a few factors – color, overtones, size, luster, shape and surface quality.

When choosing the right pearl earrings for the right occasion, it is also important to determine your budget as pearls that have greater luster or have more reflective surfaces are more highly prized. The smoothness of a pearl’s surface is also a qualifying factor in judging its quality. From cream, champagne, pink, gold, blue and even black, choosing the right pearl earrings will depend on the occasion you intend to wear them to.

Pearls are delicate gems and are generally softer in composition than other jewels. Because of this, they are prone to damage like cracking and scratches. Its porous nature also makes it susceptible to other substances like perfume, sweat and makeup. Keep your pearls clean by wiping them with a soft, damp cloth and try putting on these accessories after you’ve worn your makeup and applied your perfume.

Earrings worn as accessories are designed to draw attention to the face and should be carefully chosen to flatter your features, depending on the shape of your specific face. Learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion begins with determining your face shape.