The Pearl Jewelry Blog

Pearls are in! The old wedding classic, pearl bridal jewelry, is a hotter than ever these days. The current trend is to use the traditional pearls in updated and eclectic designs. Brides are exploring unique shapes and colors, and creating one-of-a-kind pieces that are perfect for their wedding.

When most people think of pearls, they imagine the classic strand of akoya pearls that has been worn by countless brides, from Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy right on down to this author. While you can never go wrong with a beautiful strand of pearls, designers are taking pearl bridal jewelry in a fresh new direction these days.

The au courant way to wear pearls is to select ones that are imperfectly shaped, with a natural and unique feel. Baroque pearls and keshi pearls are very much in style. Brides love them because no two pearls look exactly alike. This means that each piece of wedding jewelry created with these irregularly shaped beauties will be an original.

The current trend in pearl bridal jewelry is necklaces and earrings that are delicate, open, and airy. For the most chic look, choose earrings created from pearls swinging from a long thin line of crystals with sterling silver accents. Funky chandelier earrings are always popular, as are pearls in beautiful pastel shades like pink.

Pearl wedding necklaces are also being done in eclectic styles, such as multiple strands and dainty pearl pendants dropping from a silver chain. For a warmer look, choose a necklace handmade with 14kt gold fill.

The delicate look of these pieces makes them appropriate for brides of all ages - there is definitely nothing stuffy about them. Yet because they are pearls, this wedding jewelry will always remain timeless.

Delicate pearl jewelry also makes great gifts for your bridal party. When made from sterling silver, pearl bridesmaid jewelry sets are as affordable as they are gorgeous. Choose earrings and necklaces that are similar in style to the bride’s wedding jewelry, but a little bit less elaborate.

For instance, if the bride wears a fabulous triple strand pearl necklace, her attendants would look great in a single tin cup strand. To further distinguish the accessories worn by the bridesmaids, use pearls in pretty soft colors that compliment the bridesmaid dresses.

The daintiest pearl looks are ideal for brides planning destination weddings. The elegant simplicity of a couple of keshi pearls dangling around her neck is just the right finishing touch for a beach bride.

More formal affairs are the perfect excuse to treat yourself to dramatic earrings and wedding jewelry with interesting and bold forms. And of course, the bride who loves the classics will still look radiant in a perfectly polished strand of pearls.

You simply cannot go wrong with pearl bridal jewelry. Once the domain of the bride with traditional taste, these days pearls are wonderful for any bride. With so many updated and modern designs available, pearl wedding jewelry is the go-to accessory for stylish women with every type of personal taste.

By Bridget Mora

There was a time when a man’s jewelry collection consisted of a watch a ring and a few pair of cufflinks. They seemed to be pretty comfortable with that. Today, it seems that men do not see the need to be subject to such limitations when it comes to jewelry. Let’s add bracelets, chains and even earrings to the list. Then you would have a more up to date description of a man’s jewelry collection today.

This is evident by the way more designers and retailers are making more space for men’s jewelry then ever before. Women’s jewelry has moved over just a little bit to make space for the increasing selection of men’s jewelry.

While most men still don’t enjoy shopping quite as much as women, they have become more fashion conscious in general. This is very apparent when it comes to jewelry. While they don’t necessarily find shopping fun, they will take time to be selective about what makes them look good or what will give them the image that they want to portray.

It wasn’t so long ago, when gold, silver and platinum were the only metals used to make fine jewelry. Today jewelry designers are mixing traditional materials with things such as steel and titanium. Designers are even using hints of leather, wood and rubber to give men’s jewelry that masculine feel. Cufflinks have always been an important part of the businessman’s wardrobe. Today even they are becoming more fashionable as the designers are using a wider range of materials to produce them.

Today, stainless steel, which has been mostly seen in watches, has found its way into fine jewelry for men. It has the same high polished appearance of platinum and it is also very durable. However, stainless steel is much more affordable. Stainless steel and titanium have even become very popular materials to use in rings.

When selected appropriately, men’s jewelry can catch the essences of style and sophistication of a man. Watches have traditionally been one of the first things that men use in jewelry to make their statement of style or sophistication. But today watches have become a timeless tradition combined with the modern innovation of today.

As men’s desire for more fashionable jewelry increases, there is one small benefit for women. The benefit is that there are many more options when it comes to gift giving. There are so many more choices so that women can venture out a bit farther when purchasing a jewelry gift for the man in their life.

By Victor Epand

A single string of jewelry around your wrist can make up for your jewelry requirement. Bracelets are ideal for special occasion or for everyday wear. You will find these beautiful yet simple pieces of jewelry in almost every jewelry store around the world. There are so many types of bracelets that can catch a woman’s fancy.

String Bracelets: These are generally made from weaving different things into a single string. You will find string bracelets made from different gemstones adorned into a metallic wire, this could be silver or gold or steel.

These are easy to wear, extremely chic. With unique quality of hanging on to the wrist, these look great especially if there is a small string continuing after the connection point of the bracelet.

You will find these in different combinations. Pearl bracelets, diamonds, crystals woven into one string or a combination of them all, these can cost from $5 to infinity.

Cost of these bracelets generally depends on what is being used in the making. Some of the exquisite bracelets are regularly worn by celebrities during several functions. Bracelets are charming and eye catching. If you love wearing heavy jewelry, you can try out putting on a long string of pearls or semi precious stones on the wrist.

Try and make one for your daughter by attaching glass beads on a string of thick nylon thread or simple silver wire. This can showcase your creativity and the bracelets can work out to be cheaper than the normal bracelet.

Tennis Bracelets: Nothing sporty or bland about these bracelets, you can also call these the bangle bracelets. These are one of the most stunning bracelets. You will find use of most exotic gems and stones here. Some of the most stunning ones are made from diamonds and pearls.

You will find uniquely attractive and stunning, here rubies combined emeralds for quiet yet most breathtaking combination. You can check out simple ones where the top of the bracelet has a small charm attached to them, this makes them all the more attractive.

Bracelets are be used for formal as well as casual events. Choice of bracelets should depend clearly on the event. Playful funky ones would look great for parties with your peers and friends.

For formal occasions try the tennis bracelets, because these are naturally elegant and would exude a great style quotient.

Huge range of jewelry available for selection!

By Ujwala Bapat

Have you ever heard the saying you are what you eat? Well in terms of your health that is completely true. However in terms of your appearance you are as good as what you wear! The nicer clothes and accessories you use, the better you will appear.

It can be very difficult to create a complete outfit, and is often expensive. However it doesn’t have to cost a fortune, there are many different ways to get a cheaper outfit. Using cheap fake jewelry is one way of doing just that.

There are some very well known designers that produce knock offs of designer jewelry. Some of these are quite expensive, however some are very affordable.

Coco Forever

Coco Chanel is a very famous and experienced designer, with her brand Chanel she has inspired generations of women. The only trouble is that this brand is very expensive. This brand has also inspired other designers to produce Chanel inspired creations.

Many people would be unable to afford a genuine Chanel piece of jewelry, but that doesn’t stop women all over the world longing for them. Chanel jewelry is made to a very high quality and should last for a lifetime. Chanel is normally only worn by celebrities and the super rich!

To take a look at some of the most popular Chanel collections you should look at their website at www.chanel.com. By looking here you can learn about some of the popular Chanel pieces of jewelry, you can then look for similar designs from other designers.

Target Designers

If you can’t afford to spend a fortune buying genuine jewelry then you should simply go to Target. Target stock lots of designer inspired jewelry at great prices. You can buy many different brands at this store including Asda, Tesco and Isaac Mizrahi.

If you want to get the look of beautiful designer jewelry without having to spend a fortune then you can certainly do this by looking at your local Target Store. If you don’t know where your store is then you can look at your website www.target.com, you can also view their range of knock off jewelry.

By Greg K. Hansward

You must have seen different colors in pearls, in fact these lovely beads are very difficult to find bearing the same shape and size unless of course these have been manufactured in a factory and are made of plastic.

Real pearls come in different shapes, sizes and colors. Authentic pearls are beautiful and have a quite elegant shine of their own which is difficult to find in any artificial pearl.

Pearls are beautiful but that these can combine with any metal and stone makes these more attractive. Even when pearls are combined with different colored precious stones and metals, you will find these do not loose their glamour and shine.

There are so many different types of pearls available in the market. However, the color of pearls depends on the oysters that these grow in. Different regions of the world have their own pearl specialties. You will find astounding ranges in pearls. You will find ones in the shade of golden yellow, white, silvery white, pink, grey or black, etc.

Pearls also come in two different varieties one is that are cultivated in the sea and the second ones are those cultivated or grown in fresh water. Fresh water pearls happen to be smaller than the sea pearls.

Some of the earliest pearl finding regions were the Indian Ocean and the South Seas, today, natural pearls are rare. You will find people cultivating pearls quite successfully.

Cultivated pearls are known as cultured pearls. However, this technique is complicated and requires a lot of primary investment.

One of most expensive variety of pearls is the conch pearl. This pearl is rare therefore extremely expensive. For durability it is the blister pearl which can withstand little bid of ruggedness.

The abalone pearl is again very expensive. These pearls are attractive and have unique luster and shine. Mabe pearl cannot be found round, it is ideal to be used in necklaces or as buttons on expensive dresses. Pearly lining grown on mollusk, these are hard and known as mother of pearl.

Most of the times freshwater pearls are small and have very attractive colors whereas sea water pearls have more shine and luster. These are also larger in size. At times accidental pearl growth can be found on oyster lining but these cannot be guaranteed to have same value or durability.

Pearls can be used in any type of jewelry and for any occasion. Pearls are also known to be useful for people with aggressive and hot temperament. Wearing a pearl on constantly can cool such people down. This is claimed by those promoting usage of precious stones for making life of individuals better.

By Ujwala Bapat

A lush piece of jewelry which is adorned with fine quality Akoya cultured pearls will offer a sophisticated, yet versatile touch of elegance capable of enhancing a wide variety of colors within your wardrobe.

It is very trendy today to wear several Akoya cultured pearl necklaces (multiple strands),at the same time. This particular approach to fashion can create an exotic, and attention grabbing affect which many find quite useful in a variety of social and casual settings alike.

Wearing various lengths and sizes of Akoya cultured pearls in the form of necklaces and bracelets allows many fashion conscious people to really get creative with their Akoya cultured pearls.

Akoya cultured pearls are often graded as extremely high quality pearls; and the fact that they can be bought for relatively inexpensive prices is very appealing to many people.

The process in which Akoya cultured pearls are produced allows pearl farmers to have a great deal of control as to how the pearls turn out. These highly specialized techniques have been developed and perfected over many decades of experimentation with Akoya cultured pearls.

Although many people often think of the body color of a pearl as being white or cream colored, there is in reality a wide variety of colors such as various shades of blue, green, gold, silver or even black pearls. Usually the Akoya cultured pearls are shaped very near to being perfectly round, however slightly irregular to a certain degree.

Pearls naturally have flaws, just like diamonds do. An absolutely perfect diamond is quite rare and may just be a fake; this is true of Akoya cultured pearls as well. Small blemishes are normal, small imperfections should be expected, and an Akoya cultured pearl should not be absolutely perfectly smooth to the touch either.

The creation of Akoya cultured pearls occurs when the soft tissue of a mollusk, referred to as the mantle, is implanted with an irritant.

A natural reaction to this irritation within the mantle will begin to take place and the mollusk’s own defense system will eventually create a pearl very slowly over time; one layer at a time. The process can take several years, and is part of the reason why people have such an appreciation for pearls.

The Akoya cultured pearl is a thing of sheer beauty, which has been created by a living creature, and the results come in a stunning variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

Because Akoya cultured pearls are actually made by a living creature, there will almost always be slight size variations among the pearls that make up a strand. This is a good thing as long as the size variation is not too far beyond a half millimeter or so.

You will most often notice that the beautiful Akoya cultured pearls will be commonly found in earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and even anklets.

Beautiful strands of Akoya cultured pearls can be exotic and mysterious, as well as sophisticated and even casual choices of jewelry. Some white Akoya cultured pearls have a rosy hue which is quite desirable; with others you may find, upon close inspection, a rainbow of colors from different angles.

The more you begin to learn about Akoya cultured pearls, the more you begin to realize that no two are ever exactly alike; and that is just part of their appeal.

By Art Morse

Jewelry is the adornment of the human body. Jewelry has been a favorite of women since a long time. They used to wear jewelry in order to make them more beautiful and appealing. Fashion jewelry is the most popular jewelry that is favored by its grace and elegance.

Fashion jewelry can almost compare to the deluxe custom made jewelry. There are three elements Design, Quality, and Cost which are key factors considered by every Jewelry lovers at the time of Jewelry shopping.

Their decision is inspired by the proper proportion of all three things. Jewelry is on top of fashion chart these days. Jewelry designers feel the need for innovative, elite, and unique jewelry designs, and they are coming up with their new collections to attract the mass.

Online jewelry shopping in India is being very much popular these days because of the lack of time, fear of facing a traffic jam, weekend crowd, and overall the convenience to meet the daily requirements online is leading India to the virtual market.

There are several online jewelry stores providing various facilities to their customers. The online jewelry shopping gives you quick delivery of the order you have placed. You can always make a unique selection from the large varieties of jewelry that are put on for the sale. While shopping online one must take notice of the shipping and delivery process that the online store provides.

In the case of shipping it must be seen whether the carrier is insured or not, for the full value of the content, as buying a piece of diamond jewellery online is always a matter of great excitement only with a pinch of a bit high expense. The positive point of such online jewellery stores is that it is available 24 hours of the day.

It is a blessing in disguise for all those who have an access to the internet at work, at home or both. Apart from these features, online shops also provide money back or return of items in most of the cases. You can also avail free cleaning and polishing facilities for your jewelry. It’s cheaper option to buy jewelry online, because the rates are cheaper than your neighborhood jewelry shops.

By Monty Alexander

Almost everyone confuses the Garnet Gemstone with the dark red stone only, the truth of the matter is that Garnet comes in an array of different colors with some of them costing nearly as much as a Sapphire.

Garnet is the birthstone for the month of January and is the anniversary stone to celebrate two years of marriage. Good sources of Garnet originate from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Pakistan, Russia and areas of Scandinavia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania and the United States.

Garnet Gemstones come in a range of colors ranging from colorless to black, the only color they do not appear is blue. Garnet has a high specific gravity, which gives it a heavy weight. This makes it cost a little more than other Gemstones of the same size and carat weight. Garnet sand is also used for industrial purposes to make sandpaper and mixed with high-pressure water jets to cut steel. Many different Gemstones make up the Garnet Group, here is a list of the more well known.

Pyrope…is the blood red variety of the group and was very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in ‘Bohemian Jewelry’. The best stones have a fiery red color that does not darken too much after being set in Jewelry. Pyrope has a bright glassy look to it and gem quality stones are mined at Buell Park, beyond the reaches of the Painted Desert just east of Canyon de Chelly with specimens up to five carats not uncommon.

Almandite…ranges in color from deep red to violet-red and sometimes even black.

It’s name is derived from a town in Asia Minor and it is often confused with Pyrope. Often cut into cabochons with the underside hollowed out to allow more light to pass through the stone. Almandite can be brittle and have been known to chip while being faceted.

Rhodolite…has a beautiful bright purple-red color with it’s composition between that of Pyrope and Almandite, it also has fewer inclusions. Rhodolite is regarded as a superior Gemstone to both it’s red counterparts.

Spessartite…a rich orange to red-brown in color often with feather like inclusions, which are actually clouds of minute drops, clean Gemstone quality material is very rarely found and is often confused with Hessonite. A bright orange pure form of Spessartite, which is known as Mandarin Garnet is very rarely found in Gemstone quality material.

Hydrogrossular Garnet…has a very distinctive gooseberry-green color and is very often made into beads or cabochons. Very often inclusions of black magnetite are present which give the Gemstone a speckled look. Because of its resemblance to green Jade it is known as Transvaal Jade or Garnet Jade in South Africa. A variety of pink Hydrogrossular Garnet can also be found.

Grossular Garnet-Hessonite…A brown-orange to brown-yellow member of the Grossular Garnet group, Hessonite is also known as cinnamon stone. The Gemstone has inclusions of small crystals of apatite, that give a swirling effect.

Grossular Garnet-Tsavorite…is a lime-green to emerald-green member of the group, it was first mined in Kenya in 1968. Emerald-green crystals only produce small stones of 2 carats or less, ensuring that they are more expensive than the lime-green stones.

Tsavorite is nearly always faceted as a Gemstone.

Demantoid…the bright green variety of andradite group of Garnet is very rare, it is also rare to find stones greater than 1 carat in weight. Demantoid has a very lively fire, as it has a higher light dispersion and brilliance than a diamond. The Gemstone has distinctive inclusions of yellow-brown hair like pieces of asbestos. Of all Garnets, Demantoid is by far the most valuable.

To give a gift of Garnet is believed to be a symbol of love and to show desire of a loved one’s safe travel and speedy homecoming. Garnet Gemstones are said to help attract love and to assist in past life recall. Garnet Gemstones have been carried by travelers to protect them from accidents while far away from home. Wearing Garnet Jewelry is believed to give guidance through the night and protection from nightmares. It is said that Noah used a Garnet lantern to navigate the Ark at night.

Garnet has a hardness of between 6.5 and 7.5 on the Moh scale of hardness. It is a perfectly suited Gemstone for use in Jewelry. This quite robust Gemstone is one of the few gems that look better in sterling silver rather than in gold. Above all enjoy the many different colors that Garnet Jewelry has to offer.

By Nigel Makin

The value of cultured pearls is based on five factors.

Cleanliness refers to the skin of the pearl and any imperfections. There may be tiny blisters, irregularities or bumps. Since the pearl was created naturally by a biological animal some imperfections are to be expected. Large irregularities devalue the pearl significantly.

If there is only a modest blemish it may be hidden by the setting of the pearl. Or if the pearl is in a necklace or bracelet the drill hole may hide the imperfection.

Shapes in pearls comes in three varieties, round, baroque and symmetrical. The rounder, or more spherical, the pearl the more valuable. Symmetrical pearls can be flattened but evenly shaped, think of a button. Baroque means any pearl that didn’t make the grade for symmetrical.

Baroque are the most common shape of pearls and a the least expensive. Pearls can’t be cut to shape like gemstones, what you see is what you have to work with.

Size matters. Yes it’s the bigger the better for pearls. Size is partially determine by the size of the mollusk (oyster), how big the nucleus or seed is, and how long that nucleus has been in the mollusk being covered with nacre, the pearly substance. Tahitian pearls, or South Seas pearls are the biggest because the mollusk grows up to 12 inches in diameter.

Color - the most valuable pearls, with the exception of South Sea black pearls, have a body tone of pure white with an overtone of rose. The more cream colored the pearl, meaning it has tints of yellow, the less valuable. South Sea pearls are valued different because they have a dark body tone overlaid with rainbow colors. These pearls also come in white and gold.

Luster is the reflective glowing attribute of pearls. They’re not sparkly like diamonds or colored gemstones, nor do they glisten like opals. When you look at a pearl there is an iridescent factor like a rainbow being reflected back at you. This is called orient. High luster and orient means you have a valuable pearl.

While this has nothing to do with value, don’t go looking pearls when you’re shucking oysters for dinner. Pearl oysters are non edible.

By Dee Power

One of the nicest things I have ever read about pearls is a comparison of a pearl to a woman.

‘Pearls are like a woman. Once you discover her, you will never stop loving her.’

From the east to the west, royalty and famous people adore natural pearls. And here’s some news you will not find anywhere in the English press. I’ve had it translated from the Arabic newspaper, Dar Alalhayat by an Arabic linguist:

At a recent auction arranged by Christie’s auction house in Dubai, Um-Khalthoum (b.1904-1975), known as “the star of the east” the most famous female singer in the Arabic world, her Pearl necklace sold on the 29th April 2008, for $1.4 million USD, ten times its’ original value! It was a gift from Sheik Zaid ben Sultan, founder of the United Arab Emirates.

Some people are born with an eye for a pearl. Even experience in the trade is not enough though. Some people have what others cannot learn - the gift of “knowing”.

They are born with it as some people are born with a gift for music or art or touching the heart of a man or woman. “A novice has much to learn but that he cannot learn”.

The skin of of these cool flames glows rather than gleams and its’ qualities are far more subtle than the cold surface of faceted gemstones.

The famous painter, John Singer Sargent (b.1856) who painted wealthy belle Époque beauties, certainly had an eye for Natural Pearls. He used seven brushstrokes, each stroke using pigment of a different color to create a realistic painting of a single round white jewel.

An earlier artist with an eye for them, was the seventeenth-century Dutch master, Johannes Vermeer whose absolute masterwork, captures the precise realism of the gem.

The actual body color or hue is no part of the connoisseurship equation, according to Richard W. Wise, world authority on precious gemstones. No particular hue or color is more beautiful than another. What Richard terms Simpatico or compatibility with the skin of the wearer is what’s important.

You Judge A Pearl As You Judge A Beautiful Woman. You look for shape, symmetry, skin, complexion. Complexion is the lustre. And then you must look for lasting quality.

Some Pearls have a short life, others last forever. But first and last you look for beauty. Nobody can tell you what beauty is.

A woman can be flawless, immaculate and have no soul. Such a woman is not beautiful. So it is with a pearl. It is in its’ soul wherein its’ value lies.

The surface is not perfectly smooth. Under magnification, you will see it is delicately rippled. The light, striking on these infinitesimal ripples refracts into a play of colors.

The oyster secretes the nacre which makes up the Pearl in layers, like the inside of an onion and the reflection from the buried surfaces through the outer transparent layers adds to the beauty of the stone.

The quality of the nacre depends on the position inside the shell. The choicest gems are mostly found in the soft parts of the oyster. It has no intrinsic color in itself. The iridescence comes from the light striking up at different angles from the rippled layers.

Perfectly Matched?

When people say that a string is perfectly matched they think they are matched for size and shape.

Any jeweler’s boy can match for size and shape! This is mathematics. Pearl devotees will do well to note that matching pearls is not a science, it is an art.

Every pearl has a lifetime. Some lose their lustre in ten years, some in fifty years. The pearl of soul, of beauty, that Pearl lives for ever……………

by Evie Hammouda-Eyre