Pearls of Wisdom!

Pearls are constantly coming in and out of fashion
and are especially hot right now. In any case they
are an essential part of any women's wardrobe. Since
the early 90's when trade started with China, prices
have dropped about 70%.

Right now pearls are a very "hot" fashion statement
and with some designers interspacing them on gold
wire or floating them on a special synthetic cord
they are looking very hot indeed.

Pearl necklaces and pearl earrings can lift a
complexion and bring light and radiance to the face.
They are a secret to taking years off a woman's age!
Pearls have been a wardrobe staple for centuries, and
a wedding tradition.

Before you go shopping Ladies, there's some things
you should know about your pearls:

The value of pearls is determined by a combination
of the luster, color, size, lack of flaws and symmetry.

Among these, luster is the most important indicator
of pearl quality according to jewelers. Large,
perfectly round pearls are rare and highly valued.
Teardrop-shaped pearls are often used in pendants.
Irregular shaped pearls are often used in necklaces.

Also, when you're shopping for pearl necklaces there
are some unique descriptive names you must know.
While most other necklaces are simply referred to by
their measurements, strings of pearls have their own
set of names based on where they hang when worn
around the neck.

A "collar" will sit directly against the throat and
does hang down the neck at all. Usually they are
made up of multiple strands of pearls. Pearl
"chokers" rest just at the base of the neck. The
size called a "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 breastbone, and longer still, a pearl
"rope" is any length that falls down farther than an
opera.

Also, necklaces can also be classified as "uniform"
when all the pearls are the same size. "Graduated"
means the pearls are arranged in size from large in
the centre to smaller at the ends. "Tin cup" is when
the pearls are generally the same size, but
separated by lengths of chain.

In most cases, cultivated pearls are less valuable
than natural pearls, and imitation pearls are the
least valuable. Jewelers x-ray the pearls to find
out if they have been cultivated or not. When they
are cultivated the grit in the center will be
perfectly round and the natural ones will not be so
perfect.

Adding a pearl necklace or earings to your jewellery
box is one way to give you that extra glow for a
lovely night of dinner and dancing. Happy Shopping!