Tag: South Sea

Wouldnt it be nice to find real pearls from edible oysters? That would be the day when eating edible oysters would bring in not only food for the table but also pearl for jewelry. However, such thing is next to impossible considering that pearls do not grow in edible oysters.

Pearls are produced by mollusks including oysters, mussels and clams. However, mussels and clams rarely produce pearls while oysters commonly produce pearls no matter if they are in freshwater or in saltwater.

The idea that pearls are produced from sand intruding into the shell of an oyster is false. Sand is an inorganic material while pearls are formed by organic materials that are caught inside the oyster. As a defense mechanism, the oyster wraps the organic material with a substance called nacre, resulting to what is known as mother of pearl.

Most people believe that pearls should have an imperfect form since they are products of nature. However, there are those that are formed perfectly and these are considered very valuable pearls. Unlike the common belief that pearls are usually white, pearls come in various colors like black, green, red and even blue. Different-colored pearls can be found all over the world but only the South Pacific has produced black pearls.

Instead of waiting for the natural occurrence of pearls, there are people who culture pearls in the same manner that they are naturally formed. However, the organic irritants are intentionally inserted through a crack in the oysters shell. Natural pearls are however more expensive than cultured pearls because of their rarity.

Among the kinds of pearls are cultured pearls either in saltwater or freshwater; South Sea pearls that are produced by the silver lipped oysters are rare pearls that are cultured in Australia and are usually very large; South Sea pearls produced by golden lipped oysters and are cultured in Indonesia and Tahitian pearls or black pearls that are produced by black lipped oysters and are cultured in Cook Islands or in the French Polynesia.

So how can one determine if a pearl is real or an imitation? Real pearls tend to feel sandy when rubbed along the edge of the front teeth while imitation pearls fell smooth.

Aside from the kinds of oyster from which pearls are produced, the quality of pearls is determined according to their luster or shine. Thick nacres that have been left in the water longer are generally shinier. The shape of a pearl is also important and the rounder the pearl, the better. The larger the pearl, the rarer they are and the more expensive.

Pearls are generally used as pieces of jewelry but they are also used in making cosmetics. Powdered pearl that is made from shells and pearls of not so good quality is said to produce paler skin with a natural glow. Pearl cosmetics are actually being exported by many countries including China to the Unites States.

How should a bride-to-be decide which type of pearls to wear on her wedding day and how to effectively accessorize her bridesmaids? The aim of this guide is to give straightforward and easy-to-follow advice. When choosing bridal pearls, your main consideration should be your overall theme. Your jewelry should fit the tone of your day and enhance your look. It should also reflect your personality.

For a traditional theme, a white or ivory Akoya or Freshwater pearl set would be perfect. A more modern bride choosing a contemporary theme would find white South Sea pearls most fitting and black Tahitian or golden South Sea pearls would work best with a tropical theme.

Pearl necklace lengths are determined by the neckline of your wedding gown. A 16″choker is the only appropriate length to wear with a neckline that sits above the collarbone. A slightly lower neckline works well with 17-18″ strings. A plunging neckline can accommodate up to 22″ and makes a dramatic statement. A 32″ necklace can be very versatile and worn with any neckline, being best worn doubled over during the ceremony and full length after the wedding for a fashion-forward look.

The size of the pearl is also an important consideration when choosing your jewelry. To avoid looking unbalanced or disproportionate there are simple rules that you can follow. If you are petite it is best advised to wear pearls that are between 5-7.5mm each. A bride of average build could comfortably wear 7.5-8.5mm pearls. The most popular size and one that works well with most builds are in the range of 7-7.5mm. By bearing these tips in mind, we hope you will find buying your wedding jewelry an enjoyable and altogether less daunting experience.

Deciding on your wedding jewelry before you choose your dress. Unless you have your heart set on wearing a particular family heirloom, it is wise to wait until after you have selected your dress before choosing your jewelry. Many factors need to be considered. Know your dress first and then choose the wedding jewelry that best blends with the look. What colors and fabric are used for your dress? Is the dress style clean, modern, exotic, vintage, or ethnic? Keep these distinctive elements in mind when choosing your jewelry.

Pay attention to the neckline. Be aware of your neckline. As with any attire, when wearing a necklace, the line it creates must work in harmony with the neckline of the dress, for the most complimentary visual effect.

Halterneck dresses are perhaps the most restrictive in terms of selecting a style of necklace. Let earrings take center stage instead and perhaps wear an eye-catching bracelet.

A square neckline or a strapless dress leaves many options open for selecting a style of necklace. A double or even triple strand necklace would fit well and leave the chest less exposed.

A plunging neckline is perfect for a y-drop pendant. Alternatively, chandelier earrings will draw more attention to your face.

Style Your Hair to Compliment Your Bridal Jewelry. This is actually very important to consider. Before you go to the salon check out some bridal magazines and try on your Bridal Jewelry while standing in front of a full length mirror to get the feel of how you want to look on your wedding day. Then meet with your beautician and work together for the most complimentary look. Bring along your close girlfriend for another opinion as this might help in the decision. If you’re unable to decide on your own, much like consulting with your jeweler to pick out the perfect bridal jewelry, you can consult with your hair stylist to pick the perfect up-do meant just for you!

Matching Your Bridesmaids Wedding Jewelry. Make sure the bridesmaids Jewelry match and emphasizes you and don’t upstage the bride on your perfect wedding day! For example, if pearl and diamond drop earrings are your choice, then your bridesmaids might wear simple pearl studs.
Choose where to buy your bridal jewelry. Bear in mind that you will be the center of attention on your wedding day. Bridal jewelry sets can be costly and after purchasing the wedding gown, wedding ring set, bridesmaid dresses, facility rental, DJ, you’ll be feigning to save money when you can. However tempted you may be, wedding jewelry is one area you should NEVER forego quality on. You’ll want every little detail to be perfect.

Luster- the Substance of Pearl Beauty
The luster is the reflection, pearls get their unique beauty from the light reflecting through layers of fine crystalline nacre slowly but surely deposited by an oyster. Just about transparent nacre gives the deepest luster and the largest reflection. A high-quality pearl will have a brilliant even reflection with a fine warm glow or radiance. Lower quality Pear Necklace Jewelry have a dull sheen.

High quality Akoya saltwater pearls have a higher luster than South Sea or Tahitian pearls, which have a tendency to have a softer, more diffuse reflection.

Color and Overtones
The dominating color of a pearl comes from the main reflection from the pearl surface. The deeper reflected light draws the inner color from the pearl, known as the overtone.

Light colored pearls are on the market in shades of white, cream, and golden. White with pink or silver overtones are typically the most usually. The most attractive dark colored pearls are black with green or blue overtones.
Color coordinating is also crucial when acquiring pearl jewelry. Perfectly matched pearl jewelry in color and size are more precious than poorly matched pearl jewelry.
The highest level of quality pearls are perfectly round with smooth surface, very few surface imperfections, and even coloration. Lower quality pearls may be nearly round, or show more surface blemishes, such as wrinkles or large pits on the surface.

The pearls in a strand are measured in a range, such as 7-7.5mm. They are strung with the largest pearls at the middle of the necklace and gradually smaller towards the clasp. Larger pearls are more beneficial and they create a more dramatic look. High-quality pearls larger than 9 mm are scarce and very high priced.

There are four sorts of pearls:
1.Classic Akoya Pearls
2.Large Exotic Black Tahitian Pearls
3.Large Golden or White South Sea Pearls
4.Freshwater Pearls tend to be the least costly.
The above four types of pearls are all cultured pearls. Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea pearls grow in sea saltwater so they are also called saltwater pearls. Akoya pearls are the most popular type for their pleasing high luster, luxury and affordability.

Pearls usually have four grades: A, AA, AAA, and AAA+ quality. AAA and AAA+ level of quality are the highest quality. AAA and AAA+ quality pearls are the most sought after pearls for gifts. They have high luster and very clean surface skins. AA quality pearls have medium luster and slight to medium surface area imperfection. They are ideal presents for another person who will be delighted to own a piece of fine pearl jewelry. A top quality pearls have low luster and medium to heavy blemishes. They are not well-liked for gifts due to their reduced quality.

You can buy pearl jewelry from retail stores, online shops or online auctions. When go shopping for pearls, it is proposed to buy pearls from these places: stores that grade pearls very carefully stores that give certificate and offer money back warranties.

As the popular saying goes, those pearls with a diameter less that 7mm are just beads, while those with more than 8mm are the right precious treasures. 7mm to 9mm pearls are the most popular ones, it is hard to abtain 10mm-pearl, not to mention those South Sea pearl and the Black pearl with a 11mm diameter.

It is hard and unscientific to define a pearl’s diameter just by our eyes. The precise figuure should be measured by a professional measure tool — Disc Vernier caliper. Measure three times and write down the average maximum diameter and the average minimum diameter.

There are different ways to show the diameter of the different pearls. Use the minimum diameter for those perfectly round, round and off-round pearls, and both maximum and minimum diameter for other shape pearls, like oval, drop and baroque pearls. E.g. A round pearl’s diameter is 6.0mm, and a oval pearl’s is 6.0 – 7.5mm.

No matter which political party you may belong to, we can all appreciate great style. Since the First Lady came onto the national stage, it seems the nation cannot get enough of her personal style. She has the amazing ability to pair assertive clothing with feminine touches and splashes of color. Her style is uniquely hers, yet is the style of every woman.

One thing we do notice is that Michelle Obama loves to accessorize, and she does it very well. One of her favorite accessories is pearl jewelry. And why not?! Pearl jewelry is back in a big way. You can wear pearl jewelry virtually with anything – from jeans and a white collar shirt to a sheath dress. Pearl jewelry is versatile and chic.

Many First Ladies have worn pearl jewelry during their days in the White House. However, as we have seen from the campaign trail to her first days as First Lady, Michelle Obama has a wonderful ability to make pearl jewelry look modern, hip and sophisticated. From the purple sheath dress in Minnesota to the first White House formal dinner, here are a few of our favorite looks and how you can get the same look and channel your inner Michelle Obama.

Single Strand Pearl Necklace
The night President Obama secured the Democratic nomination for President, Michelle appeared in a simple, yet bold purple belted sheath dress that had everyone talking. First of all, for a mother of two, she is in great shape! This simple dress was accented really with 3 things earrings, watch, and a large white pearl necklace. However, it was really the dress and necklace that received the most attention.

Everyone has a sheath dress in their closet. No matter what color it is, you can easily get this look by adding a simple white pearl necklace. Finding pearls of that size may be a little more expensive and harder to find. However, there are many South Sea pearls available that can help you achieve a very similar look. Look for South Sea pearl necklaces that run from 9 to 11mm. These are larger in size yet still run for a more affordable price. For more inexpensive choices, try Akoya pearls or Freshwater pearls. These are a tad smaller in size but can still help you achieve the same objective. Also be sure to find necklaces with shorter strands. You will want to keep your eyes out for pearl necklaces that run about 18 or shorter in length to fit comfortably around the neck.

Long Strand Pearl Necklace
During the final debate of the presidential campaign in 2008, Michelle Obama once again rocked another simple sheath dress, this time with cap sleeves. However, now she chose to accent it with a much longer pearl necklace. She then added her own style to it by selecting a necklace that had another one of her favorite accessories broaches. Three flower broaches were placed throughout the necklace which turned it into a completely unique piece of jewelry.

Long pearl necklaces are all the rage now. To achieve this same look, you will want to shop for pearl necklaces that are 36 or longer. Longer necklaces require additional pearls to be placed on the strand, so these will run a little higher in price. To fit within your pocket book, you will want to shop Freshwater or Akoya pearl necklaces because these tend to run a little lower in price for quality pearls. Once youve found your pearl necklace, pair it with three broaches or even hair pins that you can attach to the necklace. You can switch the broaches in and out with each other to get different looks. Really, you will never have to wear the same necklace twice!

Multi Strand Gold and Chocolate Pearl Necklace
During the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Michelle Obama attended a luncheon for Emilys List. There she appeared in a dazzling combination of chocolate and gold pearls that complimented her light sandy brown dress and cardigan perfectly. In this example, the First Lady really shows her unique style.

While finding a necklace that has both golden and chocolate pearls on it may be difficult and very expensive, you can pair two different strands together for the same effect. True golden pearl jewelry is generally South Sea pearl jewelry. These are available in beautiful rich golden hues. You may be able to find other pearls that are golden, but chances are these may be dyed. For chocolate pearls, there are many Freshwater pearls available in chocolate tones for an affordable price. Take these two strands and wear them at the same time to get the same look as Michelle. Then, when you want to, you can wear each on their own. If you really would like a multi color pearl necklace, there are many strands that combine different colors as well as different types of pearls.

White, Silver Multi Strand Pearl Necklace
At the first White House State dinner, the First Lady wowed everyone with an amazing formal gown that sparkled and shined. She truly demonstrated her confidence to wear such a beautiful dress. She then added a gorgeous multi strand pearl necklace which included cream colored pearls and silver jewels. This necklace made a definite statement, again about her confidence and sense of fashion.

For the silver portion of the necklace, there are many inexpensive choices to choose from in department stores. Layered necklaces are really big right now, so there shouldnt be too much of a problem finding a few sets of layered necklaces. Once you have found the necklaces, then you can pair it with a long cream colored pearl necklace. Choose a 36 necklace or longer so you can loop it around your neck once or twice. There are even some pearl necklaces that already come in double, or triple strands. Again, because the necklace has to be long, or is a pre-made double strand, more pearls will be needed and the price may go up. So look for the lesser expensive Freshwater or Akoya pearls for affordable, quality alternatives.

The simplicity of pearl jewelry allows you leniency in how bold you can go with it. Like Michelle Obama, you can take risks and really enjoy being fashionable with pearl jewelry. Or, like the First Lady, you can be simple and chic with a classic pearl necklace and a dress. Either way, pearl necklaces offer you versatility and style for whatever occasion youd like. Channel your inner Michelle and pick up a pearl necklace that you can use again and again to achieve great, timeless style.