More about Pearls

There are pearls to suit most every customer’s taste and budget. Here are a few of the considerations:

Pearl Types - Fine, natural pearls are rare and very costly. Most pearls sold today are cultured. They may be cultivated in saltwater (such as Akoya pearls, South Sea pearls, and Tahitian pearls) or freshwater (Biwa pearls, Chinese pearls, and American pearls)

Shape - There are four basic pearl shapes used for necklaces in various lengths—round, off-round semi-baroque, and baroque. Other shapes such as teardrops, buttons, and ovals are used more often for earrings, pendants and brooches.

Color - Pearls come in a wide range of shades including white, cream, pink, silver, golden, mauve, peach, lavender, champagne, gray and black. It is currently fashionable to mix colors in pearl strands. The choice of color is very personal and usually determined according to skin tones.

Luster - Surface brilliance is determined by the layers of “nacre”—the thicker the nacre, the deeper the lustre. Desirable luster can range from a silky, shiny sheen on white Akoya pearls to a mirror bright sheen on black Tahitian pearls or a soft, satin surface on golden South Sea pearls.

Surface - Small surface imperfections are part of the natural beauty of pearls. These might include dimples, rings, orange peel and nodules. Of course, the fewer and less noticeable the imperfections, the more valuable the pearl.