Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Cultured Pearl Earrings

If you are on a tight budget but still want to give your loved one a quality set of jewelry, you can buy cultured pearl earrings instead. Aside from the pearl’s nucleus, there are no actual differences of cultured pearls from that of natural pearls. In terms of luster, thickness, size, shape, and color, both pearls are the same.

Cultured pearl earrings are fashionable accessories. One advantage to these pieces is its classic appeal. You can wear it today and still wear it a decade from now. Your grandchildren can still wear it centuries later as it never goes out of style.

Cultured pearl earrings also have an ability to adapt to any type of dress. Wear it with a party dress on a night out and you look elegant and chic. Wear it as an accessory in your business suit and you would stand out. You can even partner cultured pearl earrings with your wedding gown.There are different kinds of pearls depending on which oysters they are cultivated. Popular pearl kinds are Tahitian and Akoya. Both have astounding beauty and are intensely propagated in pearl farms.

Tahitian pearls are black tinted beads that usually have high value for its rarity compared to the white and cream bead counterparts. These pearls require 2 years maturity before they are harvested. Cultured pearl earrings with dark green Tahitian beads are stand outs.

Akoya pearls, on the other hand, are the light colored counterparts known for high quality brilliance and thick nacre. Cultured pearl earrings with akoya beads would ensure a jewelry piece that has long lasting brilliance.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Pearl Jewelry Basics

When it comes to variety of colors – bronze, gold, lavender, black, aqua, blue, green, red, cream, yellow, or white – freshwater pearls come into mind with its exquisite array of brilliance and delicate color shades. With its high demand in the market, fake jewelry products are everywhere. To avoid trickery, buyer must put in mind pearl jewelry basics.

The first thing a buyer must check is the origin of each jewelry piece. Countries that mass produce freshwater pearls are China, USA, and Japan. Even though, put in mind that similar pearl pieces like those on a necklace are hard to find. Freshwater pearls are the most affordable pearls in the market but if it sold in rock bottom prices, it is best to be critical with the quality of the jewelry. Ask the seller about the origin of the jewelry and check if such pearl farms have the ability to produce large quantities of balls.

Average freshwater pearls are usually 4 to 11 mm in size. As mentioned earlier, if it is the buyer’s desire to collect pearls with the same size, he would need to shell out more money.

Even though freshwater pearls have different color palettes, the most common tints in the market are white and cream. Others have natural tints of green, pink, or purple. Unless otherwise stated, a brown or black pearl is already treated with synthetic additives. If a set of pearls come with a rare natural color, it is likely to be very expensive.

Lastly, the shape of freshwater pearls is never perfectly round. If it is not oval, coin-shaped, or button-shaped, the pearl is less likely to be a freshwater pearl.