All About Necklaces

To begin with, you will need to choose your beads and these will, to some degree, inform the choice of materials you use. Heavier beads are better suited to Tigertail wire (also know as monofilament or nylon coated wire), which is stiff and does not require the use of a needle. It also has the bonus of holding its shape. Soft-flex wire is more flexible, being constructed of a larger number of wire strands. It has the advantage over Tigertail in one respect; because it is so flexible it is less likely to develop kinks, which the more rigid Tigertail is prone to do. Tigertail may also require the use of a pair of diagonal wire-cutters to achieve flush cuts.
Either types of wire can be used in necklace construction and both need to be finished with crimp beads. These are beads made of a soft metal that is squashed to keep a bead in position or to close the open end of the necklace. A pair of crimping pliers is often useful for flattening these beads and fixing them into place. Effectively, the crimp bead is compressed into a “U” shape and then folded over onto itself to create a round bead-shape.
For intricate designs, a felt bead board is a useful piece of equipment. Designs are laid out on the board before stringing and the felt prevents unnecessary movement. This is the first stage of the process. Once you have settled on your design, you can then cut the required length of wire, leaving an extra 12cm (5 inches). Around 40cm-45cm (16-20 inches) in total is a good rule of thumb for a short necklace, but of course, if you’re making bespoke jewelry, it is advisable to precisely measure the neck of the person you are making it for.
Next, attach a crimp bead and one half of the clasp to your selected wire, leaving the crimp bead in a “U” shape. The wire should then be pulled back through the crimp bead, which can then be compressed into a ball and hold everything in position.
The wire is now ready to receive the beads. The clasp and crimp bead will prevent beads falling from the wire. However, in the event that you are making a symmetrical piece but are not sure of the number of beads you will use, you should leave the clasp until you have added the beads, starting with the central bead and working your way out, adding beads at either end of the wire, until the desired effect is achieved.
Once you are satisfied with your piece, all that remains is to attach the rest of the clasp to the open end of the necklace, using the same process as before.

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An ornament around the neck, the necklace is a visible representation of the individual.
You notice their necklace, and if you’re curious, you wonder if they wear it for decoration or sentimental value.
In elementary school, one of the popular trends of my former female classmates was sharing a friendship necklace with a best friend at school. This entailed two necklaces splitting a heart, with the left side titled “best,” and the right side of the heart saying “friend.” Of course, this popular trend made it difficult to distinguish who a classmate’s best friend was, but back in elementary school, it was basically just trendy to be spotted wearing the “cool” best friend necklace.
My elementary school days have long passed, and so has the desire for a friendship necklace. Over the years I would value wearing various necklaces for the sake of style and beauty, but eventually outgrew them as time wore on. There is one necklace that I have kept, given many years ago from my grandmother; a thin gold chain holding a kava bowl. Because of those things that I value now, I still wear this necklace because it displays what I am very passionate about; family and identity.
For the many reasons that individuals value their own personal treasures, I would like to share why I value this special necklace. Hopefully, you will be able to identify what your treasures are, whether they are displayed on a necklace or exhibited in another way.
Family value: My grandmother lives thousands of miles away from me and I have not seen or talked to her in four years. Wearing the necklace given to me by my grandmother is a sentimental reminder of a far-away loved one. When she gave it to me, she enlightened me of its importance. She advised me it was a necklace passed down from her ancestors, and that I was to preserve it and pass it on to future generations.
The visits with my grandmother are rare, but wearing the gold necklace on a special occasion helps remind me not only of my grandmother, but my whole family, the most important people in my life.
Cultural value: As mentioned before, the necklace is a gold chain holding a small kava bowl. The kava bowl symbolizes a cultural tradition shared in the South pacific islands. The drink, typically celebrated in a formal ceremony or with an intimate group, is ingested with the intent to provide a calm sensation to the body.
The tradition of drinking kava holds respect to an ancient tradition and is one of many expressions of the Polynesian culture, an identity in which I derive from. Although I was not raised on the islands, I am very aware and proud of my roots and delight in the continual learning of my heritage.
These two values are all encompassed in my kava bowl necklace, a jewelry piece that I beautifully display around my neck. Overall, necklaces are personal expressions of an individual’s passions and interests. For exquisite beauty or to display a family keepsake, wear your special necklace to help you reflect on your personal treasures in life.

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Light, radiant and magnificently curved necklace surrounding the neck covering the neck bones can create a certain mystic magic. The magic that the necklace in combination with other jewelry wades is enough to turn others spell bound while making you the cynosure of the party. The most mentionable of all the jewelry is the necklace that has its origin right from the dawn of civilization. And this remains to be appealing even to workingwomen, today. The metals, stone and materials used to make such charming necklaces have changed with time and has also altered with the taste of women. Once domesticated, now liberal and free workingwomen are striving for space that is exclusively confined for them. They are fashion conscious and had brought a huge change in their selection process. Though the core concept for designing a necklace for her remains same but the ingredients and presentation have changed. Precious stones and glittering rare metals have been put at bay by the present day necklaces made up of ceramics, stones and plastics. They are affordable yet fashionable and have the trendy look that the women mostly woo at. A series of these necklaces can well tell the tale of modernity woven by traditional artistic skills.
Vivace jewelry is a complete collection of all sorts of jewelries. Ceramic beads of bayside blue and ash color placed irregularly behind one another can look dashing if put on with suit or with any casual wear. The combination of black and white is said to have an inner significance as black and white ceramic necklace goes well with black suit or any black casuals. The confidence would automatically get an outlet through this get up, which symbolizes that evil is present in everyone just as God. This necklace with black triangular pattern can also go well with black cardigans so as with other black winter wears. The black and red combination can be very attractively presented and the necklace of its kind has proved this. Each time 3 black ceramic beads hang down from the nickel free chain, they look up to the bigger but single red spherical ceramic bead that has cherry like appearance but hanging from the same source. The black and white curvy necklace falsifies the prejudice that gold can be curved best into necklace. It is now the ceramics that are ruling the women’s heart and the use of this necklace at working places over the black sweaters have hyped its importance. It is the ceramics with which the jewelry designers of various countries are playing to create some of the exquisite items that can simply rock any woman with its beauty and style.
Pearls have sophistication of its own and when they are beaded into a necklace, it becomes an excellent casual wear. Though it is difficult to make the selection between the original and cultured pearl still to be on the safer side it is better to select the cultured pearl as they are also no less in reflecting charm and beauty. Apart from all these type pf decorative necklaces you can also get simple diamond necklace and those made up of other precious stones. Most of these necklaces that you get to see round you come with earrings and bangles as sets. Some prefer to buy sets while others stick to single piece purchase.
Necklace often makes for a great gift idea for the near ones. In fact you can also get few of those from them who are aware of your passion for necklace. The fashion designers at times design dresses according to the in-trend designer jewelry in the market. A well-chosen necklace or rather any jewelry is a lifetime asset and you need to take care of it, diligently. Each nation has its respective skill and thus the tale of jewelry is incomplete without the mention of Italy that is extremely keen at structuring gold jewelry. Thus, the necklaces created by the Italian designer have been acclaimed worldwide. Geometric shapes, cold colors and luminating designs are combined to create these excellent necklaces that are appreciated by women not only in US but also in the other parts of the world.
This traditional attire has now taken the shape of a fashionable jewelry that is designed in such a manner that it can be worn with casuals or traditional and formal wears. Needless to say, the seasons do have a significant role in our life and mood and this is well reflected through the type of ornaments and necklaces women wear. Among all other jewelries, necklace comes into sight first from the onlookers point and thus creates an impression about the woman wearing it. The name, shape, style of necklace is changing. Though most of the time you get the old wine in a new bottle, still they look attractive. Innovation always has an edge over the imitation and so women at large experiment themselves with different creative materials that make them look beautiful. With the innovation of various types of cheap and attractive metals it is now so easy to look elegant without the fear of losing them. Those of you who often move out for work can make your look complete with the imitation necklace that matches with your dress. Workingwomen can also try out the exotic ones made of ceramics and plastics. Some people also buy the beads themselves and then arrange them at regular and irregular intervals on the threads or on the chains of gold and silver. The hand made jewelries are valued more as they have lesser chance of becoming common due to its uniqueness.

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Putting the status-symbol jewelries at backseat, costume jewelries are capturing the market with briskness. Costume necklace, a vehement part of the fashion world, has gathered prominence on the neckline of today’s stylish women. Trendy costume necklace gleaming with uniqueness in design and style nurse within them the potential to foster the existing benevolence in the woman who can value the necklace she is wearing. Inexpensive materials that mold in the skilled hands of keen craftsmen can become ‘her’ better half, if not her best friend, as precious diamond is. Necklaces with sparkling stones and metals are preferred by most of the women during a social gathering or when they are dining out with someone special. Otherwise light and trendy costume necklace with small stud earrings can complete her looks and attire. Beads of multiple colors, bones, horns, shells, polished glass, wood, sequins and metal are some of the common materials used for making costume necklaces that are remarkably cheaper and yet look awesome when adorned with compatible outfits. Costume choker necklace and costume designer necklaces are equally in demand with the conventional costume necklaces. The demand for costume necklaces coupled with other fashionable jewelries compelled most of the jewelry shops to keep in store sumptuous collections of these items of various denominations. In fact their adherence to quality is also drawing new customers towards costume necklace.
Multicolored beads, when bunched together in a row, form an intrinsic part of the unique collections of costume necklace. Metals, bearing an antique look, when studded with semi-precious stones and hung from multiple chains of beads offer a royal message to disperse to the spectators. Shells colored in black, pink and cyan bears the ethnic look that you have been searching since a long time. Stones and glasses of various colors, if combined together in one single thread, can create the magical feel of sanity, which is somewhere hidden deep within every one of us. Green beads of different shapes and sizes, when bunched together in three chains with a shell of similar color hanging as pendant swaying your thoughts into the marine beach, will keep haunting you every moment you take a glance at this costume necklace. Simple chain necklaces with glass beads can look amazing if you prefer outfits of silk and chiffon. A bouquet of gorgeous glass beads of reasonable length presented in a wavy manner can go well with the dresses with low cut necks.
Necklace made of colored Venetian glass beads offer that unparallel magic which is absent even in most of the precious jewelries. The touchy colors of these splendid ornaments are special, as they will never wilt with time. You can put them on as chokers as well as fashionable costume necklace. Silver foiled glass necklace dangles with pleasure when you put it on with a shimmering outfit. Working women of today, at their workplaces, prefer simple costume necklaces along with light earrings that gel well with it. However a working woman looking for a little style can try out the flashy and flickering glass and ceramic costume necklaces to leverage the secret formula working within her that makes her beautiful. During winters when you put on sweaters concealing the beautiful outfits inside, you often feel incomplete as the space for a beautiful costume necklace is lacking somewhere. Peach disc ceramic necklaces can enhance your look in a better way hence making you one in millions. Four layer beaded chain necklace of about 20 inch in length can amazingly glorify the woman adorning it. Oxidized metal jewelry gains the same amount of recognition as that of the other costume jewelries. The oxidized metal necklaces can speak the language of modernity that was left untold long back. The judicious selection of each of these items can make you look amazingly stunning.
The choice of such exquisitely crafted yet economically presented necklaces can tell a lot about your tastes and creativity. They also bear the style statement of the present day world where beauty of jewelry is measured with creativity and not with its price. Stone-like ceramic necklaces are preferably hand glazed and carry with it a bold look dipped in eternal beauty. Clover, charm, painted and candy blue necklaces are gorgeous for adorning at special occasions. Standard chains with fine wood works on them are just perfect to complement an ethnic wear. A costume necklace enameled in black with glistering colors can suit the party dress. A long chain forming the most lustrous looks can be an excellent attire for women who posses the intellect to carry it. Costume necklaces are available at almost all types of jewelry and fashion accessory shops. Of course those who prefer to sell only precious items are away from the economical costume jewelries, but there are people more interested in wearing fashionable yet cheaper attires. To cater to this section of fashion enthusiast consumer’s online shops like Vivace jewelry is always there at your service.
Costume necklaces had been predominating in the jewelry market in the 1930’s. It was the time when women started to become more conscious about the glamour, but to afford costly gems and jewels were next to impossible for them. Mostly stones like, crystals or cubic zirconia are used for making costume necklace and other jewelry. These are now considered to be perfect attires for social occasions like wedding, party, traveling and even as office wears. The jewelers who have so far concentrated in creating great fashion accessories of precious metals and stones are now engaging themselves in making some of the exclusive items that are both inexpensive and worthy in terms of designs and craftsmanship. The cocktail of color and essence that these costume necklaces carry most of the time disperse the message of love, conviction and dedication. It is also so easy ordering any of these fashionable costume necklaces online. They are shipped to your home free of cost by most of the suppliers of these jewelries. Right from the teens up to the aged, any one can earn the praise of people by dressing oneself in designer costume jewelry or the simple costume jewelry. So next time when you select the accessories according to the dress that you put on be serious about what you choose as these costume necklaces can sport on your neck to give that perfect look you always hunt for.

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I will discuss how to check for real wholesale necklace suppliers by searching the Internet for wholesale manufacturers.
Also, visiting wholesale necklace tradeshows can help you determine who is the real wholesale necklace supplier or the one directly buying from wholesale manufacturers.
Now, for the important part, you need to know how you can directly purchase to avoid higher wholesale prices.
Here are some techniques you need to analyze and research to get the lowest and probably the real wholesale necklace price possible:
1. Know the source. You should search the original source for the necklace products you about to buy. The original wholesale necklace manufacturer is what you need to meet you business goal to a higher profit.
You need to carefully examine your choices of wholesale necklace suppliers. Most of them are another group of wholesalers who set higher prices. These are not the ones you need.
2. Know who makes the necklaces. Lots of wholesale necklace suppliers online will tell you that they make the necklace products they are showcasing on their websites. Do not buy quickly from these wholesale necklace suppliers.
Always check their credibility and think ten times before you buy. You do not want to buy a wholesale necklace just because the supplier is good. You are after the original price as much as possible to gain more profit.
You should know where these wholesale necklaces coming from, what are the real contents of the necklace jewelries you plan to buy. Where do they import these necklace products? Know where the origin of the necklace products before buying wholesale necklace.
3. Always check the necklace quality. This is one of the most important parts in wholesale necklace buying at real wholesale necklace price.
Let us say that you have found a real wholesale necklace manufacturer offering lowest prices on wholesale necklace products.
Do you need to buy wholesale necklace instantly? The answer is NO. Even if the wholesale necklace supplier you have chosen offered a very attractive price, the quality of the necklace product might not be that good enough.
Remember, there are legitimate, honest, and reliable wholesale necklace manufacturers you can find. And they are the ones you will need to support your wholesale necklace business, and to be your long-term wholesale necklace business partner.
4. Consider larger wholesale necklace providers. You can consider those large wholesale necklace providers or distributors as they directly buy from wholesale necklace suppliers in greater wholesale necklace quantity.
The price of wholesale necklaces set by large wholesale necklace distributors is only slightly higher than the original wholesale manufacturer. Thus, this will be acceptable if you have small amount of time to spend on searching wholesale necklace for the unique wholesale manufacturer.

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The Love Heart Necklace Sterling Silver Jewelry is the sweetest token of love! Thinking of the most unconventional and unique way to declare your devotion? Say it with the stunning and elegant Love Heart Necklace Sterling Silver Jewelry!
Although exceptionally and especially sweet, we guarantee these graceful pieces of jewelry won’t rot your teeth!
Mixing the innocent sweetness of love heart candy with the romantic gestures you simply can’t put into words; the Love Heart Necklace Sterling Silver Jewelry gives you the opportunity to showcase your deepest emotions!
Unique and beautiful, the Love Heart Necklace Sterling Silver Jewelry can either be hidden in a packet of love heart sweeties to be discovered as a surprise or given singly for a sensational effect! Give your sugar something sweet with a Love Heart Necklace Sterling Silver Jewelry!
Imagine how amazing it’d be if you ripped open a packet of love hearts only to find a Sterling Silver Love Heart Necklace inside! Well, wake up because that’s never going to happen so you’d better purchase an exquisite piece from the exceptional Love Heart Necklace Sterling Silver Jewelry range!
Why not buy a regular packet of love heart sweeties then hide the realistic Silver & Pink Enamel Love Heart Necklace or Silver Love Heart Bracelet inside for your love to find!
Weighing in at a feather-light 3 grams, the delicate Silver Love Heart Necklace - Small will be a pleasure to wear and a delight to receive compliments on! Perfectly pretty around a delicate neckline, the Silver Love Heart Necklace - Small looks lovely over outfits or worn with a bashful birthday suit!
Reminiscent of exchanging love heart sweeties at school and behind the bike-sheds when the last bell was rang, the Silver Love Heart Bracelet is ideal for your childhood sweetheart! A sentimental token to be kept forever, the wrist-pleasing Silver Love Heart Bracelet is subtle and discrete; meaning even the most masculine of men could get away with displaying one!
If you’re generous enough to give a Pink Love Heart Necklace - Large away, let them keep it in their pocket, on their desk or bed-side-table – the Pink Love Heart Necklace - Large makes relationships stable! So buy one today and secure sugar-coated companionship for life!
Ideal for youngsters and more mature lovebirds, any piece from the Love Heart Sterling Silver Jewelry collection is the perfect present for all! Keys to your other halves house and engagement rings may be symbolic, but nothing could be sweeter than an indulgent piece of Silver Love Heart jewelry!

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Don’t you hate it when the latest accessories you buy this season look dated next season?
Summer brings with it plenty of gorgeous whimsical clothes and accessories. What can you get now that is hot right now and will still be in style next year?
Jewelry is your best bet. In particular, silver jewelry which always stays in vogue.
Yes, jewelry is something you’d want your guy to get for you. Engagement rings, jewelry gifts and all are stuff a girl gets from the guy of her dreams. But you can always buy jewelry for yourself and there’s no need to spend a month’s salary on a pair of earrings.
Forget about platinum and diamonds. For your stylish jewelry wardrobe which you can wear everyday, stick to silver. Let semi precious stones or cubic zirconia adorn your jewelry collection so you can look great without going broke.
These are the top 3 items to get this season.
1. Silver Chain Necklaces
You see them everywhere this summer. Whether or not you dare cover your entire top with silver chain necklaces now is the time to get these versatile necklaces. This season, silver chains of all sizes and lengths are worn in a jumble around your neck. But that is not the only way to wear them. Since silver bracelets are hot this season, you could take one or two of your silver chains and wrap them around your wrist for a unique new silver bracelet. Next season, you can wear each necklace on its own to showcase fall and Winter’s new clothes. Depending on the look of each season, your silver necklace can breathe fresh life into your wardrobe by changing the way you wear that necklace.
2. Silver Hoop Earrings
These are classics. Oh so summery in the way to look fabulous with a bikini or a sarong wrap or a caftan on the beach. Yet these beauties look fabulous with your little black dress and your winter clothes. These are super versatile and make you look sexier no matter what you wear.
Did you know that way back during the times of ancient civilizations, people wore earrings and these were in the form of hoops. Silver hoop earrings have been around from the dawn of civilization. Yet we in modern society wear them? Why? Hoops are flattering.
For a summer vacation, bring along a pair of hoop earrings. You can wear them there, or keep them in your coin purse if you aren’t wearing them.
3. Silver brooches
This is a classic you might not notice at first. Brooches are chameleons. Jewels you pin on wherever you’d want to draw attention. Or to spice up an otherwise plain outfit.
You see them on Guess ads with the model wearing a brooch high up her denim vest. Or you could pin them just below the lowest dip of the neckline on your summer dress.
You can cover an entire top with silver brooches. Or you can decorate your tote bag with them.
There are so many ways you can use that brooch.

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Sterling silver is a precious metal that just so happens to be affordable and, for those in the know, it’s also a very versatile accessory that will look brighter than the summer sun when paired with the perfect tan. This article is designed to show you how to get the most out of your sterling silver jewelry wardrobe and enjoy a variety of looks that are sure to be timeless.
If you own an 18″ fine link sterling silver necklace, such as those commonly used as pendant chains, you can wrap it twice around your ankle for a feminine two-strand anklet design. Of course, this will only work if you can wear a 9″ anklet. If you wear a 10″ anklet, you can use a 20″ fine link necklace and wrap it twice for a perfect fit. Using this method, you have two looks in one because you can wear the chain as either a necklace or an anklet. You can use the same strategy to create a multi-strand bracelet.
Speaking of which, current trends center on multi-strand styles, but it may not always be feasible to purchase this expensive design. Instead, you can purchase a single 36″necklace and wear it long with a pendant for a very modern look or you can wrap it around your neck twice for a two-strand 18″ design. If you can wear a 16″ length, you can pull one of the doubled strands up closer to your neck and have the look of two necklaces. With this option, many people like to wear a pendant on the shortest length. If you own a long necklace featuring loop links, consider wearing it as a belt and attaching the clasp to one of the chain’s links. The excess links will drape nicely on the hip for a trendy look.
If you want to wear a particular style of necklace but find that it’s just a little too short to wear with your chosen attire, don’t fret. If you don’t own a necklace extender, you can use a matching bracelet to increase the length of your necklace. If you own a rolo bracelet, you can use it as a custom extender by attaching the clasp of your necklace to any of the small loops in the bracelet for the perfect fit. The excess extension, if any, will drape down your back and will keep the necklace from turning around. Translation? Nobody will know about your shortcut and you won’t have to worry about the clasp finding its way to the front.
One of the hottest looks is that of a multi-strand necklace with a polished heart in the center. We all know the design and we all know the price tag that goes with it. You can get a very similar look if you own a floating heart pendant (without a bail) and two necklaces of equal length. First, take your polished heart pendant and lie it flat on a table. Take one of the necklaces and loop it through the left side of the pendant. Next, take the other necklace and loop it through the right side of the pendant. For the final step, lift the necklace and place it around your neck. Fasten the back by opening one of the clasps and attaching it in the same way you would any other necklace.
If you own a sterling silver pin that would look stunning as a pendant, try sliding a fine link necklace through the closed pin back and see how it looks. You may just find a look that you would love to ’stick’ with. If you need to find the perfect piece of sterling silver for your jewelry wardrobe, check out Almost Diamonds

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Pearl Necklaces are not restricted to round shape pearls only. Tear drop, pear, potato, coin and irregular baroque shape pearls are equally popular among women and commonly used by jewelers and designers alike.
Pearl Necklaces are designed with various pearl types such as freshwater pearls, akoya seawater pearls, Tahitian and South seawater pearls and their prices vary according to type and quality among other factors. Pearl Necklaces made with akoya pearls are typically very good in quality because of its lustrous appeal and are very popular now. Pearl necklaces go very well with all types of dresses, casual or formal. Pearl necklaces especially blend excellent when wearing evening attires and wedding gowns. You will find many brides wearing these beautiful pearl necklaces.
Pearls are natural and its natural lustrous appeal enhances the beauty of a woman and brings grace and elegance of style.
When it comes to pearl size the most popular sizes are between 6mm to 8.5mm. Small sizes are very common among younger girls and larger sizes are preferred choice of many women. Besides pearls shape and size, pearl necklaces come in various unique stylish lengths:
Pearl Collar – 12 to 13 inches length Pearl Choker ~ 14 to 16 inches Princess Necklace ~ 17 to 19 inches Matinee Necklace ~ 20 to 25 inches Opera Necklace ~ 26 to 36 inches Pearl Rope ~ 37 inches or longer.
When it comes to pearl necklaces, usually it’s a white color pearl necklace. White color pearl necklaces are classic, traditional and generally designed with round shape pearls. Pearls come in other natural colors too, like gray, black, golden, light green etc. However, pearls can be color-enhanced to suit fashion and style in lavender, pink, peach, gold, black and blue as well. But natural original color pearl necklaces are always preferred and command higher prices. A typical pearl necklace is hand-knotted with about 40 pearl beads.
Well, we all know women love jewelry and it is perhaps their inner passion to wear gorgeous piece of jewelry. Among many other choices, pearl necklace is the preferred choice of many women because of its natural lustrous appeal.
Pearls are natural gems and pearl necklace enhances the beauty of a woman and brings grace and elegance of style. Pearl necklaces are very traditional and classic and always remain in fashion.

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Pearls are both a natural and cultured product. They are coveted, especially by women the world over as the classic feminine ornamentation. Beautiful, iridescent pearl gem beads are valued throughout the world. The pearl necklace can be a simple, elegant string of pearls or pearls in combination with other gemstones. Pearls are also believed to promote integrity, loyalty, a calm disposition and focus. Culturally, pearls have been the symbol of wealth, social prominence and success throughout human history.
The Pearl Maker
Who makes pearls? Irritated mollusks/oysters make pearls, but not because they are angry. In nature, if an irritant such as sand gets into their soft layers of flesh, they isolate it inside layers of calcium carbonate called nacre. The oyster produces many layers of nacre to protect itself. At the same time it produces one of nature’s most beautiful ornaments. The most highly prized pearls are bright white, very round, without blemish and have an exceptional sheen referred to as luster. If a pearl has a low luster rating, it is usually due to thin or a low count of nacre layers. Oysters raised in colder water sometimes produce low luster pearls. Pearls are an organic gem and can also be produced by mussels, conch and abalone.
Pearl Color and Tone
Many white pearls have overtone colors referred to as tint. Pink or rose overtones are rare and expensive. Creamier overtones are also rare but not quite so expensive. Pearls with silver overtones are also highly coveted. Mikimoto and Company, is the world leader in acquiring and selling pearls with pink overtones and Tiffany & Company is a primary dealer in silver over-toned pearls. In America, a company called American Pearl is one of the leading wholesale suppliers of fine pearls. Charlie Bakhash founded American Pearl. He has been in the business over 50 years. American Pearl has the reputation for selling flawless and the whitest body color pearls with silver or rose overtones.
Natural vs. Cultured Pearls
Natural pearls are created in mollusks. They create pearls to protect themselves from sand, parasites and other minute foreign objects. These natural pearls are mostly found in the Persian Gulf and are referred to as oriental pearls. Natural salt-water pearls are among the most coveted in the world but have virtually ceased to exist due to pollution and lack of natural supply.
Cultured pearl growing began with a patented process invented by Kokichi Mikimoto, the founder of Mikimoto and Company, one of the world’s finest pearl growers and sellers.
A bead is surgically planted in Akoya oysters to create the irritant that causes oysters to create a pearl. The oysters are then put back in the sea enclosed in baskets. They stay in the baskets from one to three years. Twenty five percent of the oysters left in the baskets die each year. Yet, the longer they have to produce layers of nacre the larger and more beautiful the pearls produced. You can begin to appreciate why these salt-water pearls have such value.
Freshwater Pearls
Cultured freshwater pearls are grown in rivers all over the globe. Japan cultivates them and so does the United States along small tributaries of the Mississippi River. Freshwater pearls are produced by mollusks. They can be grown in a variety of colors including pink, orange, mauve and golden colors. They are usually smaller in size and come in a variety of sizes. Colored pearls are judged by tone. Tone refers to the intensity of the color ranging from light to dark. A dark yellow pearl will have a richer color and is considered more rare and valuable. Pearls can also be dyed and come in a variety of shapes. The shapes vary from round, baroque, button shaped, drop shapes and irregular shapes. Large round spherical pearls are the most highly valued. Pearls of any kind make beautiful lasting jewelry by themselves or in combination with other gemstones. Freshwater pearls make beautiful jewelry and many varieties are well within the common person’s price range.
The creative designs for fresh water pearls in combination with other precious and semi-precious gemstones are really limitless. Tiger eye gemstone and yellow pearls in combination are coveted by many as beautiful, quality rich and affordable foundation jewelry appropriate for any occasion.
Stringing Pearls
Pearls must be drilled in order to make a classic strand, necklace or bracelet possible. Often, a blemish can be created on the pearl’s surface right around the hole. If a pearl has been dyed, there will sometimes be a concentration of color around the bead hole. The pearls are traditionally strung on high quality silk cord that is knotted between each pearl to separate, display and protect each pearl from the one next to it. If the strand should break only one pearl will fall from the string and potentially roll away. The knot between each pearl keeps them from rubbing against each other, which can do damage over time. Silk cord rarely breaks. It is thin and unobtrusive yet very strong. It is usually pre-stretched before becoming the foundation for a strand of fine pearls. The pearls of a fine strand should be perfectly matched in size, shape, color and tone. This adds to the value of a necklace or bracelet.
Caring for Pearls
A Pearl is an organic gem. Nacre is made of calcium carbonate. Pearls are made of a soluble chemical and can easily be damaged by oils, perfume, hair spray and human perspiration. They can be cleaned with filtered water and cotton balls. Avoid all chemicals. Jewelers know how to safely clean pearls that are badly soiled. Treat pearls with the respect Mother Nature intended for her work of art and their beauty and luster will last forever.
Pearl History
Pearls have been valued for their shimmering iridescence and glow since ancient man first walked the earth. Many ancient cultures reference stories related to pearls. Egyptian Queen Cleopatra dissolved pearls in wine so she could consume the wealth of an entire nation in one meal. Pearls defined wealth and social standing in ancient Rome. The Greeks considered the pearl the ultimate symbol of love and marriage. The dark ages saw maidens of nobility gifting pearls to gallant knights as a protection in battle. The nobility of the European Renaissance displayed and accumulate pearls in excess. Laws were passed that forbid anyone except nobility to wear pearls. In the New World of America the discovery of pearls in Central America caused their demise in the 17th century due to over harvesting of this natural resource. The famous jeweler, Jacques Cartier bought his New York store in 1916 by trading two pearl necklaces for the building…a very good buy.
Pearls have served man culturally, artistically, financially, psychologically and emotionally throughout history. Their value extends far beyond the dollar they command. They are most importantly, an expression of excellence shared cooperatively by man and nature. Here is hoping the beauty of pearls help you celebrate your life.

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