Pearl jewellery is perfect for everyone

For thousands of years pearls have been worn by the rich and glamorous, and given as rare and expensive gifts. Traditionally worn by brides on their wedding day, they have long been a symbol of love, purity and perfection. Nowadays pearl jewellery is available to more people than ever before, and you no longer need to be royalty to afford it. Pearls of all shapes, sizes and colours are grown on farms and with so many varieties to choose from any bride-to-be has no trouble finding the perfect pearls to match her wedding gown. In fact there are so many varieties that it can be difficult to know which to choose, so here are a few things to look out for:

Pearl type – There are two types of pearl, saltwater and freshwater. Saltwater pearls are found in oysters in the sea, and are usually bigger, rounder and clearer than the freshwater variety. They are also usually more expensive because of this. Freshwater pearls are farmed in lakes and rivers, usually smaller and often less regular in shape, though they come in a large range of different colours.

Size – When buying pearls, size makes a huge difference. The bigger the pearl, the more desirable it is and the more expensive it will be. Saltwater pearls are usually larger than freshwater, and are more highly sought after.

Nacre – Pearls take years to develop inside an oyster shell. When a foreign object gets into the shell the oyster produces layers of nacre, which gradually build up around the nucleus forming the pearl. The thicker the nacre coating, the more durable the pearl will be as jewellery. Some saltwater pearls from farms are made with a ‘beaded’ large nucleus used to speed up the process and ensure a round shape. Natural pearls are formed entirely of nacre, which is why their shape is often less regular.

Luster – No pearl is perfectly shiny like glass but they should have a sort of reflective quality to them, called the lustre. Pearls that have this shimmery effect on the surface are the most desired.

Colour – Pearls in their natural state come in various shades of white, pink and lilac although nowadays cultured pearls are often dyed so they are available in almost any colour. A pearl necklace made of matching naturally-coloured pearls will cost more than dyed ones, as it can take a long time to collect enough matching pearls for a whole string.

Shape – When we think of pearls, we normally imagine that they are all perfectly round and shiny. In reality this is rare, and these round pearls are very expensive as they are highly in demand. Small cultured pearls are more likely to be round and some larger ones are formed around a bead to coax it into a round shape. Irregularly shaped pearls are also used to produce unique pendants and earrings.

Matching – It can be hard to find enough pearls of the same size, shape and colour to make a whole necklace, so a string of regular naturally coloured pearls is more desirable and will be more expensive.

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