Be sure to think of the following: What is your lifestyle? What type of clothing do you wear and what colours do you prefer to wear? What type of pearl jewelry would work best with the clothes that you wear? Do you wear mostly casual clothes or business suits to work?
The choices in pearl jewelry have never been greater than right now and you have the option of buying several different types of pearls for different occasions. Rapid advances in cultivation and marketing have yielded an almost unimaginable spectrum of colors, from deep dark shades to delicate pastels, geared to match any wardrobe or complexion.
As you become more familiar with pearls, you will become interested in pearls that have irregular shapes, unusual sizes, and atypical colours. These Baroque and Off-round pearls are still very lustrous and appealing. Because of their unusual shapes, they are often less costly than round, cultured pearls. They make basic necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings and pendants interesting and many people prefer them because they make their designs more unique. Many times their unusual shapes are the focus of the design. The market today provides a limitless supply of these pearls. They range from the appealing button and potato shapes of freshwater pearls to the dramatic freeform configurations of South Seas pearls.
There are also Mabes--hemispherical pearls ranging from traditional rounds to fancy hearts, diamond and cushion shapes. Mabes are ideal for bold earrings, pendants, pins and rings in settings of textured gold or framed in sparkling diamonds.
If you really want something different, there are the Keshis, the unique byproducts of the culturing process. In essence they are pure pearls with no interior bead or tissue and are formed naturally in many akoya, South Sea and Tahitian mollusks. They can be as small as a grain of sand when found in an akoya mollusk or as large as a dime when found in a South Sea mollusk. Because of their fabulous lustre and very baroque shapes, they are perfect as the centrepiece for a pin or pendant and unforgettable when made up into a necklace.
Even though the choices range from graduated South Sea pearls to multicoloured combinations of pearls in baroque shapes and vivid colour, most women start with the classic matched akoya strand of pearls (refer to, How to Buy a Pearl Necklace.) The reason for this is simple. A simple strand of pearls can be worn anywhere, at any time, with anything. It is versatile enough to be worn for business or casual occasions, yet has the elegance to enhance any evening look. By adding a jewelled clasp or enhancer, the simple strand can be worn in creative and versatile ways.
To enhance the necklace, add a pair of pearl earrings: Pearl studs for everyday basics, Mabes for more drama, Clusters or Drops for a dressier look.
Finally, no jewelry wardrobe would be complete without a pearl bracelet. You can match your pearl necklace with a single or double row of pearls or go for a bolder look with a pearl and gold link design, or opt for a dramatic, multistrand creation.
If you wear mostly business suits and jackets, add a classic pearl circle pin or a gold and pearl brooch in a freeform style.
A pearl pendant on your favourite chain looks very contemporary. Most pendants have pearls that have equal or symmetrical sides. These are generally more expensive. Pearls that are not symmetrical however, can be interesting and they should cost less.
To highlight your hands, a pearl ring can look stunning. A classic pearl solitaire is a great selection if your hands are small. If you have long fingers, a Mabe or South Sea Pearl with diamond accents is certainly dramatic.
Mix and match pearls in different sizes, shapes, and colours. Some of the best designs today are those that combine different types of pearls in a range of natural colours. (Refer to: What's Hot in Pearls)
And if you are a bride to be, consider doing sometime that has been a tradition, wear a simple strand of pearls on your wedding day. Pearl earrings, a pendant, or a freshwater pearl strand would make a traditional gift choice for your wedding attendants.
Got a theatre party or charity ball, she’ll need classic pearls; perfectly shaped, uniform in size, elegant and tasteful, often in multiple strands. Daytime wear calls for a lighter look; a single strand of moderate sized pearls in demure lengths. Cocktail parties and fashionable occasions bring out the fashionable pearls: long lengths of pearls dotted with flashes of colour from interspersed beads of topaz, tourmaline, lapis, or garnet; thin strands of milky fresh water pearls; the intriguing shapes of baroque pearls.
Then there are the young pearl buyers who want dainty pearl finger rings, combinations of pearls and gold chains, the youthful looking graduated pearl necklace.
Pearls are available in a wider range of sizes, shapes and colours. A traditional gift for June birthdays, brides, the third and thirtieth wedding anniversaries, pearl jewelry has become the fashion choice of well-dressed women around the world.
Today's Pearls: not just round and white - beautiful colours of pink, lavender, peach, white and silver
