Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but nothing says it like a pearl. A pearl can make a priceless gift and is a gift that is ideal for more than just weddings. Cultures around the world associate pearls with coming of age, and pearls are a gift that are almost always associated with women. A pearl is a gift that is cherished by women the world over, and it is an ideal gift for birthdays, anniversaries and of course weddings. In fact the centre piece of any wedding after the wedding ring is usually the beautiful pearl necklace a bride adorns.
Pearls are among the oldest known gemstones in existence, and even before diamonds were discovered pearls have been used by tribals for buying and selling goods. Today pearls are available in a variety of jewellery from necklaces to earrings. In fact the appeal of pearls lies in that they are elegant and go with almost any type of dress. From formal wear to wedding dresses pearls have a way of blending in effortlessly with almost any dress. In fact the reason why pearls are truly timeless is because pearls never have a ‘bling bling’ effect like gold and diamonds.
As a family heirloom pearls have been handed down from generation to generation for a long time now, and it is a matter of pride for a woman to receive her mother’s pearl sets. Pearls are classified based on their colour, origin and size. There are two basic types of pearls based on their origin. The first type is natural pearls; these are pearls that are extracted from oysters that are not cultivated in oyster farms. Usually natural pearls are not as big as cultivated pearls and a perfect natural pearl is very difficult to find. This is the reason why natural pearls are expensive and are a matter of pride for many women. Today a strand of matched natural pearls can cost upwards of $1 million.
Cultured pearls are cheaper and are also larger in size when compared to natural pearls. In fact the reason why natural pearls are so expensive is that one has to search through a thousand oysters to find a perfect natural pearl. Cultured pearls are engineered to have better form and colour when compared to natural pearls. Today a majority of pearl based jewellery is made from cultured pearls, as natural pearls are expensive and are also much rarer. Apart from its origin a pearl is usually classified based on its colour, contrary to popular belief not all pearls are white. Pink pearls are very rare in nature and are usually cultivated.
If you are looking to buy pearl jewellery make sure you understand the origin of the pearls and also the quality of the pearl based on its size, colour and also the craftsmanship that has gone into making the necklace. Since not all pearls are the same size, a well crafted necklace usually has pearls that are matched so that the size difference is almost negligible.
Cultivated pearls
As mentioned earlier, cultivated pearls are actually ‘farmed’ in fresh water or salt water. Since a perfect natural pearl is a rarity and a natural pearl is usually not as big or white as a cultivated pearl. Cultivated pearls thus have a big advantage in that they are more easily available and are also considerably cheaper than natural pearls. In addition cultivated pearls are also whiter and are larger in size. In fact the reason why natural pearls are expensive when compared to cultivated pearls is because a large, white natural pearl is a very rare thing to come by. This is also the reason why natural pearls are available in only exclusive jewellery shops and are considered to be a truly prized possession.

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Kevin Canning is the author of this article on Pearls. Find more information about Pearl Jewelry here.

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