Pearl jewelry
Elegant, classic, and always appreciated.
Pearls have always had something magic about them, and in many cultures they
symbolize purity, love and virtue (though not necessarily in that order). Today
they’re considered to be timeless, even sentimental gifts. Giving pearls is a
sweet, thoughtful gesture that will be treasured for years to come.
The pearl is the birthstone for June, although pearl jewelry makes a
thoughtful gift all year round. We think a classic pearl necklace is a
wonderful graduation gift, and pearl earrings are the perfect way to
thank bridesmaids.
How pearls happen
Pearls are born when a mollusk, usually an oyster, gets annoyed.
When a bit of sand or some other irritant lodges inside the
oyster’s shell, the oyster tries to protect itself by covering the offender with
a beautiful, pearly substance called nacre. The oyster does this again and again
until eventually, the nacre builds up enough to produce a pearl.
Unfortunately, pollution and over-fishing have made these rare accidents even rarer. So today, nearly all pearls are cultured pearls.
Pearl farmers simply insert small beads into the oysters to jump-start the natural process. The oyster gets busy coating the bead, and a
cultured pearl is born. You can’t tell the difference between cultured and
"natural" pearls without an X-ray.
Learn more about these fascinating gifts of nature by watching our video about pearls.
Color
Most pearls are
white or cream, often with a hint of another
color ("overtone") on the surface. Other pearls are pink, gold, pale
blue, bronze, gray,
black, even eggplant. Almost all lighter-colored
pearls are bleached to eliminate dark spots. Some are dyed to give them a rosy
glow or a darker color altogether.
At Helzberg Diamonds, we carry the two most poplar types of pearls, Akoya
and Freshwater. Both are white with a rose overtone, a universal
combination that’s flattering to all skin colors. Akoya pearls are produced by
saltwater or ocean oysters, while Freshwater pearls are produced by freshwater
mussels. Nearly all Freshwater pearls come from China, while Akoya pearls come
primarily from Japan and China. We also sell Tahitian cultured pearls,
which come in a range of luminescent greys and blacks. Unlike black Akoya and
Freshwater cultured pearls which are always dyed, Tahitian pearls come by their
rich deep hue naturally.
Luster
Luster is the light reflected from the pearl’s surface — you might call it
shine. Generally, the thicker the nacre coating on the pearl the more luster it
has. Akoya pearls are slightly more lustrous than Freshwater pearls.
Size, shape and surface
Pearls come in a huge range of sizes, so you know there’s one — or maybe even
a whole strand — that’s right for you. While most pearls are spherical they
also come in a variety of other shapes. This may include teardrop, button or
oval shapes. Baroque pearls are irregularly shaped pearls. Since pearls are made
by a mollusk, not a machine, almost all of them have tiny bumps, spots and
scratches in the nacre coating. These small defects usually don’t detract from
the beauty of the pearl; in fact, they actually make them more unique.
When to choose what type
Generally,
Akoya cultured pearls cost a bit more than
Freshwater
cultured pearls, and are slightly more lustrous.
Tahitian cultured pearls
are the rarest and most expensive of the three types of pearls that we carry.
They are bigger (8mm and larger), and have a beautiful metallic luster.
Freshwater cultured pearls come in a tremendous variety of sizes and shapes.
What’s your style?
If your style is traditional and elegant, you can’t go wrong with a classic
cultured pearl necklace or pendant. For women who like a twist on the
traditional, dark pearls, like
Tahitian pearls, are
enjoying a resurgence in popularity.
Of course, if you love pearls you’re not limited to a simple, traditional
strand. At Helzberg Diamonds, we pride ourselves on our selection of beautifully
designed pearl jewelry that combines pearls with diamonds in a variety of settings — from ornate and dressy to fun and trendy. Shop our selection now to find the style that’s
perfect for you.
Akoya pearls
These popular pearls are farmed mostly along the coasts of China and Japan.
Akoya pearls usually have a high luster, near-perfect roundness and high quality
all around. White and cream are the most-requested colors, but
many natural and treated colors are available, including black.
Shop our selection of Akoya pearls.
Freshwater pearls
These are the most affordable pearls, and come in a huge array of shapes,
sizes and natural or treated colors. While they used to be irregular in shape,
today’s Freshwater pearls are usually roundish in shape. They’re cultivated in
freshwater streams, rivers and lakes in China, Japan and the U.S.
Shop our selection of Freshwater pearls.
Tahitian pearls
These pearls come in more exotic colors like silver, golden green, and gray-black.
Often they have a metallic luster. They tend to be larger than Akoya and Freshwater pearls.
Shop our selection of Tahitian pearls.
Taking them home
Pearl jewelry needs a little bit of TLC. Pearls’ surfaces can chip and they
scratch rather easily, rating only a 2 1/2 to 4 on the Mohs Hardness Scale (10 is
diamond-hard). Time, intense light and dryness are not their friends, and
neither are solvents, household cleaners, alcohol, many cosmetics and chlorine.
So put pearl jewelry on after you apply your makeup, hairspray and cologne. And remove it before stripping furniture.
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Choose a boxed set for a finished, pulled together look. |
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Shop our vast selection of pearl jewelry now to find the piece that’s perfect for your wardrobe,
budget and sense of style. Or, if you want to learn more, watch our pearl video.
