They bring out a woman's warmth and femininity

From their earliest history, pearls have been treasured by women the world over. They are the first known gem to be discovered and have always been the fashion symbol for all women. Appropriate for every occasion and for any time of day, they bring out a woman's warmth and femininity. The pearl jewelry wardrobe of today consists of one or more pearl rings, pendants, bracelets, earrings and necklaces.

Pearl is the only organic gemstone. It attains its perfection in water. Cultured pearls are raised in huge saltwater farms. The process involves "grafting"... the placement of a round ball of pearl shell into a living shellfish. The protective layers of nacre they secrete takes two years or more. Natural pearls start with a grain of sand or other foreign object that accidentally finds its way in. Natural pearls take far longer to reach a usable size. When they do and are found they are very rare and costly.

No matter what type of pearls you're considering, there are five factors that you should be aware of that will influence the value of your purchase and the pleasure you will enjoy with ownership: size, luster, color, cleanliness, and shape. Size is the single most important factor that affects price. Size refers to the diameter of the pearls and is measured in millimeters. Pearls in a necklace are often referred to as 5.5 to 6.0 mm. That means all of the pearls will fall within that size range. On round pearl strands, it is very important that the pearls are closely matched.