The Myth and Mystique of a Black Pearl Necklace

Since recorded history, man has coveted the luminous white gems we call pearls. Revered the world over for their rare beauty, otherworldly sheen and understated elegance, pearls are as popular in modern society as they were with European royals and Egyptian princesses centuries ago. Today, pearl jewelry connoisseurs have a new love: black pearls. Exotic, luxurious and rare, a rich black pearl necklace presents a striking picture?the gems definitely lack the demure, chaste image of their classic white counterparts. For the woman who has everything, a black pearl necklace, whether showcased alone in a pendant or in a perfectly matched strand, makes a wonderful addition to her jewelry collection. Think of how lovely a black pearl necklace will look on any skin tone!

Where do jewelers get the pearls they use in a matched black pearl necklace?

?Black? pearls are also known as ?Tahitian cultured pearls,? but both names are misleading. Not only are Tahitian cultured pearls not exclusively black, they?re also not grown in Tahiti. Called ?black? because of their exotic dark colors, Tahitian cultured pearls can be gray, blue, green and brown. And they?re grown in the lagoons of small islands that are part of a group known as French Polynesia. Tahiti, the largest island, serves as the group?s center of commerce, and not as a pearl growing mecca. Interestingly, fine Tahitian cultured pearls have only been on the market since the 1970s. Yet they have become quite popular in that short time.

Growing Tahitian pearls

Tahitian pearls are cultivated for around two years in Pinctada margaritifera cumingi, a large saltwater mollusk that is native to French Polynesia. One of the ways this unique oyster differs from other species is that its interior shell color is dark. This so-called ?black lipped? oyster also has black mantle edges?the ?lips? that give the animal its descriptive name. Due to overfishing, adult wild oyster populations aren?t as plentiful as they used to be. In an effort to reverse this trend, the government protects the animals; pearl farmers in French Polynesia who wish to culture the black lipped oyster must raise the oysters from spat (baby oysters). If the farmer is successful in nurturing the spat to adulthood, at around two and a half to three years old, the oysters are implanted with mantle tissue and a mother-of-pearl bead to start the pearl growing process. This delicate operation is performed by specially trained workers called nucleators; even so, according to the Gemological Institute of America, more than 50 percent of the oysters die or reject the nucleus.

Literature from GIA says, ?Add those oysters to the ones that don?t meet the implantation criteria: The farmer?s potential pearl-producing stock is less than half the number that lived long enough to be considered for nucleation. When the pearl growth period begins, after three years of work, the farmer has only 20 percent of the oysters he collected as spat.? No wonder a fine quality Tahitian cultured pearl is so rare!

Tahitian pearl growth generally takes place in a closed lagoon that is ringed by coral reefs. Such a setup offers protection and a stable environment for the implanted oysters to complete the pearl-growing process. After the oysters have been submerged for 22 to 26 months, they?re hauled to the surface, where any pearls they managed to grow are harvested. The farmers then clean and lightly buff the gems prior to offering them for sale. Farmers also sort the pearls by color, shape, etc. and grouped with like pearls.

In the end, only one to two percent of the Tahitian cultured pearl crop consists of fine quality round cultured pearls.

Color

Today, the most sought-after Tahitian cultured pearls are dark green-gray to blue gray with ros? or purple overtones. But how do pearls get their color? No one is completely sure, but we do know that pearl colors are determined by several factors, including variations in the host oyster, color variation of the implanted donor mussel tissue, the number and thickness of nacre layers, and variations in growing environment such as temperature and water quality. Tahitian pearls are most often variations of gray, black, green and blue, but other colors exist. Search on the Internet for Tahitian cultured pearl images, and you will see they are not all black!

Buying a black pearl necklace

At an average size of 8mm-14mm, Tahitian cultured pearls?especially those specimens that are gem-quality and round?are very expensive. (GIA estimates that one first-quality, unusually large Tahitian cultured pearl will set you back thousands of dollars!) If only one to two percent of the harvest produces a fine quality round Tahitian cultured pearl, imagine how long it takes to make a matched strand! No wonder a black pearl necklace is so costly. Choose carefully, keeping in mind that pearls with a desirable overtone (secondary color) and pearls that are larger than typical will be more expensive. Look for pearls that are well-matched, not pitted or marked in any obvious way (minor surface characteristics are acceptable). Be sure to check return policies up front, too, in case you have a problem. Ask your retail jeweler for his or her store policy or, if buying online, check the site?s guarantee prior to making a purchase. Once you receive your pearls, be sure to examine them closely. After wearing, store your pearl necklace away from other gems; while fairly durable, pearls are prone to scratching and their nacre will erode over time, especially if exposed to harsh chemicals like bleach, perfume and chlorine. Black pearl necklaces in modern fashion

Although slow to catch on at first, thanks in part to publicity from stars such as actress Elizabeth Taylor, a renowned jewelry collector who wore a striking black pearl necklace in publicity photos for her Black Pearls perfume launch, Tahitian cultured pearls are wildly popular today. It?s not hard to find examples of fine black pearl jewelry in modern society. Look around and you?ll see black pearl necklaces on everyone from businesswomen to moms to Hollywood A-list actresses, models and celebrities. Take Kiera Knightly, for example, who wore a stunning black baroque Tahitian cultured pearl choker at the premier of her movie, The Black Pearl. Stars like Christy Turlington, Naomi Watts, Heidi Klum, Michael Michelle, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Shalom Harlow are also pearl fans.

Perhaps black pearls? popularity is why designers like David Yurman, Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso (for Tiffany & Co.) are incorporating stunning black pearls, and even black baroque and black keshi pearls, into modern designs like long chain necklaces, brooches, chokers and charm bracelets. Black pearl drop earrings and pendants are also favorites, as they require little matching?or none at all. Whimsical designs on cufflinks and in popular frog, dragonfly and other animal pins incorporate black pearls as well.

Black pearl necklace alternatives

When most people think of black pearl jewelry, they naturally think of Tahitian cultured pearls. But prices are high for these rare gems, in part due to their large size, unusual colors, and the high cost of producing them. If you want to wear real Tahitian cultured pearls, one way to do so without breaking the bank is to choose a pendant-style necklace with a single pearl; black pearl stud earrings; a single black pearl ring, or black baroque (non-symmetrical) pearls. These designs are every bit as exotic yet much more affordable than a matched black pearl strand.

For customers for whom Tahitian pearl jewelry is beyond reach, there are some inexpensive yet beautiful alternatives to the classic black pearl necklace. Today, freshwater pearls?round, drop, button and baroque?are color-treated to produce a look that closely resembles the hue of Tahitian cultured pearls. The natural-looking result is beautiful and looks great in such pieces as a baroque black pearl bracelet, black pearl drop earrings or black pearl necklace. Every bit as real as their Tahitian cousins, black freshwater cultured pearls? color is man-made, but keep in mind that nearly all pearls are treated somehow (bleaching is the most common enhancement).

If you?re after not only the color but the size of fine Tahitian pearls, consider a black ?pearl? necklace made from black mother-of-pearl beads. Their generous size, lustrous sheen and affordable price make them a popular alternative to a fine Tahitian pearl necklace.

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of America?s Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion writer and accessories buyer for http://www.moonriverpearls.com She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com

Freshwater Pearl Necklace - The Ideal Gift for Women

A freshwater pearl necklace is a beautiful, meaningful, and thoughtful gift that you can give to the most special woman in your life. Whether it?s your wife, mother, or sister, she will surely appreciate having a freshwater pearl necklace from you.

What are Freshwater Pearls? Before we proceed to discussing the mechanics of buying freshwater pearl necklaces, it?s important that you know what freshwater pearls are first and be able to distinguish them from other types of pearls.

Freshwater pearls have been cultivated, cultured, or found in freshwater as opposed to saltwater pearls which have been harvested from seas and oceans. Freshwater pearls can be naturally processed with or without human intervention. Without human interference, pearl divers will have to search for mollusks or oysters where a foreign object has incidentally found its way inside and has been encrusted with layers of nacre, the ingredient mainly responsible for the unique luster of pearls.

With human intervention, pearl divers will insert organ tissue material into another mollusk to generate nacre production. They will also carefully monitor all factors that could affect the growth of pearls to ensure that the end product will come out beautiful and evenly shaped.

How to Choose the Perfect Freshwater Pearl Necklace

Source ? Freshwater pearls are produced in various parts of the world although the most famous come from Japan and China. The origin of freshwater pearl necklace can readily affect its price so consider purchasing freshwater pearl necklaces from less-known pearl manufacturers if you?re on a budget.

Size ? Just like it is with all sorts of jewelry, the larger the size of the gem ? or pearl, in this instance ? the higher its value. Of course, larger pearls don?t automatically mean they make the perfect gift. Consider your recipient?s taste when selecting the appropriate size of freshwater pearls used in the necklace.

If your recipient haves fun when she?s the center of attention, she?ll definitely appreciate having large-sized freshwater pearls in her necklace. On the other hand, if your recipient is more appreciative of subtle beauty, she?ll probably be more inclined to choose a necklace that makes use of small to moderate sized freshwater pearls.

Shape ? There are numerous pearls that are irregularly shaped because they have been allowed to grow without any external interference. It?s also more likely for saltwater mollusks to produce evenly shaped pearls than freshwater mollusks. If you?re after perfect and evenly shaped freshwater pearls, consider purchasing freshwater cultivated pearls.

Luster ? Observe freshwater pearl necklaces in various lights to effectively compare its luster. Some freshwater pearls can glow only in certain types of light but noticeably dim in other types. The best pearls however will glow no matter what light you?re using to observe it with. Of course, the better the luster of freshwater pearls, the higher its value once more.

Skin ? Just like any other gem, you should also consider the quality of the freshwater pearl necklace. Does it have any visible blemishes, scratches, or flaws? Since freshwater pearls are sensitive to damage, you might have a hard time looking for one that?s completely free from blemish.

Color ? Lastly, consider the color and make sure that it complements the complexion of the recipient.

Beautiful Things Come from Beautifully Wrapped Packages The presentation is almost as important as the gift itself because it shows that you?ve given lots of thought to your gift. If you don?t have any gift-wrapping skills (and most men don?t so there?s no shame in admitting the same thing), consider asking a friend or even a professional to wrap it for you.

There are various designs of jewelry boxes for you to choose from, and some of them are extremely attractive to look at that covering it with gift wrapping paper is mostly unnecessary. A gift ribbon could add a nice embellishment.

If you choose a simple jewelry box then yes, you?ll still need to cover it with gift wrapping paper. As freshwater pearl necklaces are no ordinary gift, make sure that you choose something extra special like glossy paper or silk for the packaging.

In the end, you should always base your buying decision on how much money you?re willing to spend for your very special gift and what preferences you perceive your recipient has when it comes to freshwater pearl necklaces.

For more information go to: http://www.unlimitedpearls.com http://www.bestpearlnecklaces.com or http://www.bestpearlearrings.com

Unique Pearl Necklace Beauty

Necklaces are always very popular and fashionable pieces of jewelry. It doesn't matter which generation you are in, the fact remains that necklaces always find a place amongst women's fashion accessories. Among these necklaces will generally be pearls.

What comes to mind when we think pearl necklaces? To me, it has predominately been strings of white pearls or occasionally a string of pink pearls. Pearls though, come in a variety of shades - some of them being white, pink, black, silver, cream, gold, blue and dark green. The list of colors seems endless.

What kind of pearl necklaces are there? There are two types that come to mind. Firstly, you can have a necklace with one or more strings of pearls, white or colored. But have you stopped to think what beauty you can find in a different kind of pearl necklace, a necklace that will make it a unique pearl necklace?

Let's take a look at what makes a pearl necklace unique and different. Imagine yourself wearing a beautiful necklace made from a combination of gemstones and pearls. Gemstones come in a wide array of choices - types of stones, colors and shapes. Team gemstones together with pearls into a necklace and the variety is immense. There is always a unique pearl necklace to suit your personal taste and the outfit you want to wear.

Unique pearl necklaces have the added advantage of being useful to team together with many different colors and styles of outfits and can be used also for either a formal or casual look. This makes them a very versatile piece of jewelry because you don't have to keep your pearls just for a special occasion but makes them very practical for casual wear as well.

Let's take a look at a few examples. Imagine natural shaped turquoise alternated with white pearls and fine beads. Another combination would be a blend of stones like baroque pearl, aquamarine, amethyst and rose quartz, giving a beautiful blend of colors in the cool shades. Black baroque pearl with India agate is a good choice to serve as an all round "go with anything" necklace.

When choosing pearls, keep in mind your skin coloring as well as the outfits you have to wear. By choosing your necklace colors like this, you can enhance your beauty and also the appearance of your outfit when you wear a unique pearl necklace as part of your accessories. Temic Jewelry. For further information, visit our site at http://www.temic2.com/jewelry and register for our FREE monthly Pearl and Gemstone Newsletter

Can Necklaces Mean a Pain in the Neck?

The wearing of jewellery has been with us across the ages with both men and women seeking to adorn their persons with these ornamental devices. The word jewellery is anglicised from an old French word "joule" (jewel), but the origin can be further traced back to the Latin word "jocale" which means plaything.

Although we typically think of jewellery as being made from precious metals and gemstones, over the centuries it has been made from a variety of materials such as cloth, wood, shells, rocks and stone. In fact man has been very ingenious and artistic in creating jewellery from just about anything and in many different styles from the plain and simple to the highly elaborate.

Items of jewellery have also been adopted as potent symbols and even worn to ward off evil spirits or to help overcome enemies in battle.

Examples of jewellery being worn other than for adornment, are necklaces such as the cross or crucifixes worn by Christians as potent religious symbols. Other religious types of necklaces are pendants known as amulets, which are figures or symbols of varying shapes and sizes, which are hung on a chain round the neck.

Necklaces called lockets, which are usually heart shaped are worn as a symbol of love and open up to reveal a picture or lock of hair from a cherished one.

Necklaces and pendants are both worn around the neck but a pendant usually means a hanging object although it can be hanging from a neck chain or an earring. A choker is also a form of necklace but is worn high around the neck and can also have a pendant hanging from it.

Perhaps the most bizarre form of necklaces are those worn by the Pa Dong Long Neck people who are part of the Karen tribal group that live along the border between Thailand and Burma. From the age of 6 years old, brass rings are snapped around the necks of young girls, a few every year, up to a limit of 20 rings although there is a woman on record as having 28 around her neck. As they progress from childhood to womanhood, their necks appear to elongate although apparently what really happens is that the weight of the rings crushes the women's collarbones giving the illusion of a very long neck.

It is said that these women only remove the brass rings on their wedding night with a long drawn out process involved, which involves much neck washing. As brass often tends to discolour the skin one can imagine that there may be a rather nasty green mess under those rings. After the wedding night, the rings are replaced and must remain in place for life, as the women's neck muscles are now no longer strong enough to support the length of the neck and the weight of the head on their own.

This wearing of neck rings was also a practice adopted by women in South Africa and in particular those from the Ndebele tribe and these women have often been referred to as giraffe women because of their long necks. The Ndebele women traditionally wore copper and brass rings around their necks arms and legs as a symbol of their status in society and after marriage as a symbol of her bond and faithfulness to her husband. Husbands would provide their wives with these rings and the richer her spouse the more rings she would wear and they would only be removed after his death as they were believed to have strong ritual powers.

Thankfully, in both the Pa Dong and the Ndebele tribes, this traditional practice is no longer popular and is now dying out in favour of the more usual types of necklaces.

Written by John Lewis of Love2Have. Love2have specialises in quality handcrafted designer necklaces made here in the UK by small independent designers.

How To Choose Freshwater Pearl Necklaces

The freshwater pearl, featured with its charming and mysterious elegance is attracting to a lot of ladies who seek for beauty and fashion and become more and more popular with its own its advantageous fashion. In ancient times, pearl jewelry used to be the luxury items attributable to ladies from noble families, and now it has become the daily leading fashion items of modern lades at the modern times. Wearing pearl ornaments, ladies look outstandingly graceful and beautiful , when matched with appropriate suites. According to their individual physical features such as their own figure and face shape as well as their suites they are wearing, ladies can choose different kinds of pearl necklaces. There are so many kinds of pearl necklaces. According to its length, the styles of pearl necklaces can be classified as follows:

1)Collar style

Multiple pearl rows are wearing closely around the neck, featured with the elegant and luxurious grace of Victoria Times. This style of necklace is suitable to “ V” shaped collar, boat collar, and formal evening wear

2)Short necklace　　

The wearing length of the single strand pearl necklace is set approximate 40mm, which is the most classical and the most popular practical option for ladies. The style of the pearl necklace can match gracefully any classical or fashionable evening or cocktail dresses as well as any styles of collars.

3)Princess style

It refers to the pearl necklace which is approximately 45-48mm in length. The princess style necklace is especially suitable to high-collar dresses, and the necklace can be put on a pedant or other hanging decoration to create a sense of flowing motion.

4)Martini style

The length of the pearl necklace of this style is approximately 50-58mm. Martini style pearl necklace can match delicately any causal or professional suites.

5)Opera style　　　　

This style of pearl necklace measures approximately 70－80mm in length. Opera style pearl necklace can nicely match any high-collar dresses. It can match the dress with other double rows of short length pearl necklace to highlight a charming effect

6) Cord style

The length of this style of pearl necklace exceeds 110mm. Consumers can wear this style of pearl necklaces in different ways. This graceful and long style pearls are usually regarded as their favorites of the world reputable fashion designers. The cord style of pearl necklace is very flexible to wear, and you can slightly change the way to clasp the necklace to present different shapes of the necklace for its beauty.

7) Florid style

This style of pearl necklace is composed of 8mm pearls, 6-7mm pearls and 5mm pearls. It wears around the neck with 5- 1o rounds, presenting a romantic, florid and elegant sense.

8) Dress necklace

The dress necklace is composed of a long or short multiple rows of pearl necklaces, usually with a clap . It can match any formal dresses, giving a feeling of formal, graceful and elegant sense of quality.

Freshwater pearl necklace is a popular fashion for all women of all ages. But how to choose the pearl ornaments which can suite best you?

When you purchase freshwater pearl necklaces, you are advised to take into consideration its luster, color, shape, surface brightness and size, etc.

a). Watching the surface perfection and cleanliness of pearl. If the pearl has lustrous surface, without defects, it is the top grade. But those having rough surface, grooves or cracks, are the inferior pearls.

b). Pearl has rich colors. When we choose pearl, we shall consider our own skin color, temperament and taste. Generally, women like silvery white and light red.

c). As for the shape of pearl necklace, we shall pay attention to its uniform shape and size. To choose earring or pendant, we may choose the round pearl, or pearl of irregular shapes specially designed and processed. d). When pearl accords with above factors, the larger size has the higher value.

If the pearl necklace you have chosen to meet the physical standard mentioned above, you can move to the next step for evaluation whether the style of the pearl necklace can suite your physical features and your dresses.

If you have a long shaped face, you can choose a short or double rows of pearl necklace to make a balance. For ladies who have a round face and a thick neck, they can choose the princess style or Martini style necklaces to improve its visual quality. The ladies who have a square-shaped face can choose Opera style or cord style necklace to make their features perfect. Skin color, hair styles and dress styles are also important elements for you to take into consideration to choose an appropriate necklace which best suit you.

Take a look at the author's online pearl jewelry store- http://www.lookforbeauty.com

written by Jerven Lee from http://www.lookforbeauty.com

Glow Necklaces

Glow necklaces are ornaments which glow in the dark and have a special attraction. The glow of a glow necklace lasts for few hours. Glow necklaces are made in gold and platinum sometimes, and are very famous all over the world. Purchasing gold ornaments involves a lot of investment. 24 carat gold is considered to be the best gold, but it is not useful for making ornaments as it is soft gold. The gold ornaments are very expensive depending on the gold used and the intrinsic work done. Glow necklaces are available in various colors and are available at economical rates.

Glow necklaces are an extended form of glow bracelets. They are just of a bigger size than the glow bracelets. The glow necklaces are made of flexible plastics. They need no wiring and they work via reactive chemicals. They are non-toxic and non-flammable.

Glow necklaces are available at cheap rates. Children in parties commonly use them for fun. As they are durable, they can be used for hours. This glow is due to a chemical process known as chemiluminescences, which emits light. During this process, electrons in the normal level produce energy in the form of light.

Glow necklaces are available in “premium” and “superior” quality. Premium quality glow necklaces glow for about 6 to 24 hours, while superior quality glow necklaces glow for 8 to 48 hours. They are available in 6mm and 5mm diameters. The 6mm glow necklaces are brighter than 5 mm glow necklaces by 25%.

They are available in nice packaging and pretty colors. Glow necklaces are available in pink, orange, red, green, yellow, blue and white colors. The pink, orange and red are made by using tinted colors, whereas the green, yellow, blue and white colors are made by using clear castings. They are also available in tri colors: green-red-blue, green-yellow-blue and red-white-blue.

The superior quality glow necklaces are available at $100 and the premium quality necklaces are available at $20 for 50 pieces. Being of a branded quality, they are worn in special events and occasions. The glow depends on the quality and the composition they have inside.

Glow Necklaces provides detailed information on Buy Glow Necklaces, Cheap Glow Necklaces, Glow Bracelets, Glow In The Dark Products and more. Glow Necklaces is affiliated with Glow Stick Dancing.