Freshwater Pearl Necklace - Choice of Millions!

Unlike akoya seawater pearls, freshwater pearls are grown in ponds, lakes and rivers and most of these pearl farms for freshwater pearls are found in China. With the new improved techniques of culturing pearls, China farms have been able to produce not only large quantity of pearls every year but its quality of freshwater pearls are becoming as good as akoya pearls.

Freshwater pearls are very much cultured pearls. Freshwater pearl necklaces are designed with matching size pearls in many lengths and styles. Most popular length size is princess length (16?-18?) designed with pearl size between 6mm to 9mm (millimeters) of different shapes. One doesn?t have to spend fortunes to buy these freshwater pearl necklaces. Large freshwater pearls production has not only helped the pearl jewelry industry in boosting sales but customers can now buy at much affordable prices. Quality of freshwater pearls is excellent and pearls are really attractive.

Tahitian pearls are known for its black colors and South seawater pearls come in light golden natural colors but these types of pearls command very high prices. Next lines of pearl types are akoya pearls and freshwater pearls. Akoya pearls or seawater pearls are typically expensive than their cousin freshwater pearls. More and more designers are making freshwater pearl necklaces since they can play with multi colors available in freshwater pearls than any other pearl types. Majority of pearl jewelry sold here or abroad are made of freshwater pearls. Freshwater pearls are genuine cultured pearls and undoubtedly, freshwater pearl necklaces are choice of millions all around the world.

Freshwater pearl necklaces come in wide array of colors such as white, pink, peach, lavender, pink and black. Among most popular sizes for freshwater pearl necklaces, young girls often go for small size freshwater pearl necklaces whereas others prefer to wear higher pearl size freshwater pearl necklaces around their necklines. Pearls natural beauty and its lustrous appeal have always attracted women of all age. Brides love wearing freshwater pearl necklaces and have often gifted their bridesmaids with all types of pearl jewelry to appreciate their love and friendships. Its very common among men to present their loved ones with freshwater pearl necklaces on their marriage anniversaries. Freshwater pearl necklaces are the perfect gifts for graduation or for valentines.

Kheri http://www.pearlprincess.com/freshwater-pearl-necklaces.php

Celebrate Pregnancy by Creating a Birth Necklace

Creating a birthing necklace is a beautiful way to honor yourself and Baby during pregnancy. There are so many ways and of course no 'right' or 'wrong' way of designing a piece of art to symbolize what is most important to you. I like to encourage mothers to create their own piece or to take part if they choose to have an artisan make the jewelry for them. Maybe there is a particular color you have been drawn to during your pregnancy or a color that represents this child to you which could be the color focus of the necklace. Maybe you have a pendant you would like to have as your focus. One of my birthing necklaces was created during our blessingway. Each friend was asked to bring two beads. One was to represent Baby and the other myself. As we gathered in a circle each friend took their beads and presented them to me as they were placed on the string. The night I birthed, the beads were hanging above me on the wall as a visual focus for the birth.

My last birthing necklace I created during our blessingway day. I chose a goddess pendant which was to represent myself and the divine feminine. To the sides of the pendant were two beads for the Baby and for each of my other five (yes 5:) children. Each had their own unique color and style. In between each were seven small rainbow beads which in numerology is Spirit. Each bead was deliberately placed and blessed as I strung them. I wore the necklace the last several weeks of pregnancy and it was placed above me the night I gave birth.

However you choose to design your birthing necklace or jewelry may it be an expression of the beauty of this journey into Motherhood.

Lisa R. Marshall is the facilitator of Path to Nature...honoring life through whole health, natural living, herbal healing, sacred celebrations & journeys. She is also a mother & doula. Lisa is a facilitator to those who want to make changes in their lives.

Please visit http://www.Pathtonature.org for further information or to contact the author

Making A Tri-Strand Beaded Necklace

If it's true that a cord of three strands is not quickly broken, this easy, tri-strand beaded necklace ought to last forever! The simple pattern is a dream to make, the perfect project for beginners, and yet it has an elegance and sophistication to it that beginner's projects typically lack.

To make the tri-strand beaded necklace, you'll need:

Craft thread (quilting thread works well if you don't have craft thread on hand)
A needle
A pair of sharp scissors
A necklace clasp, of any kind; I like to use the barrel closures
3 packages of 11/0 seed beads, or similar beads; I like 11/0 Rocaille beads, but any seed beads will work.

Once you've made the necklace, and gotten the hang of it, you may wish to experiment with different beads. For example, using three different sizes of seed pearls, with the smallest on top and the largest on bottom, gives a stunning layered look. Or, make two strands out of pearls and one out of cloisonn?. For now, however, stick to the simplest of beads forms; the seed bead, a fun, elegant, yet inexpensive choice.

A word about your needle: the eye should be large enough to thread easily, but small enough to slip through your beads. Always test the needle, by sliding it through two or three of the beads, to make sure that it fits easily through the hole.

To begin, cut three strands of your craft or quilting thread. One should be 21 inches, one should be 17 inches, and one should be 13 inches. You may wish to play around with these lengths once you've made this first necklace.

Gather the threads, with one end even, and attach the even ends to one half of your necklace clasp. I typically slip the threads through and tie them; a drop of glue on the knot adds strength. You should now have half a necklace clasp with three threads of three different lengths hanging from it.

Beginning with the shortest thread, the 13 inch, thread your needle and string your beads. Ideally, you should stop at least 2 inches short of the end of the thread; this will give you room to tie off your thread.

You want to be very careful at this stage. Without losing any of the beads, thread the end of the 13 inch strand through the second half of your necklace clasp, and tie it on. This will keep your beads from slipping off the smallest strand while you do the other two.

Repeat the procedure with the 17 inch and the 21 inch threads, again, stopping 2 inches short of the end and tying them onto the necklace clasp. Once each strand is finished, add a drop of glue to the second half of the clasp, just as you did to the first, to add strength to the knots.

When you're finished, you should have three swags of beads, roughly 18, 14, and 10 inches, respectively.

Because these necklaces are so simple and easy to make, they make great crafts for kids 8 and older, and great party favors or gifts. Teens can make and exchange these necklaces, and children will find they make great Mother's Day gifts. Children will probably want to work with larger beads, which are easier to work with. A nice 05/0 or 06/0 bead is generally best for kids 8-12, and some adults may prefer the larger sizes, as well! Tri-strand bead necklaces can be made with any kind of bead, in any kind of colors, and a pendant can be added to the lowest strand, making these the most versatile of all bead necklaces.

Article by webmaster of an information, advice and tips website about Charms and Things where you can be advised on how to choose different charms for your own charm bracelets

Guide to Choosing Pearl Necklaces

Pearl necklaces never run out of style. They are always classy, elegant and quite flexible as wardrobe accessories. They are one of the most popular gift choices for weddings, being the birthstone of June and they have a lasting, mystical appeal that has been celebrated for thousands of years.

Pearls are rarer when they are produced naturally but while cultured pearls are quite affordable, their quality is in no way inferior to that of natural pearls. To an untrained eye, it is very difficult to tell a natural pearl from its cultured cousin. The only way to differentiate is probably to use x-ray where a ?nucleus? will be spotted in the cultured variety.

Some of the more common types of pearls used in necklaces are Mikimoto, Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea Pearls. Mikimoto is the highest quality pearls and come in different colors. Akoya pearls often come in white, cream or silver while Tahitian and South Sea pearls have darker colors. Saltwater pearls are more expensive than freshwater pearls.

Choosing pearl necklace lengths Choosing the right length of pearl necklace depends upon the wearer?s age, neck size and overall body composition. In general, long necklaces tend to elongate the neck and draw attention away from it, as opposed to shorter-length ones which flatter longer necks. Here are the different lengths of pearl necklaces recommended for every woman?s unique need:

Collar ? typically 10 to 13 inches long and are quite flexible either for evening wear or casual day wear. These are worn high on the neck, above the base. Another style is the dog collar, which is made of several strands, quite popular in the Victorian era and slowly making a comeback.

Choker ? 16 to 18 inches long, chokers surround the base of the neck. A good choice for ladies with long, thin necks because chokers can de-emphasize the throat?s length.

Princess ? at 17 to 20 inches long, this is the most popular length, classic enough to match any outfit or neckline.

Matinee ? 20 to 24 inches long. These work well worn with dresses, business suits and corporate wear and are a great choice for occasions requiring semi-formal wear.

Opera ? 28 to 34 inches long, usually worn during formal events and occasions. Because of its length, this pearl necklace may be doubled to form two strands. When worn as is, it should ideally reach below the bust line.

Rope or sautoir ? the longest, starting at 37 inches, worn best with pantsuits. Rope-length pearls don?t have to hang from the wearer?s neck alone. They could be doubled or knotted for more style flexibility. Some even come with multiple clasps, which allow the wearer to use the necklace in shorter lengths.

Short necks will do well wearing pearl strands that sit at least 2? below the collarbone while thick or heavy necks will look good in graduated chains with lengths beginning at 18?. Long thin necks are flattered by shorter lengths, especially those that sit at the base of neck, following the curve of the throat.

Fleshy necks look better in necklaces that lie below the base, especially if the strand is segmented or comes with a square, rectangular or any pointed pendant. Necks that are wide at the base need necklaces that are at least 1? below the collarbone or longer strands.

Other pearl necklace styles

Other styles of pearl necklaces are the bib which, as the name implies, covers the base of the neck and the upper part of the chest in several strands of varying lengths. Another option is the graduated necklace which consists of pearls in graduated lengths, usually with the biggest pearl/s in the middle. A popular style is the uniform necklace where pearls of similar size are strung together.

Choosing pearl colors and size

While white, cream, pink or silver pearls generally will look good on anyone, they can best enhance fairer skin. Gold or yellow pearls will look best on darker-toned skin.

Generally, younger women should wear smaller pearls. At this point in their lives, they could show off their youthful necks with smaller-sized chains and pendants. Older women may want to use longer-length pearl necklaces to draw attention away from their necks. They can also wear bigger pearls with wider, double- or triple-strand chains.

Pearl necklace sets

One of the best ways to buy matching jewelry is to get ones that come in a set. This way, you have a necklace, a pair of earrings and either a ring or bracelet that come in matching styles. However, if you prefer just the necklace, some jewelers will allow you to buy one off a set.

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

The Other kind of Jewelry - Metal Bangles, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings

Bangles, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earring are ornaments worn by women mainly on their arms, wrist, neck and ears. Men also wear it as fashion symbol. They are made of numerous precious as well as non-precious materials such as gold, silver, platinum, glass, wood, ferrous metals, plastic, etc. Gold made ornaments are usually high cost and silver produced are costly too. Glass based jewelry looks ordinary and plastic simply does not even sounds good. You still have 'Metal' made ornaments, a choice of jewelry that looks great and does not cost as much as gold, silver or platinum..

Metal Bangle, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings are widely acclaimed male and female ornaments. These products are often stubbed with precious and semi-precious stones such as diamonds, gems and pearls etc. Metal jewelry looks pleasant and buying it is not a costly affair. If you are looking for a change in jewelry fashion or tired of wearing gold or silver jewelry, Metal Jewelry is the best option available to go for.

Metal Bangles are usually circular in shape and not as flexible as metal bracelets. Metal bracelets can be used as Friendship Bracelets, Sports Bracelets and Charm Bracelets etc. It is a flexible article of jewelry. Solid form bracelets are referred to as bangles or bangle bracelets. Bracelets can be smooth, textured or set with stones. Earrings are often made of metal and are worn on the ear.

Beautiful Metal Bangles & Earring stands and Metal Necklace rack can be used to showcase your jewelry. Having a lot of jewelry can create a mess, there are plenty of display and organizing solutions available. These showcases are beautiful enough to be a decoration itself. A variety of single purpose or multi-purpose jewelry showcases can help you to hold your jewelry with utmost care.

You can visit a jewelry showroom in your area or jewelry online shopping store to buy Metal Bangles, Bracelets, Necklaces and Earrings from a website like www.treasurejewelry.com. Where ever you're buying from, Quality and Cost of the products are two important factors to consider before you buy. You can do the research on your own or visit the online store mentioned above for quality products & best services.

Source:http://www.treasurejewelry.com/article/metal_bangles.htm

Deepak Rajput is the author & co-creator of e-commerce websites and information products. His involvement in developing, marketing and other online businesses for himself and clients is noticiable since 2002. You can also check his blog for SEO & SEM related articles at -- http://www.semflicks.blogspot.com

How to Buy Pearls - Pearl Matching in Pearl Necklaces

You look at a white pearl necklace. The light makes it sparkle with subtle hints of pink. Every pearl matches perfectly from the smaller pearls near the clasp to the largest pearl in the middle. The pearl necklace is beautiful! How did it get that way? It starts at the Pearl Farm, continues at the Pearl Dealer. If you buy a Pearl Necklace, the work has been done for you. If you are a Jewelry Designer who makes pearl necklaces, you need to know how to do this. What we buy from Pearl Dealers is not well matched!

There are seven Pearl Value Factors to be considered when making a pearl jewelry purchase. Pearl Matching is one of these. Pearl Matching refers to how well all the pearls in the strand of pearls match, one to another. A well-matched pearl necklace takes into consideration all the other Pearl Value Factors. The Match refers to the remaining Value Factors: Size, Color, Luster, Surface, Shape and Nacre. As simple as a traditional white pearl necklace appears, the process of matching pearls is quite complex. And this process has not varied from the time it first began.

When visiting a Pearl Jewelry Factory, there is always a room with a wall of windows looking northward. Northern exposures provide the best light for viewing pearls. This provides bright, indirect light. Often the windows will be covered with shades or frosted glass. Diffuse bright light is best for examining pearls in order to get an accurate body color and overtone for each pearl. Pearls are examined by trained technicians. Computers cannot do this work. Every pearl necklace is been assembled by hand.

For the purposes of this article, assume that some of the pearl processing has already occurred. We are not starting at the oyster harvest. Pearls have already been sorted by their relative size. This means that they have been quickly sorted into like-sized groups. We can also assume that the Pearl Jewely Factory purchased pearls of similar quality from the pearl farm. But, just like buying a bushel of peaches from a Farmers' Market, the pearls must still be evaluated. They will not all be exactly the same size. Nor will they be exactly the same quality. They will not even be the same shape - some will be closer to perfectly round than others.

In our particular matching case, we are working with several strands of white pearls that are close to round. There are many decisions to be made about what pearls to include in our pearl necklace.

1. The pearls are laid out under a bright light against a neutral background. Use a daylight-accurate lightbulb if you don't have a natural light source. Spread pearls on a white or pale grey cloth or bead tray.

    

2. Throw out any pearls with cracked nacre that exposes the bead nucleus.

    

3. Look first for common body color and start grouping these together. Move the rejected pearls to another area.

    

4. From your common body color, identify a common overtone. This will be the haloed color in the center of the pearl. In white pearls, this is usually rosè, green or silver. Group the pearls by common overtone.

    

5. Start organizing the groups by size, especially if this will be a graduated pearl necklace.

    

6. As the pearl necklace begins to take shape, identify the pearls with the highest luster. Place these pearls near the center of the pearl necklace. These will catch the most light when worn -- don't hide them near the clasp!

    

7. Once you have a full pearl necklace length, look at the nacre, surface and shape of the pearls in your necklace. Identify any pearls that are too off-round or are too blemished. Do this by rotating each pearl and examining it in the light. Look for flaws but also for beauty. Swap pearls in and out of the final group and also swap positions within the pearl necklace. Sometimes the position of a single pearl within the necklace can improve the overall matching of a necklace. It often takes longer to lay out the pearls in a pearl necklace than it will to add knots to the necklace after matching.

I have watched skilled technicians match pearls; they make it look effortless. They are fast! Matching pearls takes practice, but it is a good skill to have.

Beth Schmitz, CEO Avant Pearl, GIA Pearls Graduate

A jewelry designer, businesswoman and self-proclaimed diva, Ms. Schmitz spent more than 20 years in business. Her creative side took control in 2001 when she chose to dedicate her life to the jewelry industry and the smart women like her who appreciate gorgeous baubles and have the means to pay for them.

Beth's online pearl jewelry boutique, AvantPearl.com, features high-end pearl jewelry from leading designers, limited-edition manufacturers and skilled craftsmen throughout the world. She holds a degree from Harvard University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.

How to Select Jewelry Beads For Making Your Own Bracelets And Necklaces

When looking for jewelry beads to make your own bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry, you have a myriad of choices. You don't want to end up with beads that worthless to you or the people that you are going to give them to or sell them to.

Choosing the right beads requires a lot of forethought. What kind of jewelry do you want to make? Do you want to make jewelry that is ultra modern? If so then you will probably want to go with beads made of different colored glass and plastic as well as some that are shiny in silver or gold colors. If you want to make higher quality jewelry stay away from the cheap plastic beads and go instead with glass or Lucite, they are much more durable and they retain their shine unlike the plastic ones which will become dull quickly.

If you are going for a more ethnic look then you will probably want to choose more earth tones and natural colors like blacks, browns, and tans. You can also mix in painted wood beads in basic colors like red, yellow and green to bring more attention to the piece. These also go well for making recreations of Native American jewelry, African American Jewelry, and beach jewelry in combination with shells and sharks teeth.

If you are buying your beads online make sure that they have a liberal return policy in the case of damaged beads. You don't want to have to pay for beads that are broken and unusable. Even if the offer to discount them that won't do, you never want to use inferior quality beads for any reason.

Most jewelry beads are sold in bulk lots so if you are doing this as a hobby you may want to get a friend to go in on them with you. It would take you a long time to use up the beads in the typical wholesale lot. Since you will probably be buying these through the internet or via mail, you probably won't have the opportunity to pre-inspect the beads, so again be sure to ask about the exchange policy. Will you be able to exchange the beads that are less than perfect no matter what the reason? Depending on how the beads are packaged and sold, and the policy of the business selling the jewelry wholesale beads, this may not be possible. If they refuse to offer an exchange policy that is acceptable to you look for another vendor.

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more about bead jewelry and jewelry making beads at http://www.beadsforjewelrymaking.com

Necklaces of the Renaissance Period

The Renaissance began in Italy during the 1300's, it spread to England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and other countries during the 1400's and ending in the early 1600's. This movement was considered a rebirth of the ancient works of art, literature, and philosophy. The Europeans studied these three endeavors of ancient Greece and Rome following the great scholars and artists, becoming themselves great in continuing and even advancing these areas. This movement reached a height in the 1400's and the early 1500's when achievements had become some of the greatest in history.

During the Renaissance jewelers achieved breakthroughs in shop tools, working areas, methods, and advanced techniques. Successful artists came from serving in strict apprenticeships or grew up working with family or close friends in the trade. Jewelry was in high demand during this period in history. In Florence, Italy there were over forty shops dedicated to producing the finest jewelry the world had yet ever seen. The style before the Renaissance was called Gothic which was thought to have expelled all of the possible works from it and had given in to the new more elaborate style.

During the end of the fifteenth century western Europe had become united in many ways and artists freely traveled about expanding their craft. During this time of international freedom, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Hungarian jewelers developed their style at an equal pace. This made it difficult sometimes to distinguish from which country the jewelry was made during the Renaissance period. Italy was considered one of the greatest at the time for many forms of art including jewelry. Throughout Europe, Italian jewelers were sought for their advanced techniques and amazing methods for extracting the finest detail.

The technique at the time was very disciplined and defined. The overall piece would often have a central theme with incredible detail and precision. The designs would be incredible stretches of the imagination, ships, galleons, mermaids, mermen, salamanders, sea horses, and cupids would be laced with beautiful diamonds and other precious gems. Brooches, pendants, and ropes were sculpted from onyx, silver, gold and laced with pearls, opals, and rubies. Necklaces were normally made to end part way around the neck with looped ends and linking done with threading applied to backings in some cases. A necklace with a pendant was called en suite. Portraits were carved with babies and angels, sculpted with such fine detail as to the point of miraculous. Irregular pearls called baroque would be set in a design that made their unusual shape flow and become a necessary part of the piece. Diamonds were often fashioned into triangular chips embellishing the piece with extraordinary beauty.

During this time gems were thought to contain special powers for the body, so these were designed into the piece to touch the skin. Salamanders were said to represent passionate love and cupids were often times given as gifts to enhance a special meeting. An interesting note, Queen Elizabeth enjoyed animal jewels and had various ones in her collection including greyhound, scorpion, turtledove, and dolphin.

Output of South German and Hungarian mines worked at a fevered pitch to meet the massive demand for gold in this period. The Hungarian mines also produced opals and precious stones which were also imported from the Oriental regions. Sea coral was used for carving which came from off the shores of Italy.

In the making of the pieces casting was performed, many times in two or more sections or portions. After casting, various pieces were put into different combinations bringing about different designs. Opaque white enameling would be done with care as to not completely cover all the metal. Carefully applying enamel to recessed areas with deep cuts or cells of metal then sanding the metal down to the level of the enamel was called champleve'. Adhesive used for precious gems was black wax. The wax was used if metal drawn over or embracing the precious stone detracted from the overall design of what the artist envisioned. There were a few methods used for making tiny sculptures. Some of these included wax modeling which was accomplished then careful casting of the tiny art piece then melting out the wax. Small sheet metal shaping and pressing was also done if the piece required it.

Rings were the most popular, then pendants, and then necklaces. Pendants were worn by men, women, and children. Men and children wore them around the neck. Women wore them around the neck or pinned or tied with ribbon on the dress or sleeve.

The jewelry of the Renaissance with all of its passion and romance continues on as talented artists embrace and study this great period. Keeping it still alive with their own masterpieces influenced by this era of artistic achievement.

To see some amazing jewelry visit: www.amazing-adventure.com/Jewelry/AlleJewelry.htm

Glenn Heitkoetter is a part time writer and runs the following websites: www.incredible-items.com and www.amazing-adventure.com