Often we stand mesmerized in front of the showcase of a jewelry shop gazing at the most exquisite piece of jewelry. A pearl necklace can catch our fascination at any time and we need not go to Tiffany’s to check out the latest collection. Pearls are unique in their own way and if you want to surprise your lady with something majestic you can opt for a pearl necklace or pearl earings.

Many of us wonder about the origin of the pearls. Pearls are round and hard objects produced by oysters. It is a gemstone which is valued highly by any jeweler. Pearl culture is an important occupation for many jewelers. Mostly the pearls are found inside a bivalve mollusk. All those pearls which are artificially cultivated are done by using a nucleus or a core inside the pearl oysters. These are known as cultured pearls. It was in the year 1896 when Japan first introduced this method of artificial pearl culture. The Japanese pearls which were cultured were known as akoya pearls. They are also popularly known as cultured saltwater pearls.

Pearl mussels are mostly used to form the freshwater pearls. It was in the year 1914 when the first farming of such pearls was done in Lake Biwa. Since that moment, any type of freshwater pearls has become known as biwa pearls. All those pearls which are not round and do not have any specific shape are known as baroque pearls. You can see the fine luster in the freshwater pearls if you find the seven colors of the rainbow in the pearl. Mostly the pearls are white but often they are found with a tinge of other colors like black, yellow, pink, blue, lavender, peach, green or blue. Black pearls are the most expensive and they are considered among the rarest and the most precious gems.

If you are one of those people who simply scratch their head when it comes to gifts, then you should not think twice before opting for pearl jewelry. You have a number of precious items like earrings, eardrops, necklaces, bracelets, rings and even armlets and pendants to choose from. Pearl necklaces help to make an elegant statement. They define the aura of women and make them the center of attraction. This classic piece has a quality of timelessness about it which simply redefines the glamour quotient. Sophistication matches in perfection with elegance and brings out the eternal beauty of the woman.

What too look for when buying pearl jewelry.

If you wish a good deal on your pearls and want to be sure that you are buying quality pearls, you need to keep the following things in mind:

Quality: A good quality pearl will have majority of its surface completely smooth with no pits, cracks or dull spots. Most pearls have certain surface imperfections and the amount of these imperfections is one of the most important factors in determining their value.

Shine and Iridescence: The best quality pearls reflect light so strongly that they almost look metallic. This is referred to as “luster”. Another characteristic of pearl that will add to its beauty and value are the shining pearly colors that are present. This is called its “orientation”.

Size: Size is next in the priority of importance of factors determining the value of a pearl. Pearls range in size generally from about 2 mm to 20 mm. Pearls above 8 mm are considered large. A pearl over 8 mm wide is exponentially more valuable than a pearl of 5 mm of similar quality because of the additional years and resources that are required for their cultivation. Large sized pearls are usually witnessed in single strands used for pearl necklaces or pearl bracelets, while multi-strand pearl necklaces and pearl bracelets generally make use of smaller sizes.

Shape: Pearls come in a variety of shapes. The most valuable shapes are round and near round. Perfectly round pearls are rare to find and are thus the most expensive. The more freeform shapes are usually the least valuable, however can make interesting pearl jewelry when used creatively in a design.

Type: Pearls are classified according to their origins. There are 3 basic types of pearls: cultured saltwater pearls, cultured freshwater pearls and natural pearls. Natural pearls are so rare, that even most jewelers never see one. Freshwater pearls come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but are generally less expensive than saltwater pearls. Cultured Saltwater pearls are the most commonly used in fine jewelry. They are categorized further according to origin: South Sea and Tahitian pearls are the largest and most valuable, whereas Akoya pearls are the more common medium sized pearls.

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Jewelry has been used for varied aims in different countries. Jewelry has served as body decorations and amulets. It has been the object of jealousy, the cause of countless assassinations, burglaries and betrayal. It has been passed down from one generation to another as a family relic.

The oldest jewelry originate from India. In our time a lot of people make a substantial profit by selling exotic handmade jewelry.

We have prepared a number of advices on how and where to buy jewelry.

• The first thing you should keep in mind is the source of the jewelry. Bargains are at hand. But always remember that you get what you pay for. If you are a person that shops online, the best choice for you would be a web store that specializes in fine jewelry. You should also look for a return policy in case the jewelry is not what you expected it to be or has a defect.
• When you choose metal jewelry, consider markings. Different markings are placed on different pieces. For instance, if a piece of jewelry is marked as silver or sterling silver, it indicates that it contains at least 92,5% of pure silver. If it is labeled with “925″, it denotes that it is made of pure silver. The markings “Plat” and “Pt” stand for Platinum – a metal which is a lot more precious and expensive than gold.
• If you wish to purchase a gemstone, ask a sales person whether it is natural or man-made. Lab-created gemstones look very similar to natural ones. The main unit of weight for jewels is carat. 1 carat equals to 200 milligrams.
• Insure that you have a receipt with the weight and size of a jewel indicated.
• If you want to purchase jewelry for somebody else, be sure you are well-informed. You must know what your recipient’s ring size, neck size, wrist size or ankle size is, depending on the type of jewelry you want to purchase. You should do this in order to avoid any later unpleasant situations, like miss fits. You should also choose something that bears a special meaning or has some kind of special energy.

Now when you have got a piece of jewelry, keep and store it properly to avoid any damage.

• It is a must to keep pieces of jewelry separately, since rubbing against each other may damage jewelry. Store your jewels in a jewelry box. Or use an organizer box or ice cube trays which are a lot cheaper. Ziploc plastic bags with anti-tarnish strips inside are appropriate to store jewels in. Note that earrings should always be kept together.
• Necklaces and necklets are strongly recommended to hang up.
• Threads of beads should lay flat.
• Jewelry should be kept far away from excessive heat. Store it at room temperature. Direct sunrays can also cause damage. If you live in a very dry climatic region, store opals near a small container of water, since they demand humidity.
• It is recommended to clean jewelry with a wet cotton cloth each time after use.

Observe the above mentioned recommendations on buying and storing jewels and enjoy wearing them for a long time.

Non-piercing body jewelry is jewelry which looks exactly like piercing body jewelry, but does not actually make any type of hole in the skin. Typically they adhere by clips, or, in some case, even with the aid of special magnets. Body piercing is a recent trend with the new generation. But wearing body-piercing jewelry is often accompanied by a series of allergies and infections, if not taken care of properly. Such infections can leave you with life long scars or complications. For example, nipple piercing can cause nursing problems, as there are many milk ducts in an average nipple. So, in these types of situations, wearing non-piercing body jewelry is the best alternative.

Non-piercing body jewelry is similar to the piercing body jewelry, with the only exception that they do not require a person to get his or her body pierced to wear this type of jewelry. In non-piercing jewelry, magnets are used to hold the jewelry in place. This type of jewelry squeezes the body to hold itself in place. Non-piercing jewelry is available in a variety of metals – from gold, silver, platinum, and titanium to non-expensive metals like plastic, glass, and ivory.

Non-piercing body jewelry is the perfect accessory for those who want to be seen as heavily pierced but in fact are not. The various examples of non-piercing body jewelry are nipple shields, nipple chains, belly clips, handcuff jewelry, earrings, etc. With non-piercing body jewelry, you can experience all the pleasure that you want to enjoy by wearing body jewelry with none of the pain of wearing the piercing jewelry. Read the rest of this entry »