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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Buying Quality Pearl Earrings Correctly

By Andre Peter


Pearls have had a long history as precious gemstones - as gifts for ancient royals or prized possessions sought-after by anxious criminals - from China, to Europe, to the Americas. Learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion is a skill you can benefit from if you want accessories that flatter your best features.

Pearls are naturally created when foreign particles enter oyster shells. The oysters produce a calcium-type substance around the foreigner and this substance coats the particle in thin concentric layers, creating a pearl. Naturally formed pears are rarely symmetrical or well shaped enough to be used as jewelry. As such, pearls are generally cultured and grown so that their shape and size can be regulated.

Before you go about learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion, it is imperative that you learn how to spot quality pearl drop earrings. Judging a pearl requires consideration of a few factors - color, overtones, size, luster, shape and surface quality.

The color of a pearl can range from white, cream, silver, blue, pink, gold and black. Choose a color to suit your skin tone and the occasions you may be wearing your pearl drop earrings to. Luster refers to the reflective quality of a pearl and the more luster a pearl has the more valuable it is. Surface quality is also an important consideration; the less imperfections like bumps there are on a pearl, the more highly prized it is.

Remember that pearls are delicate because of the material they are made from. They tend to be softer than other jewels and therefore more prone to cracks and scratches. Try cleaning your pearls with a soft, damp cloth and you can also wash them on occasion with some water and soap. To further protect your pearl drop earrings, wear them after you've worn your makeup, perfume or even moisturizer.

Accessories like pearl earrings are designed to draw attention to your face. Carefully choosing the right pearl earrings for the right occasion is important if you want to flatter your face and enhance your features.

Pearl earrings can have more than just pearls in their design. In fact, the more desired styles combine pearls with other precious and semi-precious stones. Choosing the right pearl earrings for the right occasion takes time, effort and a good eye.

Before you begin choosing a pearl earring design, first determine the shape of your own face: stand in front of a mirror and pull your hair away from your face then trace the outline of your face onto the mirror. The various face shapes include oval, round, square, oblong, diamond and heart-shaped.

Here are several rules-of-thumb to remember when learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion. Oval faces are the most versatile and can take almost any style of earrings. Pearl drop earrings work best with round faces while heart-shaped faces need earrings that are wider at the bottom. A square face is flattered by medium to long earrings and small pearl drop earrings look best on diamond-shaped faces. If you keep these guidelines in mind, you'll find it easy to learn how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion.

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