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Welcome to JewelryDecade.com
Jewelry (also spelled Jewellery) is a personal ornament, such as a necklace, ring, or bracelet, made from gemstones, precious metals or other substances.
The word jewellery is derived from the word jewel, which was anglicised from the Old French "jouel" around the 13th century. Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning plaything. Jewellery is one of the oldest forms of body adornment; recently found 100,000 year-old beads made from Nassarius shells are thought to be the oldest known jewellery.
Pearl Jewelry
By : Fashion Jewelry
The magnificent luster and delicate translucence of the layers of a pearl imparts an exquisite charm to it. It has therefore been valued as a precious gemstone since ages. The value of the pearl in jewelry is determined by a combination of all the attributes i.e. the luster, color, size, lack of surface flaw and symmetry. |
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Among those attributes, the most important factor of pearl quality according to jewelers is luster. If however for the pearls under consideration, all the factors are equal, the larger the pearl the more valuable it is. The most precious pearls are the large, perfectly round pearls. They are rare and are therefore highly valued. Usually the shape of a pearl decides as to which jewellery item it is suited for. Teardrop-shaped pearls are used in pendants and earrings. Irregular shaped pearls are often used in necklaces. The variety of designs in pearl jewelry is innumerable.
Pearls are found in eight basic shapes: round, semi-round, button, drop, pear, oval, baroque, and ringed. Perfectly round pearls are the rarest and most expensive, and are generally used in necklaces, or strings of pearls. Semi-rounds are also used in necklaces or in pieces where the shape of the pearl can be disguised to look like it is a perfectly round pearl. |
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Button pearls are like a slightly flattened round pearl and can also make a necklace, but are more often used in single pendants or earrings where the rear half of the pearl is covered, making it look like a larger, round pearl. Drop and pear shaped pearls are sometimes referred to as teardrop pearls and are most often used in earrings, pendants, or as a center pearl in a necklace. Baroque pearls have irregular shapes and this is what makes them unique and interesting. The appeal of baroque pearls lies in the fact that they do not have standard shapes. Generally they are used to make necklaces. Ringed pearls are characterized by concentric ridges, or rings, around the body of the pearl. All varieties of pearls have their own charm and can be put to several imaginative uses while making jewelry.
Generally speaking, natural pearls are much more valuable than cultured pearls because of their rarity. Imitation pearls are the least expensive. To check whether a pearl is natural or cultured we have to perform an X- ray on the pearl. Cultured pearls will show a perfectly rounded core whereas naturals will have an irregular core. This is because when a pearl is to be cultured the farmers insert the grit, (usually a polished piece of mussel shell); it is always perfectly round, so as to produce a more expensive, perfectly round pearl. If the centre is not perfectly round, the jeweler can recognize that it is genuine, and will rate it at a higher value. Jewelers can easily identify imitation pearls. Some imitation pearls are simply made of mother-of-pearl, coral or conch, while others are made from glass and are coated with a solution containing fish scales called essence d'Orient. Imitation pearls may look good initially but they do not have the same weight or smoothness as real pearls, and will lose their luster with the passage of time.
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Pearl Jewelry For Everyone
By Victor Epand
Jewelry enhances beauty, and converts the ordinary looking into glamor dolls. Pearl jewelry stands out as no other gemstone as it enhances skin tone and accentuates femininity. Who was the first person to discover this perfectly round and lustrous gem? It dates back to thousands and thousands of years ago.
Pearls were the first stones that were valued and appreciated by people and are still considered as the most elegant stones that require no cutting and polishing. The gem's beauty is outstanding from the moment it is removed from the shell. Ancient civilizations of India and China appreciated and accepted pearls widely. China's history discusses the value of pearls thousands of years ago and also mentions that Shu King received a gift of pearls around 2300 B.C.
Egypt, the land of beauty, used pearls for decoration and Romans adorned pearls, while the women used it to upholster the sofas or add enhance to their gowns. Pearls are also mentioned in Bible and Koran. Everyone knows that women find pearls irresistible and love to wear pearl jewelry. Women find it suitable to adorn for every cultural festival.
Some people feel and think that pearl jewelry is not for men or kids, but that's wrong. Nowadays many fashion houses design various styles for men, which they can wear daily like pearl bracelets or rings. Furthermore, the French have gone ahead and designed pearl jewelry for kids. A number of French women get their ears pierced and wear pearl earrings.
There is wide range of pearl jewelry to suit every woman's taste. The whole family can adorn pearl jewelry, thus enhancing their style. Pearl is also considered as a symbol of purity and God's gift and, in times gone by, it was considered as the most prized possession one could own. Pearl farmers yield cultured pearls through an extensive and grueling process. This process begins by gathering oysters, sometimes starting from formative years, all the way through raising oysters. Farmers also have to protect the oysters and keep them safe from predators and disease.
Their basic choice begins by selecting perfect oysters for yielding the best-cultured pearls and then surgically implanting the center of the pearl in the oyster thus allowing the cultured pearl to grow. This process takes a time phase that can extend in years to yield the perfect pearl. Only some of the oysters, those are grown to produce cultured pearls, provide pearls that are of sufficient quality to make jewelry.
Nowadays, all pearls that are sold in the market are cultured pearls. Many people don't know the difference between cultured pearls and pearls produced from saltwater oysters. Conversely, the process to make freshwater pearls is the same as the one adopted for cultured pearls.
Pearl jewelry goes along with everything, from tweeds to plaids from jeans to skirts and beyond. Still not sure, as to what you want? Go ahead and choose some classic pieces for yourselves or to give as gifts. Guys love to gift pearl jewelry to their wives or girlfriends, as it is a safest bet, especially jewelry made from black pearls. So if you want something memorable and inexpensive, then think of a beautiful pearl ring or magnetic-clasp pearl necklace.
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Pearl Jewelry Make Headlines as Famous Strands Go On Auction
By sarahbaltic
Pearl jewelry has shot to the top of the news recently, as Calvin Klein and his ex-wife decided to sell three pieces of famous natural-pearl and diamond jewelry. These lovely pieces, one which is a 14-inch necklace with 28 natural pearls, once was owned by the Dutchess of Windsor.
The pieces will be sold by auction at Sotheby's in New York in December 2007. Estimates of the collection's worth goes as high as $3.1 million. Klein originally paid $733,000 for the pieces at a Sotheby sale in 1987.
The pearls in this Windsor collection are from 16.8 to 9.2 mm in size and are completed by an oval clasp set with two emerald cut diamonds with a weight of 2 carats. There also are fancy shaped diamonds weighing 1 carat, which is bordered by 20 small round diamonds weighing .70 carat.
Other Klein pearl jewelry offerings at the upcoming auction will include a pearl and diamond pendant by Cartier and a pair of pearl earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels.
As can be seen with the estimated value of the Windsor pearls, natural pearls have appreciated significantly in value in the last 20 years. In April, the two-strand Indian ``Baroda'' pearl necklace brought $7.1 million at Christie's International New York. This set a world record for natural pearl jewelry.
The premium prices and great fame of these particular pearl jewelry pieces highlight the high place pearl jewelry has in our consciousness. There are many outstanding places to purchase pearl jewelry. Some of the most famous types of pearls include Tahitian pearls and freshwater pearls.
Tahitian cultured pearls are a dramatic black color that comes from the black lips of the oyster. They are normally referred to as black pearls. However, the color of Tahitian pearls can range from graphite to beautiful metallic silver. The beauty and high value of natural pearls makes it assured that a famous collection of these prized jewels will make headlines again soon! |
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