Jewellery
Pearls of Wisdom
Symbolic of love and marriage, there truly is something charming about a classic string of pearls. Often considered as a bride`s `something old` on the list of traditional wedding must-haves, pearls are usually a family heirloom, passed from one elegant generation to the next.
Next to the sparkle of a diamond is the lustre of a beaming pearl upon the graceful neck of a bride-to-be. Never dull and always gleaming, pearls seem to reflect the natural joy of the wedding day. It`s hard to imagine that the chemical and biological workings of a delicate oyster can yield such a precious prize as a natural pearl. This labour of love yields one of the world`s most beloved jewels and certainly one of the most timeless.
As a frail fragment of material attaches itself to an oyster shell, the delicate sea creature secretes layers of a protective substance called nacre, the layered formation of which over time creates a pearl. Man-made intervention, now more common due to environmental changes, creates what are referred to as cultured pearls. Grown to form many different shapes and sizes, this precarious process gives us the raw materials of jewellery genius.
Shape
The classic pearl as most of us know it is the spherical shape, although pearls of true spherical shape are rather rare and therefore more valuable. Other shapes of pearls include baroque (a little like a potato), oval (beautiful if strung end to end), button (round and flat), teardrop and rice (literally like rice crispies!). This variety of shapes can create beautiful pieces of jewellery that will not date but only grow in affection.
With diamonds, we consider the light reflections borne by its clarity. For pearls, we must look at its natural sheen and even surface for its lustre. The lustre of pearl is enhanced by the period of time it has been forming, its overall sheen and the consistency of its surface. Pearls are best viewed with your back to the light, as a really fine pearl will show your reflection perfectly.
Weight
For those of you on the hunt for the real deal, pearls increase in value and therefore price, according to their weight. Their weight is based on the layers of nacre formed over time and how many of these are evident. Pearls are measured in millimetres across the diameter of their surface and the most common size is 7mm.
Colour
The colour of your preferred pearl will vary from peach, lavender, pink, white or even black (usually dyed) and there are naturally many shades of all these colours so you will have plenty of choice when co-ordinating with your bridal attire.
Very fine pearls have a smooth and even surface, though many of high value will have natural rings or `pits` in the surface. These attributes only serve to enhance your pearl`s character and charm.
Once you have found the pearls for you, you will also look at necklace style and these too present some opulent options to adorn your neck on your wedding day. A classic Choker, usually around 14-16 inches long, or a Princess length of 16-20 inches, which work beautifully with pendants. Other lengths include a Matinee (20-26 inches long), an Opera (twice the length of a Choker) and a Rope (40 inches plus).
The delight of pearls is that regardless of style of wedding gown and its various intricate details, pearls compliment, not detract.
Natural or cultured pearls need cautious care to maintain their quality and appearance. Ideally, pearls should be wrapped in a soft cloth and stored away from other jewels to prevent abrasions of any kind.
The silk thread that binds the pearls together should ideally be replaced every couple of years to retain its durability. This is especially important if you plan to wear them regularly as a reminder of your special wedding day.
On the day of your wedding when dressing preparations are under way, place your pearls last, as it is often the case that perfumes and chemicals in makeup can stain pearls lightly. Not something to have to worry about on this of all days!
Certainly a jewel of distinction, pearls will add to your natural beauty on your wedding day and if they are your `something old; or `something borrowed`, they will hopefully be the first of many pearls of wisdom that come your way.
