Necklace Station

Every woman should own a pearl necklace.  In fact, every woman should own several pearl necklaces.  Pearl necklaces come in a wide variety of styles so there is one for every woman and every occasion.  Today, pearls are also available in many colors and pink pearls have become one of the most popular choices for jewelry.  But which type of pink pearl necklace should you choose?

A pearl necklace is described by the length and by the size of the pearls.  Over the years, various standard lengths have been named and they are traditionally worn in different contexts.  Broadly, pearl necklaces can be divided into short, medium and long lengths.

Short pearl necklaces are very popular as they are affordable and can be worn with both casual and formal outfits.  The two types of short necklace or the collar and the choker both of which fit snugly around the neck.  Collars can be as short as 10 inches while chokers are usually between 14 and 16 inches.

Medium length pearl necklaces are the princess style, usually between 17 iand 19 inches long, and the matinee style, usually from 20 to 24 inches long.  These necklaces will hang from below the neck to above the breasts.  These lengths go well in formal situations and can be worn with business wear but they can also work with some casual outfits.

The long length pearl necklaces are most often worn in formal contexts and are traditionally worn as evening wear.  They are the opera style and the pearl rope.  The opera will range from 25 to 34 inches and the rope is any pearl necklace over 45 inches long.  Both styles can be doubled over to create shorter multi-strand necklaces.

Pearl necklaces are also graded by the size of the pearls relative to each other.  The most common style is referred to as uniform and this is a string of pearls of the same size.  There is also a graduated style where the pearls on the string get larger towards the center so that when the necklace is worn the largest pearl is hanging down at the front of the necklace.

Necklaces are also measured by the size, quality and color of the pearls.  As with all with jewelry, the bigger, better and more unique the pearls, the more the necklace will cost.  However, as farmed pearls have made pearl jewelry more affordable, there is no reason why a woman should not have a selection of pearl necklaces for different occasions in her jewelry box.  For more information on essential pearl necklaces and pink pearls visit Think Pink Pearls, the pink pearl site.

A pearl necklace should never be bought casually since there are too many financial risks.  The best way to reduce the risk of buying necklace is to familiarize yourself with the specific necklace you want to buy.  If there are gems that make up all or a portion of the necklace, you need to know the cut, clarity, color, brilliance, and weight. Learning about these factors and spending time shopping and researching will help you get what you want at a fair price.

Make an effort to learn as much as you can about the necklace you want to buy.  Examine necklaces owned by your family and friends.  You may also want to ask a friend to accompany you when comparing necklaces at different jewelry stores, mall, or gallerias.  A second set of trusted eyes is always a good thing.  Moreover, it gives you an edge when you and a friend (or family member) are speaking with a salesperson as opposed to just you alone.

There are a few simple questions you want to ask yourself before you begin shopping for your necklace.  First, what is your desired style?  Second, what size and weight are you looking for?  Finding the right size and weight is not as easy as it sounds.  For instance, a gold necklace may weigh more than a silver necklace.  If the necklace has pearls or diamonds, it will weight even more.  Of course the size of the necklace depends upon how you want to fit around your neck.  These are all factors to consider when thinking about size and weight.  Third, does the necklace match your personality?  Finally, is the necklace within your budget?

Once you have found the pearl necklace you want to buy, there are four basic rules you need to follow before making the purchase.  First, make sure the necklace is clean.  If you are working with a jeweler, ask them to clean the necklace for you.  If the jeweler protests, I would think about taking your business elsewhere.

Second, place the necklace under proper lighting. Many jewelers use multiple incandescent or fluorescent spotlights, usually recessed or on a track lighting system.  The purpose it to make the necklace and the gems look super brilliant.  However, once you bring the necklace to a typical place with normal lighting, it will not have the same brilliance.  Simply take the necklace away from the display glass and look at it in normal light.