| The elegant beauty of a strand of pearls has | | | | Nacre: Most buyers of pearl jewelry pay most |
| fascinated brides for centuries. People believe that | | | | attention to the pearls' nacre thickness. Nacre is |
| wearing pearls on their wedding day will bring bliss | | | | the coating that a pearl oyster produces to cover |
| to their marriage. | | | | the pearl's nucleus; it is the key to how long pearls |
| Pearls are classic wedding jewelry. How do you | | | | last. You should look for pearls with nacre |
| choose that perfect pearl necklace? | | | | thickness over 0.4mm. |
| Here are some tips: | | | | Luster and Surface: Luster is the amount of light |
| There are four types of pearls:Akoya pearls, | | | | reflected from the pearl's surface. A strand of |
| Tahitian pearls, SouthSea pearls, and freshwater | | | | pearls with high luster, mirror finish and clean |
| pearls. Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea pearls grow | | | | surfaces is most desirable and valuable. |
| in oceans. They are more valuable than | | | | Color: It is a personal choice. Consider buying a |
| freshwater pearls for their rarity and high luster. | | | | pearl necklace whose color will complement your |
| Akoya pearls are the most popular. These pearls | | | | clothing and your skin tone. |
| are valued for their rich color, mirror-like finish,and | | | | Size: The price of pearls that are larger than 7mm |
| appealing roundness. | | | | varies greatly. People usually buy the largest |
| As with any other gemstones, the value of pearls | | | | pearls they can afford. |
| is determined by their quality. | | | | Shape: Round pearls are most desirable and |
| A pearl's quality can be A, AA, AA+, AAA, | | | | valuable. |
| AAA+. The last two, AAA and AAA+ pearls, | | | | Matching: For a pearl necklace or bracelet, |
| have the best quality and they are most valuable. | | | | matching refers to the ways in which all of the |
| For pearls of the same size, an 'A' quality pearl | | | | pearls are similar. It is difficult to find enough |
| necklace costs only a small fraction of AAA | | | | identical pearls to make a well-matched pearl |
| quality pearl necklace. | | | | necklace; therefore such a necklace commands a |
| The quality and value of pearls are based upon six | | | | top price. |
| criteria: luster, nacre, surface, color, shape, size | | | | After you have decided the type, color, size and |
| and matching. The educated buyer uses his or her | | | | quality of pearls that you want, think about your |
| preferences to decide which criteria are most | | | | budget. Take your time to shop around and find |
| important. | | | | that perfect pearl necklace for your wedding day! |