| My love affair with pearls began many years ago | | | | permanent placement and thought they would |
| when my husband bought a pair of gorgeous | | | | rarely see the light of day again. |
| pearl earrings for our fifth wedding anniversary. I | | | | Pearls are beautiful on their own, but when placed |
| had never worn pearls and never thought I would | | | | next to other types of jewelry, one quickly |
| enjoy owning any. My opinion of pearls at the | | | | realizes what makes them so unique. Pearls have |
| time was that they were a step down from the | | | | an understated beauty that I can only describe as |
| diamonds and gold that most of us are | | | | rich and deep. A diamond will reflect light and |
| accustomed to, and I likened them to gaudy | | | | occasionally, the colors surrounding the room. |
| costume jewelry baubles or southwestern | | | | Gold's beauty is almost lost once it's polished, as |
| turquoise jewelry that I still wouldn't be caught | | | | the inflections of what makes it gold disappear |
| dead in. | | | | into a shiny haze. Pearls, on the other hand, have |
| That all changed with my first pearls, and ever | | | | beauty from within. There is a depth to the |
| since, I've been a pearl devotee. At that time, I | | | | reflection of a pearl, and an iridescence that sets |
| had already amassed a fairly nice collection of | | | | pearls apart from everything else. |
| yellow and white gold jewelry, from rings and | | | | Since then, I've made it a point to ask for and |
| necklaces to bracelets and earrings. I had diamond | | | | purchase pearl jewelry, and I find that wearing |
| earrings and rings, ruby pendants, emerald rings | | | | pearls imparts an intelligence to my wardrobe that |
| and quite a bit of silver jewelry as well. I | | | | simply wasn't there before. I prefer the |
| remember wearing the pearls on the night they | | | | understated beauty of pearls to the other options |
| were given, and the next day made a place for | | | | at my disposal. Best of all, pearls can go with |
| them within my jewelry collection. In the back of | | | | almost anything, and when I'm getting dressed, |
| my mind, I had already designated them for | | | | they almost always do. |