Pearl jewelry is so versatile

Pearl jewelry is so versatile it can be suitable for almost any occasion. For the office you can wear a simple chain with a pearl pendant. If you are attending a formal business banquet, you can wear a stylish bright black or gold pearl strand. A strand of multicolor pearls connected by sterling silver will compliment a pair of casual jeans. When visiting friends or eating out, a necklace of pearl with multiple stones, such as crystals, beads, or even corals is appropriate.

Almost anywhere in the world, when you step into a pearl necklace jewelry shop or open a jewelry magazine, there will always be some pearls to catch your eyes. Whether they are on a strand or combined with another type of jewelry.

Then the new age began sometime in the late 60's or early 70's. China burst onto the pearl market with literally tons of pearls, mostly the small wrinkled keshi pearls with the non-glamorous nickname of rice krispies or potato pearls named for their shape. However not all the pearls were inferior, 2 % of those tons were higher grades. Soon realizing that the better grades were the pace to put their energies, pearl farmers began to emulate the techniques of the now extinct pearl center of Lake Biwa, Japan.

Using similar techniques as the Japanese freshwater pearl farmers, they soon began culturing of the higher grades, shifting their attitudes about pearl farming; they oriented their production to quality and away from quantity. Now China is still improving the quality of freshwater pearls and their quality is rivaling the saltwater culturing of the akoya oyster. Undoubtedly, with costs steadily increasing in Japan, if the quality continues to advance, China will lead the world in high grade pearl culture.MORE:black tahitian pearl earring