Pearl Charms For June Birthstone Girls
If you’re lucky enough to be born in June your traditional birthstone is a pearl. What woman can resist a strand of soft, smooth, lustrous and velvety pearls? They are the classic jewelry accessory. Most women have some type of pearl jewelry in their jewelry box. Of course being a charm collector I love charms with a pearl or two set into them.
Virtually all pearls purchased now days are cultured pearls. Strands of pearls can be quite pricey and it’s a good idea to do your homework before buying. The Gemological Institute of America recommends you evaluate the following when shopping for pearls.
Size – Depends on the type of pearl. Akoya pearls are typically between 2-11 mm; Tahitians are 8-14 mm, South Sea pearls about 9-20mm, and freshwater pearls between 4-11 mm. All things being equal expect to pay more for larger pearls.
Shape – Practically perfect round white pearls are hard to find and are cost a lot. Collecting enough of the same size round pearls for a necklace strand can take years. Luckily pearls come in many shapes that are less expensive. Spherical – round or near round; symmetrical – they have equal halves if they were cut down the middle; and baroque – those pearls having no common shape. All of these make beautiful jewelry.
Color – White will always be the most popular, but there are lots of colored pearls. Basically start with the white end of the spectrum and go all the way to black. Some common colors are cream, grey, lavender, pink, and yellow. Keep your skin tone in mind when choosing a piece of jewelry that has more than a few pearls included.
Luster - This is the glow that sets pearls apart from other gems. The GIA considers this the most important factor when choosing pearls. The growing conditions affect the luster. You can typically gauge the luster by the reflection on a pearl. More luster = more reflection.
Nacre Quality – This is the thickness of the nacre that forms around the inclusion while the pearl is growing inside an oyster. The more nacre the better. Chalky dull pearls will have thin nacre and likely won’t last long. Absolutely make sure the nucleus is not visible through the nacre.
Surface Quality – Pearls are not uniform perfectly round orbs. Because they are grown inside an oyster they are made from layers of nacre that forms over time. There will almost always be some surface imperfections. Try to get pearls that are as close to blemish free as possible.
Matching – Why are mismatched pearls popular? You guessed it, because it’s almost impossible to find pearls that are the same size. Most strands have graduated sized pearls. The more similar sized pearls the more valuable the jewelry.
Every pearl in the world is slightly different, unless they are machine made fakes. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Choose pearls that look pretty on you and are good quality based on the checklist above and your pearl jewelry may turn out to be your favorite item in your jewelry collection.
Time To Go Shopping!
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Category: Birthstones
About the Author (Author Profile)
Wanda Fitzgerald is a Florida native and an vintage charm collector who loves to share her adventures in an e-commerce jewelry business with anyone who is interested.Subscribe
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