Throughout history, pearls have played a prominent role in arts and culture. Symbols of powerful concepts like rarity and purity, pearls are beloved by artists, writers, and other creators, who naturally find inspiration and meaning in their beauty. In our past blog posts, we've highlighted the various ways that pearls have made their way into the arts, including genres like music, fine art, literature, and cinema.
In this more comprehensive post, we'd like to take the opportunity to honor all the ways that pearls have influenced the arts over the years, even in fields like poetry, interior design, decorative arts, theatre, and architecture. Continue reading for a deep dive into a pearl's place in culture.
Music
Can you think of any memorable songs that feature "pearl" in their lyrics? In our blog post "Four Memorable Songs About Pearls", we highlighted four songs that include our favorite natural creation!
First up is Prince and the New Power Generation's song "Diamonds and Pearls", which is the upbeat title track to the 1991 album "Diamonds and Pearls". It was actually a top 10 hit! In the music video, Prince holds strands of intertwined pearls.
Next is Olivia Newton John's "Pearls on a Chain", which appears on the album "Grace and Gratitude". The album was sold exclusively by Walgreens, with profits benefiting various cancer charities, and the song communicates the idea that all human beings are interconnected.
Released in 2010, the song "Pearl" by Katy Perry ends with a positive and empowering message: "You are strong and you'll learn / That you can still go on / And you'll always be a pearl."
Finally, "The Pearl" by Emmylou Harris is from an album that won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 2001. The rich and symbolic lyrics of this song are hopeful and inspiring.
Art
With their interesting shapes and colors, along with their ability to reflect light in a beautiful manner, it's no surprise that pearls have made their way into many famous paintings throughout history.
The most well-known of these paintings is "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer, which was completed in 1665 and is currently on display at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague. The painting is so significant that it even inspired both a historical novel by Tracy Chevalier and a movie starring Scarlett Johansson!
Another well-known painting featuring pearls is "Helena Rubinstein in a red brocade Balenciaga gown", completed in 1957 by Graham Sutherland. This vibrant portrait features the well-known philanthropist in an amazing red brocade gown by designer Balenciaga and many layers of pearls around her neck.
Equally as stunning is José Tapiró's "A Tangerian Beauty", which is included in the collection of the Dahesh Museum of Art in New York City. In this painting from 1876, luminous strand of pearls are suspended around a woman's neck like dew drops from a chain of gold medallions.
Finally, the more contemporary painting "Sophia, Single Pearl" by Daniel Gerhartz features the artist's own daughter wearing a stunning pearl necklace.
Literature
Pearls have even inspired some of the world's greatest fiction writers! In our blog post "4 Classic Fiction Books with 'Pearl' in the Title", we wrote about some of our favorite pearl references in classic literature.
One of the most famous is "The Pearl" by legendary and award-winning American writer John Steinbeck. The story follows a pearl diver named Kino, and it explores heavy abstract concepts that are sure to get your brain going!
Inspired by the Vermeer paining we mentioned in the previous section, "Girl With a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier is a work of historical fiction published in 1999. In their review of the book, "The New York Times" described the novel as a "brainy novel whose passion is ideas".
"The Black Pearl" by Scott O'Dell is actually categorized as a young adult novel, but adults would enjoy the book equally as much. O'Dell's book tells the story of Ramon, who finds a black pearl so beautiful that his pearl-dealing father believes he's found the fabled Pearl of Heaven.
Finally, "Pearls Are a Nuisance" by famed detective fiction writer Raymond Chandler is actually a short story that's perfect for fans of the "whodunnit" genre.
Cinema
Did you know that pearl jewelry has also found its way into some of Hollywood's most enduring examples of cinema? Two of these movies are "The Great Gatsby" directed by Baz Luhrmann and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" featuring the great actress Audrey Hepburn.
In 2013, Warner Brothers released a new film adaptation of the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. If you're not familiar with the story, it's set in the 1920s, so the styling of the characters is representative of the time period: fringed flapper dresses, jewel-encrusted headbands, feathers, and of course - long pearl strands. Actress Carey Mulligan plays the lead female character Daisy, who wears pearl hand ornaments and a Savoy headpiece by Tiffany & Co.
In contrast, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is an American romantic comedy film that was released in 1961. Based on Truman Capote's novel of the same name, the film tells the story of Holly Golightly, a Manhattan socialite and party girl who finds a love interest in her apartment building. Holly Golightly is known for a very specific look: a sleeveless black dress, jeweled hair clip, and a multi-strand pearl necklace with a jeweled pendant. You may be surprised to know that the necklace from the movie has traveled the world as part of an exhibit called "Pearls: A Natural History" and continues to influence women's fashion today.
Poetry
In past blog content, we explored fiction books with "pearl" in their titles, but we failed to mention some other genres of literature that also honor the lustrous pearl. Poetry is one such genre. Full of vibrant imagery, playful language, and impactful ideas, poems sometimes use pearls to communicate specific emotions.
In a poem titled "Bustan", the Persian poet Saadi (1190-1291 A.D.) writes, "The sky brought the work with success to a close, /And a famed royal pearl from the rain-drop arose. /Because it was humble it excellence gained; /Patiently waiting till success was attained." In this poem from a book that's considered by some to be one of the 100 greatest books of all time, the pearl symbolizes patience and the virtues of waiting while consistently pursuing success.
The poet Dryden in the prologue to his poem "All for Love" writes, "Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow; /He who would search for pearls must dive below." In this poem, pearls represent worthwhile pursuits in life. Dryden is saying that the person who's willing to do the hard work and to take the extra step will reap the best and most valuable rewards.
Interior Design
As far back as the ancient Egyptians, human beings have been searching for unique, personal, and meaningful ways to decorate their homes. Approximately 100 years ago, the profession of interior design emerged and started to gain momentum, when wealthy homeowners began to appreciate the delicate balance of form and function in the home - and then sought out professional assistance in their efforts to achieve that balance.
How have pearls played a role in interior design? Well, mother-of-pearl is a natural luxury material that's often incorporated into surfaces, finishes, and details in high-end homes today. As you can see from this article from the publication The English Home, mother-of-pearl can add beautiful luster to walls, backsplashes, floors, and much more. Imagine a full accent wall covered in marquetry wall panels with mother-of-pearl or bathroom tiles with gleaming mother-of-pearl.
The paint color "pearl" is also an easy-to-use neutral that works harmoniously with many other colors. For example, it can work with white, rose gold, navy blue, gray, and more.
Decorative Arts
Throughout the years, pearls have also played a prominent role in the decorative arts, which is a type of art that's concerned with the creation of beautiful and valuable objects, often to be collected and displayed throughout the home. Ceramics, glassware, furniture, and textiles are all examples of decorative arts.
What are some of the most striking examples of pearls being used in decorative arts? The website 1st Dibs is a treasure trove of precious items, many of them featuring mother-of-pearl, or the iridescent inside lining of a mollusk shell.
This unique watch stand from 19th-century Spain is crafted in bronze with attractive mother-of-pearl details. You can't ignore the sculpted parrot keeping watch over the items! This striking box from 1960s India features eye-catching "pietra dura" hand work with red carnelian, blue lapis, green malachite, white mother-of-pearl, and other stones, all in white granite marble. What a lovely object to behold! Finally, this dish - also from India - is a handcrafted gem from the 16th-17th century made entirely from mother-of-pearl. Similar examples are at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and The Victoria and Albert Museum.
Architecture
Pearls on their own wouldn't make effective building materials, but they do still influence the field of architecture. You may be surprised to discover that a group of scientists is studying pearls with the idea that they may inspire the future of manufacturing durable, man-made materials. According to this article from NBC News, nacre "has long puzzled scientists because it is 3,000 times more break-resistant than the mineral that comprises its building blocks, aragonite". Upon close examination, nacre actually resembles a brick wall, with "organic mortar" and columns of crystals that interlock like zippers. Architects might be able to learn a thing or two from pearls!
In addition, a number of notable buildings throughout the world have been named after the pearl. For example, The Pearl in Silver Spring, MD is a multi-family and mixed-use project that was completed in 2017. According to the description, the multi-building development "delivers a unique living experience: a place for balance with room to grow and breathe that is connected to the urban context but rooted in the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape". Real pearls are also born from the time they spend in their natural landscapes!
We also love the concept behind the Pearl House in Montreal, Canada: it "can be viewed as a precious work of art, an innovative and protective shell containing a treasure: a family." Modern and sleek with cedar plank accents throughout, this 2,100-square-foot home allows for the passage of light and plenty of indoor-outdoor spaces where the family can gather.
Theater
Pearls have also been honored in live theater productions, most notably in plays by the one-and-only Bard - Shakespeare. There's even a book on the topic called "Shakespeare and Precious Stones"! According to this forum about Shakespeare and pearls, "In the poet's time pearls were not only worn as jewels, but were extensively used in embroidering rich garments and upholstery and for the adornment of harnesses." For this reason, they're often mentioned in relation to royalty and wealth.
In "Midsummer Night's Dream", one of the characters delivers the line, "She is a pearl / Whose price hath launch'd above a thousand ships". The dialogue suggests that a pearl is a precious and valuable object and that any woman compared to a pearl is one to be admired and treasured.
As you can plainly see, pearls have played a very prominent role in the arts throughout time and across many different cultures. Typically used as a device to represent concepts like wealth, rarity, beauty, and innocence, they're a universal symbol that transcends language and history. At Add-A-Pearl, we believe a pearl is a piece of art in itself, crafted by Mother Nature and made to last for future generations to enjoy it. If you'd like to give a beautiful piece of natural "art" to your loved one, start customizing a cultured pearl necklace by visiting this page.
Ho, ho, ho! With his red suit, white beard, round belly, and jolly demeanor, Santa Claus is one of the most recognized fictional characters in the world. Sometimes known as Kris Kringle or Father Christmas, this gift-giving fellow is beloved by children who leave him milk and cookies while awaiting his arrival and the accompanying reindeer hoofsteps on the roof. Throughout the year, kids are motivated to be on their best behavior because, when Christmas comes around, Santa will know if they've been naughty or nice - and then judge accordingly.
The holiday season is nearly upon us, and there's nothing we enjoy more than giving gifts, especially when they involve Add-A-Pearl cultured pearl necklaces! One thing we've learned over the years from customers and friends is that there's definitely more than one way to give a gift. If you're thinking about getting more creative with your gift-giving this year, then you'll want to keep reading for five unique ideas!
For many cultures worldwide, December really is "the most wonderful time of the year", no matter what holidays or traditions are being celebrated and observed. Whether they're connecting with friends and family members at festive gatherings or exchanging gifts, people from all parts of the globe engage in activities that feel special and memorable - from cheerful soirees with indulgent food to other meaningful moments like lighting a menorah or decorating a Christmas tree.
The milestone of a child's first birthday is an amazing occasion to celebrate the miracle of life and to honor the parents for making it through that often-challenging initial first year with sleepless nights. Most parents can't believe how quickly time flies and that their child is already one year old. Within that first year, the child makes so many amazing strides and achieves so many awe-inspiring milestones: they can smile, begin teething, play "peekaboo", clap their hands, and sit up on their own. We think it's all worth celebrating!
We love hearing from our customers about all the reasons they have for giving an Add-A-Pearl cultured pearl necklace to their loved ones. Their motivations are just as diverse and varied as the little girls who happily receive necklaces and continue to enjoy them as they grow into young women. In this blog post, we reveal our top five favorite reasons for giving Add-A-Pearl, so you can feel inspired to share the Add-A-Pearl tradition with a loved one and maybe even create a gift-giving reason that's unique to you and her.
A celebration of love and commitment, marriage is honored all over the world by many different cultures. When it comes to weddings, jewelry plays a very significant role in the traditions and customs surrounding this special ceremony, with a wedding ring acting as a universal symbol of love and unity.
As a company that believes in honoring life's most cherished moments, we think every anniversary is a milestone worth celebrating. But wedding anniversaries are particularly impressive, especially when a couple dedicates themselves to one another - in sickness and in health - for several decades. Reaching the 30th year of marriage, for example, is a significant achievement.
As lovers of jewelry, especially pearl jewelry, we take pride in caring for our favorite pieces, so they can last a lifetime and even be enjoyed by future generations. Having a safe place to store jewelry is essential for maintaining its original condition. For many people, jewelry storage methods are based on personal preference, but jewelry boxes have an undeniable charm, making them one of the most common ways to store treasured items.
Do you love giving gifts as much as you love receiving them? You’re not alone - we also love the pleasant feeling we get from this exchange. Gift giving is a two-way street that creates a bond between the giver and receiver. It produces a euphoric feeling of pleasure and joy, which makes gift giving - and receiving - so addicting! We've seen firsthand how giving an Add-A-Pearl cultured pearl necklace can positively impact someone's life.
Not only is summer a season devoted to leisure and good times spent with family and friends, but it's also an opportunity for sporting fashions that typically can't be worn at other times of the year - like bathing suits, shorts, tank tops, bright colors, sandals, and more.
The balmy and bright summer month of June is one of only two months (December is the other) with three birthstones: pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone. People with June birthdays can choose from multiple gems to celebrate their special day. At Add-A-Pearl, we're obviously partial to pearls, but we also enjoy learning about other birthstone alternatives and the origins behind their birthstone traditions.
The cinema box office has shown us that the spectacle of elaborate jewelry heists will always draw in excited audiences. Entire film subgenres and lucrative franchises have been dedicated to this type of crime-filled fantasy. Ocean’s Eight is a popular movie that falls under this category, with the thieves targeting a necklace worth more than $150 million. Lupin, a popular Netflix series set in Paris, is another example of a heist-related film that involves a jewelry heist at an auction in the Louvre.
At the top of every aristocrat’s head rests a piece of jewelry that symbolizes royalty, wealth and power. Wearing a crown or tiara is the ultimate sign of supreme excellence. These regal hair ornaments have been worn by noble women and men as far back as 2500 BC. Made with precious metals and clusters of garnets, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds, amethyst, aquamarine, rubies, and lustrous pearls, each headpiece proclaims its wearer’s sovereignty.
Celebrating our moms all year long is important, but one special holiday allows us to dedicate all our attention to our favorite mother figure, whether that's a biological mom, grandmother, pet mom, or anyone else who acts in a motherly way. Mother’s Day is celebrated far and wide across the globe, on different days and in different ways.
Spring is the perfect time to enjoy the pleasant weather and a refreshing drink, with or without alcohol. Elevate your drink service this season by experimenting with craveworthy new drink recipes and by adding some new pearl-inspired bar tools to your collection. The grass is green, and the flowers are blooming, and we couldn’t be more excited!
The Roman goddess of love and beauty, Venus was born in the sea, emerging from an oyster. She symbolizes concepts like femininity, prosperity, fertility, and victory. The Romans deemed her such an important figure in their culture and history that they even claimed her as their ancestress or the “Mother of Rome”.
When you’re spending more time than usual indoors, you may also want to bring some additional comfort and positive energy into your living space. Whether you realize it or not, your home and workspace affect your mood, day-to-day routine, and overall quality of life.
With Valentine's Day on horizon, we're thinking about our loved ones, of course, but we're also thinking about some of the unique ways that Valentine's Day has been celebrated throughout history. As a child, you may have passed homemade or drugstore-bought Valentines to your classmates and friends. These days, you may share cards and gifts with those closest to your heart. You may even receive gifts like chocolates or heart-shaped candy.
A question we often receive from customers is: "Now that I've purchased an Add-a-Pearl necklace for my daughter or granddaughter, what can I buy the boy in my life who also deserves a special gift that will last a lifetime?" There are actually plenty of examples of heirloom treasures that can be gifted to a son or grandson. Continue reading this blog post for some of our favorite ideas.
In January, many people feel hopeful about the year ahead, which they see as a blank slate. They imagine positive changes, better habits, new beginnings, and a brighter future. According to a survey from Discover Happy Habits, more than a quarter of respondents plan on setting a resolution for 2021. Some of the most common New Year's resolutions include losing weight, exercising more, eating a healthier diet, saving money, achieving a better work-life balance, getting organized, and quitting smoking. Do you typically set a New Year's resolution?
Decking a Christmas tree with garland, lights, and ornaments is a beloved holiday past-time for many families all over the world. Ornaments can be treasured heirlooms, and they often symbolize special moments and milestones, just like Add-A-Pearl custom pearl necklaces do. While some people adhere to a specific theme for their tree trimmings, others simply accumulate ornaments over the years. Either way, the decorated tree always looks magical and otherworldly.
Many people today associate pearl jewelry with power, and that idea all started with Cleopatra. In one legendary tale about the Egyptian queen, she dissolved one large pearl from a pair of her earrings in vinegar and drank the solution as a way of showing Mark Anthony her power and extravagant wealth. Even in modern-day times, pearls are associated with fierce female leadership, both in the courtroom and in politics.
With the holidays quickly approaching and many people still spending a lot of time at home, ovens are getting pre-heated! Home bakers all over the world are dreaming about the treats they'll be making for family and friends - and even for themselves.
Halloween in 2020 may look different than in years past, with some towns throughout the United States strongly discouraging and even banning door-to-door trick-or-treating activities. Halloween parties will likely be virtual, and bobbing for apples is definitely out of the question.
Do you miss traveling? Seven months after the federal government first declared a public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, life in many parts of the country is slowly starting to return to normal. However, many people are still staying home and trying to cope with their wanderlust. Just because you’re on the couch doesn’t mean you can’t scratch your travel itch! Check out the following resources and start exploring America from a unique point of view.
While an heirloom is a treasured item that has belonged to a family for multiple generations, a "future heirloom" is typically a special gift shared with the intention that it will be passed down to children and grandchildren. The best heirloom gifts are personal, meaningful, and timeless, so they're not driven by fads or trends. In addition, they're typically made from high-quality materials that can hold up to a controlled indoor environment and reasonable wear. Ideally, they'll also appreciate value over time.
Many people associate the summer season with music and for good reason - there's always a "song of the summer". You can probably recall the songs that played in the car while you enjoyed a summer road trip with friends or family, and you may think fondly about the best outdoor concerts you attended during the summer months. In these last few weeks of summer, we have music on our minds, and we're thinking about memorable songs that feature pearls in their lyrics. Can you think of any?
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many couples who had planned to tie the knot in 2020 are now postponing their weddings or scaling back on their original vision for their dream wedding ceremonies and receptions. However, some couples are still planning to get married this fall. According to the results of a recent survey by the wedding planning resource Hitched, 18% of couples will be sticking with their original wedding date if it's due to take place before the end of the year. They simply can't wait any longer to commit to forever!
If you've got a case of wanderlust, you've likely been pinning new travel destinations to your Pinterest Bucket List Travel board and binge-watching YouTube travel videos. Your adventurous spirit is more than ready to travel again! Unfortunately, now may still not be the best time for travel, and you may have put some of your 2020 travel plans on hold. But that's not going to stop you from dreaming!
Author Charles Bowden once wrote, "Summertime is always the best of what might be." Many people all over the world agree with his sentiment, taking advantage of summer as a time to indulge in warmth, relaxation, and joy. We're fascinated by all the ways that different cultures celebrate the summer season, and we'd like to share some of those festive traditions with you. Continue reading to learn more about summer celebrations from all over the world.
Classic literature and the timeless elegance of a cultured pearl necklace complement each other naturally. Powerful symbols and awe-inspiring objects, pearls have fueled creativity and commanded attention for centuries, so it's no surprise that they've been featured in many stories.
Summer is a great time to indulge in reading and to sink your teeth into a captivating novel, especially if you have the chance to sit on the beach or by a pool. In this blog post, we'll be sharing some classic novels featuring "pearl" in the title, so you can add them to your summer reading list and explore some exciting and new fictional worlds.
Enduring lockdowns, event cancellations, and other restrictions has been difficult for nearly everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few people realize just how profoundly the social upheaval has affected children and teens, who haven't been able to experience some of the traditional activities and moments that bring joy to their lives and shape their budding identities.
Did you know that the name Pearl first gained traction among expecting parents during the late Victorian Era? Toward the end of the 19th century, many parents started naming their girls after gemstones, including Pearl, Ruby, and Opal. To people who lived during that time period, pearl necklaces and pearl jewelry represented purity and were highly prized. Queen Victoria herself was a collector and lover of pearls. If you're interested in learning more about the fascinating significance of Victorian-Era jewelry, you should definitely check out our blog post about experiential jewelry.
Businesses and offices across the country are slowly reopening now that strict shelter-in-place guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic are being lifted, but many people are still working from home, either by choice or because their employers have not yet resumed normal operations. The work-from-home crowd has quickly adapted to this new lifestyle, setting up makeshift offices and creating boundaries between work life and personal life.
With nearly every person in the world somehow affected by the pandemic, both directly and indirectly, you have likely been impacted by COVID-19 in some way. You may be worried about your own health or the health of your loved ones. You may be feeling anxious about what the future holds. During this uncertain time, we may find some comfort in protective talismans, which can remind us, at the very least, to take care of ourselves and maintain a positive outlook.
Imagine having the opportunity to sit for a famous painter and get your portrait captured, so your likeness can live on a museum or gallery wall for decades and maybe even centuries to come. What would you wear for such an occasion? Would you select your most meaningful jewelry pieces, like a cultured pearl necklace?
In an effort to keep your style current, you may observe the latest fashion trends and track what today's hottest influencers are wearing. However, no matter how hip you are to the cutting-edge fashion news, you may still struggle with the eternal question: "When it comes to jewelry, how much should I wear at once?"
For many married women, a wedding dress is one of the most elaborate and intricate pieces of clothing they'll ever wear in their lives. Some unmarried women spend years dreaming about the wedding gown they'll one day wear, making mental notes about what they do and don't like. They make Pinterest boards and save pages out of magazines, imagining how they'll look at the altar on their big day.
Have you ever looked at a sentimental object like a baby blanket, school yearbook, or an old love letter and felt a wave of warmth wash over you? Thanks to research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in 2015, we know that the sentimental value of an object remains the same, even as its usefulness decreases.
In 2014, Marie Kondo published her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up in the United States and subsequently started a movement of people who became interested in organizing their surroundings and reducing clutter in their lives. Released in 2019, Kondo's Netflix series "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo" drew even more attention to her innovative yet straightforward KonMari method, which involves gathering your belongings, category by category, and then keeping only the items that "spark joy".
Cultured pearl necklaces are available in more varieties and silhouettes than most consumers realize. Not only do the pearls themselves come in different diameters and shapes, but the strands are also available in two major styles: graduated and uniform. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the differences between these two styles, so you can decide which one is right for you and plan your pearl purchase accordingly.
Throughout history, the circle has remained a symbolic shape that transcends geography, language, culture, and time. Many people believe that the circle represents concepts like eternity, femininity, wholeness, and the cycle of life. In addition, the sun and the moon, which have captured the devoted attention of scientists, astronauts, poets, astrologers, and many others, are both circles.
Our customers sometimes ask about the appraised value of their pearls, which we’re happy to provide. However, they don’t often realize that there’s more than one jewelry appraisal standard and that each standard applies to a specific situation.
One of the most unique things about the Add-A-Pearl necklace is that it’s "experiential", which means it celebrates a milestone and marks the beginning of a new tradition. From the moment you give this meaningful jewelry piece to your loved one, the personalized pearl necklace becomes inextricably linked to an important experience.
Giving pearls as a meaningful jewelry gift will definitely make a lasting impression on the person who receives them. Now imagine taking that gift to the next level by treating your loved one to a pearl-diving travel experience, where she can not only see how pearls are formed but also find and choose a cultured pearl to take home with her and have set in a piece of jewelry like a cultured pearl necklace, which she'll treasure forever.
If you watched the 91st annual Academy Awards in 2019, then you may have noticed that female actresses weren't the only ones flaunting bold jewelry looks on the red carpet. Men were also sporting eye-catching baubles and bling.
Now that the holidays are in full swing, you may be eyeing the most festive and dressy items of clothing in your closet - luxurious cashmere sweaters, sequined dresses, high-heeled boots, and velvet accents. At this time of year, most people like to seize the opportunity to put a little extra effort into their wardrobe. They also love dressing their young daughters in cute dresses with bows and young sons in adorable holiday sweaters.
Without a doubt, Hollywood and jewelry fit together like movie theaters and popcorn. "Silver screen" and "Golden Globes" are two movie industry terms that seem like they could be associated with jewelry, which also plays a major role in Red Carpet fashion. Watch any Hollywood award show these days, and you'll see the presenters fawning over starlets dripping with diamonds and other precious gems.
White isn't the only pearl color in cultured pearl necklaces and other pearl jewelry. In fact, pearls are available in many captiving colors, including white, black, pink, purple, blue, yellow, and others. Some colors are more common than others, but all of them possess the beautiful lustre that makes pearls so desirable.
Just like natural gas, iron, and coal, oysters are natural resources that are affected by shifts in the environment and climate. In the past, marine biologists feared that the greatest threat to oysters was over-harvesting. However, researchers and oyster farmers alike are realizing that climate change, disease, and pollution are threatening the world's oyster populations, which are used for both pearls and food.
This Thanksgiving, we're taking some time to think about gratitude and all the things that add joy to our lives - like family, friends, and especially pearls.
Natural and cultured pearls are special and precious because they both originate in nature. Pearl divers either find the pearls in the wild (a rare practice in this day and age, due to scarcity), or pearl farmers help the mollusks along with the process, caring for and nourishing them until the precious pearls within them are ready to be harvested.
One of the most exciting things about wearing pearl jewelry is knowing that pearls are sourced from some of the most exotic and remote places in the world. Even if you never get to visit those destinations yourself, you can still feel connected to them, knowing that your jewelry came from a far-off land with unique traditions probably very different from your own
If you've ever purchased a diamond for an engagement ring or other piece of meaningful jewelry, you may have heard of the Gemological Institute of America or GIA. Founded in 1931, the GIA is a nonprofit institute that's dedicated to education and research in gemology and jewelry arts.
Now that Halloween has come and gone, you’re likely either planning for the holidays or remaining in denial about the fact that you’ll soon need to buy gifts for each one of your family members.
If you're a self-proclaimed fashionista, then you likely look forward to checking out the runway shows, following the top fashion influencers, and reading what all the top fashion magazines have to say about up-and-coming trends.
A custom pearl necklace is definitely a unique piece of jewelry, but just because it’s unlike anything else in your jewelry box doesn’t mean you can’t mix and match it with your other jewelry pieces. Do you struggle with mixing different metals and gemstones?
Have you ever received a gift that was so beautifully wrapped you didn’t even want to open it? You likely paused for a moment to admire the stunning packaging before carefully removing it to reveal the gift inside. I
Did you know that pearls were given as gifts as early as 2300 BC? Found in the China’s Huai River, freshwater pearls were a preferred gift for Chinese royalty at that time. When you give the gift of pearl jewelry, whether it’s a single pearl necklace or other sentimental jewelry piece, you’re following in the footsteps of some of the most legendary figures in world history. Many cultures, including the Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indians, Greeks, and Europeans, have valued pearl jewelry before us.
A custom pearl necklace can be a meaningful jewelry gift for a daughter or other loved one. Her eyes will light up once she opens her thoughtful gift and begins to dream about all the different ways she'll be able to enjoy it throughout her life.
If you don’t follow current fashion trends, you may not have realized that pearl jewelry is a popular look right now. In fact, many celebrities and models are wearing pearls about town, to awards shows, and to social events. In this blog post, we share some of our favorite celebrity looks, which you can use as inspiration when you’re designing your custom pearl necklace.
Whether or not you personally believe that gemstones and other natural materials carry meaning, you should consider knowing about the common meanings associated with pearls if you plan to give them as a sentimental jewelry gift. Sharing the meaning of a pearl when you give pearl jewelry to a loved one can add an extra-special touch and help the recipient better connect with the gift.
Can you name some of the most famous gemstones in the world? The Hope Diamond, The Taylor-Burton Diamond, and The Cullinan Diamond probably come to mind. We’re left wondering: why should diamonds get all the attention? The truth is that famous, beloved pearls have also inspired awe throughout history. In this blog post, we discuss five of our favorite well-known pearls, some of which have been set in meaningful jewelry.
