Pearl-It your way

Pearls are considered to be classic type of jewellery for women mostly because they look elegant and simplistic. They have been in fashion since ages. In ancient Rome, pearls were considered the ultimate symbol of wealth and social standing. Pearl necklaces were so highly sought after that a law was developed: the wearing and ownership of pearls was restricted to the Elite only.

The Greeks used the Pearl in its association with love and marriage. In the Metropolitan museum of New York is a beautiful 2,300 year old Greek Pearl Necklace that has been on display for 100 years. Although the Lustre is gone from this piece it is still an outstanding piece of Ancient Pearl Jewellery.

Fair maidens of nobility cherished delicate Pearl Necklaces; gallant knights often wore pearls onto the battlefield. During the Dark Ages the belief was that the magic possessed by the lustrous gems would protect them from harm.    

During the Renaissance the courts of Europe were awash in pearls. Since pearls were so highly regarded, a number of European countries passed laws forbidding the wearing of pearls unless you were Nobility. In a painting from 1567, Elizabeth I of England was portrayed wearing a pearl-studded dress and very long. It is said that the sovereign's passion for these jewels was so great that the most precious of pearls were used on her pet stoat’s collar.

The Europeans expanded into the New World of North and Central America. This was the beginning of the discovery of Pearls in Central America. This added to the wealth of the European counties such as Spain, England and France. Unfortunately, greed for natural sea grown pearls resulted in the near extinction of virtually all the American pearl oysters by the 17th Century.

In 1916 Jacques Cartier bought his landmark store on New York’s famous Fifth Avenue by trading two pearl necklaces for the valuable property. This provides an idea of the value of the Natural Pearl in the early 1900’s.

Even today pearls are in fashion but in a trendy way!!

You can find a variety of designer pearl jewellery as well as accessories in a wide range of colours. While pearls have been traditionally white, cultured freshwater pearls are available in various colors and shapes which give the option of wearing pearls grouped in alternating colors. But whites are always in. Like any other fashion accessory, pearls can be dressed up or dressed down. Layer your pearls with other necklaces like Ann Hathaway in the Devil wears Prada for an eclectic haute couture look.

  You just have to think in an unconventional way to accessories yourself in pearls to become the talk of the town. Wrap a long sautoir of pearls around the neck to make a multi strand choker, weave them into the waistband of a pair of form fitting jeans or loop them around the wrist so they form a jeweled cuff. These styles will show off your pearls in a whole new light.

Mix up layers of two or three colored pearls together and team it up with your favorite pair of jeans and t-shirt or top.  The looks are endless but the appeal is universal and owning your very own pearl necklace is not as expensive as you think. The availability of cultured fresh water pearls has made pearls very affordable. Of course salt water pearls are more expensive but there are many creative and uniquely designed cultured fresh water pearl necklaces to choose from.