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Insider’s Guide To Choosing The Right Pearl Type For You
In the past few years, we have seen many new fashion trends appear on runway shows, red carpets and design studios. One trend that seems to have evolved from its classic design are the pearls. They have become one of the most popular trends this year as they emerged in different shapes, forms and colours. From baroque pearl earrings to pearl chains, celebrities and style icons have embraced this trend and styled their everyday looks with them. In general, pearls represent femininity, sophistication and elegance. However, as the fashion styles change, pearls are no longer the vital accessory only to formal wear. Instead, they are chic and add elegance even to the most casual look of denim jeans and a plain t-shirt.
However, one very important question remains. How much do you really know about your pearls? And how do you style each type with your outfit? Because of the uniqueness of each pearl type, it is sometimes difficult to choose the best one for you. If you haven’t found the right fit yet, in this article we are giving you an insider’s guide to help you choose the perfect pearl type for you to match any outfit.
Main pearl types
Pearls can be natural or cultured. Natural pearls are formed accidentally in oysters or mollusks and are very rare to find. They can be found in the Persian Gulf and because of their rarity, they can be expensive to buy. On the other hand, cultured pearls are humanly formed by introducing an irritant that is embedded into the creature. Pearls are found in saltwater and in freshwater, diving the pearl into two additional categories.
Saltwater pearls
The most common type of pearls are the Saltwater pearls. They are formed in oysters and are found in the oceans, gulfs and bays of Australia, Tahiti, Indonesia and Thailand. Due to their perfect spheres and variety of colours, they are of high quality and more expensive to buy than other types such as freshwater pearls. The most popular type of saltwater pearls are the Akoya. These pearls were introduced by Mikimoto and many consider them as the perfect set of pearls. They are extremely gorgeous and can be found in white, grey or cream colour. When it comes to styling these pearls with your outfits, they are best matched with an elegant gown at a wedding or other formal dinner parties. Also, you can combine them with a black pair of pants and a white button-down shirt for a day at the office. The options for styling them are endless.
When you are looking for more Akoya pearl information, you will also come across other types of saltwater pearls. For example, South Sea pearls are the most prestigious type because they come in white and gold. When it comes to the shape, they are usually irregular in form and as their size changes so does the price. Tahitian pearls are usually cultivated around the islands of French Polynesia and are the only naturally dark pearl type. They also come in a variety of shapes such as baroque and circle. The fact that some come in pink or green overtones means that you can have fun by adding more playfulness to your look and look refined at the same time.
Freshwater pearls
Freshwater pearls were first found at Lake Biwa in Japan, but are cultivated in China. Since they don’t take long to form and aren’t as lustrous as saltwater pearls, they are much more affordable. These pearls are the most commonly produced pearls and come in many shapes and colours which makes them very appealing to fashion designers and style icons. For example, they can appear as oval or baroque in shape offering a more unique style that you can wear with a casual outfit such as denim jeans and a cute blouse. When it comes to colour, they range from white to cream shades with overtones of pink and lavender. You can often find these pearls in a combination of yellow, gold, pink or peach. This match enhances the sparkle between the pink and golden hues providing a unique pairing that you can add to your flowy dress look.
The most popular type of freshwater pearls are Chinese pearls. They are very unique because they are produced from a mantle tissue from another oyster by nucleating. Also, there are naturally coloured lavender pearls, best paired with white gold pearls. The contrast this combination offers is very appealing to the eye and it is the perfect option if you want to add more vibrant colours to your outfit. Generally, the best thing about freshwater pearls is that they are very durable. This means that they can retain their original colour and luster for a long time. Also, the different shapes and colours they occur in make them one of the most popular choices to add finesse to any look.
Unique pearl types
There are other pearl types that don’t fall in either of the main categories but are identified as unique types because of the way they are formed. These are Keshi and Mabe pearls. Keshi pearls are always produced with an irregular shape making each piece of Keshi jewels unique. In fact, these pearls may not be considered as real pearls since they appear as an accident during the pearl farming process. Mabe pearls are grown differently than other pearl types and also appear in different shapes. One of the benefits of these pearls is that they are used for designing earrings, brooches or pins which provide a luxurious look. In any case, these unique types can be paired with casual and formal outfits if you are leaning towards a more original, classy and vibrant look.
Final thoughts
The beauty of pearls is that they are a timeless piece of jewellery that everyone should have in their jewellery box. The fact that there are many types of pearls that come in different forms and colours means that we can match them with any casual or formal look. Whether it is the classic white pearl necklace, a gold-pink bracelet or a dark mismatched earring, pearl jewellery is certainly a must-have which elevates any outfit and style. Make sure you follow this insider’s guide to help you choose the best pearl type according to your personal taste and look elegant and chic at the same time.