Pearls are the perfect gift, in my humble opinion. I know that the holiday gift-giving season often leaves you wondering what to buy. If you hadn’t considered pearls yet, check this out:

Their story is quite amazing. Did you know that pearls are the only gemstone that are produced by an animal? Oysters produce pearls. They are formed when an irritant enters the shell of an oyster. The oyster produces a material called “nacre” to coat the irritant. The longer this remains inside the oyster the more nacre is produced and the larger the pearl will be.

A naturally occurring pearl is extremely rare. A Cultured Pearl is produced when this process is helped along by man. Some of the most popular types of Cultured Pearls are:

• Akoya Pearls -These are the classic cultured pearls. The Akoya Pearls are primarily produced in Japan and measure anywhere in size from 2mm to 10mm. Their colors range from pinkish white to creamy.

• South Sea Pearls – These are generally the largest of the cultured pearls. They usually range in size from 9mm to 20mm. The most common colors of South Sea Pearls are black, white and golden. They come in several different shapes with the most popular being round and baroque.

• Chinese Freshwater Pearls – Freshwater pearls come in all different shapes and sizes. Some of the most common shapes are round, oval, button shaped, and baroque. They also come in many different colors such as orange, rose color and violet.

You can’t go wrong with pearls, and your choices are endless. Enjoy the start of the holiday season!

~ Gary