Pearl jewelry is a forever-classic that will never go out of style. Odds are that one in ten thousand oysters will form a naturally occurring pearl in the wild. Because of this rarity and a call by conservationists to conserve the wild oyster beds most pearls found in the jewelry marketplace are cultured. Amidon Jewelers offers you a wide variety pearl jewelry designs and would like to take a moment to explain to you the different types; Freshwater, Akoyo, South Sea and Tahitian and how to determine if the pearl or strand you're looking to buy is of premier quality.   Like the snowflakes of winter the freshwater pearl is coveted for its luster and for being individually unique as they are not uniformly round. They are grown within mollusks that are naturally occurring in bays, lakes and rivers, hence the term 'freshwater.' These mollusks are able to produce up to 50 pearls in its lifetime. This rate of natural production is what translates into freshwater pearls being most affordable. However, you still have to remain focused on quality, and the different aspects will be explained below.   Akoya pearls are specifically grown in Japanese pearl farms and are highly valued due to larger size, smoothness and even more luster than the beautiful freshwater pearl cousin which are harvested in the US, China and Japan.   South Sea pearls are also known as cultured pearls and come from Indonesia, Myanmar and Australia where they are farmed through harvesting pearl mussels and oysters. They coveted for their fabulous luster.   Tahitian pearls are the original 'black pearl.' The colors can range from black to gunmetal gray to silver-white. This pearl was created by Jean-Marie Dormand in 1961 through harvesting of the black-lip oysters from the waters around French Polynesia. These oysters are very small and sensitive to the pearl collection process which is what drives the price along with the truly unique colors that can be found with Tahitian pearls.   Now, how do you judge a pearl's quality? There are five factors to consider:  

1. Color- the main body of color as well as any overtone that can be seen.
2. Luster- when light is refracted off the surface of the pearl that is luster and it occurs due to the layers of nacre on the pearl. The larger the pearl the more layers have been allowed to build up and the greater the luster should be when comparing two different sized pearls side by side.
3. Shape- perfectly round is an indication of high quality, but also rarity. Freshwater pearls are the exception as they will be more oval shaped.
4. Surface Quality- is the surface of the pearl smooth or is it marred by spots or bubbles in the nacre?
5. Size- pearl sized depend on the type. Freshwater pearls range from 3.0-7.0 mm, Akoyo from 6.0-8.5 mm, South Sea and Tahitian can be as large as 13 mm.

  Here is a beautiful matched pairing of Amidon Jeweler's sterling silver, triple drop earrings and necklace. The necklace is sixteen inches and when paired next to the earrings will be an elegant show stopper for the night on the town or be that just-right finishing touch to a business suit.

Check out our pearl jewelry and find the classic piece to start your collection or grow the depth of your pearl selection.