There has always been something about pearls which make them very interesting to women of all ages. Whether it’s your wife, mother, sister or friend, it’s not unusual for them to be quite attached with pearls. Pearls have long been considered a prized gemstone, an object of beauty and elegance, even a sign of wealth for some. They are commonly made into jewelry, be it necklaces, rings, earrings or bracelet, and what could be a better sight than a beautiful lady wearing a dazzling pair of pearl earrings? They are so nice that they can be worn anytime, whether there’s an occasion or not.

Any pearl jewelry is highly treasured object because of one thing – the pearl itself. It is the pearl which defines and gives value to your pearl earrings, which is why getting the perfect pearl is really of utmost importance. Pearls can come in many different variations, each one having its own worth in the pearl industry. You might have already heard of Akoya pearls, South Sea pearls or Black Tahitian Pearls as they are some of the widely known pearls used in making pearl jewelry. Pearls can either be natural or cultured, and may also originate from saltwater or freshwater.

Pearl earrings which are made from cultured pearls are the most common types you will likely see in the market today. These pearls are made with human intervention and are harvested from pearl farms, which can either be freshwater or saltwater.  Cultured pearls which come from the sea are considered more valuable than their freshwater counterparts. Natural pearls on the other hand are those which are created without any human intervention, a true artwork of nature. They are the rare types of pearls and are very expensive, which says the same about jewelry made with them.

When shopping for pearl earrings, there are some important factors you might want to look out for – these are the pearl’s luster, surface, shape, color, size and nacre. The primary determinant of a pearl’s value is in its luster – the source of a pearl’s brilliance and glow; higher luster means higher value. The nacre is the outer layer of a pearl, and its thickness is greatly relevant to pearl quality and luster. Try to avoid pearl earrings with thin nacre as they are very susceptible to peeling and chipping. A pearl’s surface can also determine its value – lesser imperfections usually translate to higher value.

A pearl’s color is not an actual determinant of a pearl’s value, but is more related to a person’s preferences (e.g. white or silver pearls look great on people with fair skins). Pearl shape and size is also a significant factor in any pearl’s value. Pearl earrings made with perfectly round pearls are the most sought after and have the most value, which also hold true for those which are made with larger pearls. Always check these attributes anytime you are shopping for pearl jewelry or better yet, try researching more about pearls so that you are have a good idea of what you really want or which suits you best.