How to Choose the Best Pearls for Necklace Designs

Coco Chanel once said everyone needs ropes and ropes of pearls. But do you know how to choose the right pearls for necklace designs? CTC Jewelry wants to tell you everything there is to know about selecting the right pearl for any necklace design.

Pearls are exquisite beads of mother nature that have the unique ability to bring soulful beauty to anything they touch. Jewelry such as necklaces are no exception. Since prehistoric times, necklaces have been a symbol to express oneself, personality, and status and have been used as a talisman to protect the wearer from potential harm. On the other hand, pearls are known to be a symbol of wisdom, resilience, empowerment, and elegance. The inclusion of the best pearls for necklace designs can immediately elevate its class and sophistication, leaving onlookers enchanted.

We do not want you to go through the selection process by leaving it up to chance and pairing pearls for necklace designs by trial and error. So, let's talk about it.

Understanding Different Types of Pearls.

Think about how you would make a cake. There are some preparations to be done before you start mixing ingredients in the bowl, right? Sifting your flour, taking out the butter from the fridge to get it soft, and preheating the oven to the right temperature are all steps that are not about making the cake but are extremely important for an excellent final result. In your case, baking the cake would be choosing the right pearls for necklace designs. Understanding pearls would be like preheating the oven at the perfect temperature.

There are different types of pearls for you to choose from for various styles of necklaces. Each type has its own characteristics.

• Freshwater pearls

Just as the name implies, freshwater pearls originated in mollusks living in freshwater such as rivers, lakes, and ponds. Even though freshwater reserves are less geographically than the sea, freshwater pearls are more commonly found and, therefore, tend to be less expensive than saltwater pearls. Most of them have irregular shapes known as baroque and have beautiful colors like salmon, lavender, blue, green, and purple.

• Akoya Pearls

If you are into neutral colors, Akoya pearls might just be the right choice for necklace designs. These are known to be the classic pearls and have been cultured the longest in the history of the pearl industry. Unlike freshwater pearls, Akoya pearls tend to be round with light colors like ivory, white, and pink.

• Tahitian Pearls

Tahitian pearls are saltwater pearls grown inside the black-lipped oyster in warmer seas. Also known as the black pearl, it is one of the highly valued pearls in necklace designs. With their sultry dark hues, Tahitian pearls can be found with peacock, green, violet, and cherry overtones, which gives them an extra glow. These deep colors pair well with bright precious metals such as silver. Don't believe it? See it for yourself here with our Stylish Tahitian Pearl Necklace.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Pearls for Necklace Designs.

As tempting as it is to buy beautiful jewelry at first sight, there are some key factors you must consider when selecting the perfect pearls for necklace designs.

• Size

Well, it turns out size does matter after all. In your case, the goal is to create a well-balanced look with the pearls for the necklace styles you wish to choose. Therefore the size of the pearls should compliment the size of your necklace. If you choose a pearl of a larger size for a necklace that is slim and dainty, it will create a less-than-desirable look.

• Shape

As you now know, pearls come in different shapes ranging from perfectly round to beautifully irregular. When choosing pearls for necklace designs, you can select the shape according to your preferences and the style of the necklace itself. Perfectly round pearls go well with traditional and classic necklace designs to elevate their look. Irregular asymmetrical pearls will effortlessly complement modern and futuristic necklace designs, making them even more trendy.

• Luster

The luster of a pearl is its ability to reflect light and shine ever so beautifully. Typically, the higher the luster of a pearl, the higher it would cost. The nacre layer forms over time when a pearl grows inside a host animal, and it is responsible for its luster. Typically, the thicker the nacre layer, the sharper the luster. You will find that some pearls have a soft and dewy luster while some pearls have a sharp, bright luster.

• Surface Quality

The surface quality matters when you choose pearls for necklace designs. Do not get this feature confused with the shape of the pearl. It refers to the smoothness of the surface, whether the pearl is round or baroque. Typically, high-surface quality pearls for necklace designs are highly valued, while pearls with low-surface quality are less expensive.

• Color

There is a wide spectrum of colors of pearls for necklace designs in the market. From the classic white pearls that are famous for their sense and look of purity and neutral colors such as being, orange, brown, and white to bright, deep colors like blues, greens, purples, and dark reds, pearls can add pops of color to your necklace. Try to see which colors suit your complexion and which necklace best suits you.

How to Pair Different Pearls for Necklace Styles

• Single-Strand Necklaces

The GOAT of necklaces, the single-strand necklace has never failed to dazzle the hearts of fashion lovers. Michelle Obama is a lover of single-strand pearl necklaces, an unarguable point of the elegance of these types of jewelry. To attain this sophisticated look with a single strand, it is better to choose uniform-sized and similar-shaped pearls for necklace designs.

• Multi-Strand Necklaces

Hitting a few notches above the simplistic single strand, the multi-strand pearl necklace is the perfect sweet spot between minimalistic and extravagant accessories. The multi-strand has been popular in Hollywood for a long time, making it one of the classics. The layered look with multiple necklaces of different lengths can look amazing when paired with a simple outfit. While it is better to use smaller pearls for necklace designs such as these, you can also play with different sizes among necklaces for depth.

• Pendant Necklaces

Pendant necklaces are one of the staples you should have in your jewelry collection, as they can uplift the spirit of any outfit for any occasion, day or night. In a pendant necklace, the pendant would be the focal point of the jewelry; therefore, it is essential to pick alluring, eye-catching pearls for necklace designs like these. Whether it is a bigger size, an attractive shape, a striking color, or an irresistible luster, make sure to pick a pearl that will stand out when worn as a pendant.

• Chokers

With the resurgence of chokers into fashion accessories in the modern era, choker necklaces with pearls have been in high demand. The rebellious, confident flare of a choker pairs well with the mysterious innocence and grace brought by pearls, making a match in heaven. You can pair it with a choker pearl necklace and an outfit with a deep cut to create a balanced look. Small-sized pearls for a necklace design such as this would be a fantastic choice to highlight the design and the pearls themselves.

Caring for Your Pearl Necklaces.

After choosing the perfect pearls for necklace designs, it is crucial to take good care of them. Pearl jewelry may seem indestructible because of how they form in nature and their out-of-this-world beauty. However, proper cleaning, appropriate storage, and mindful practice during use are key to protecting a pearl necklace.

• Cleaning

Simply mix lukewarm water and mild dish soap and submerge a soft cleaning cloth. Now, use the wet cloth to wipe the pearls and necklace gently until the shine returns. Avoid making the mistake of submerging the whole necklace in the water mix, as this can be pretty damaging to your pearl jewelry.

• Storage

Storing the jewelry properly after choosing pearls for necklace designs can ensure you can reap its benefits in the long term. Pearls are naturally water-loving and, therefore, need a humid environment with no extreme temperatures to thrive. You can use a silk pouch or a velvet-lined box to store your necklace safely.

• Maintenance

Quite frankly, the more you wear your pearls, the better they will look. However, beware of letting your pearl necklace come into contact with cosmetic products such as foundations and products such as perfume and hairspray. When getting ready, make sure to wear your pearl necklace after you are done getting ready so as not to spray anything on top of the necklace.

Final Thoughts on Choosing the Best Pearls for Necklace Designs

Now that you are armored with plenty of knowledge on selecting the perfect pearls for necklace designs while considering a variety of factors such as type of pearl, size, shape, color, luster, and surface quality, you are ready to step out and start shopping. Do not forget to choose a trustworthy jeweler like CTC Jewelry to assist you in fulfilling your pearl necklace dreams. Let your inner fashionista guide you in selecting pearls for necklace designs to create the perfect styling expression; you can kickstart it right here.