FREQUENTLY ASKED PEARL QUESTIONS

Q: HOW OFTEN SHOULD I HAVE MY PEARLS RE-STRUNG?
A: Pearls should be re-strung once a year if the person wears them against the skin. If they are worn often, 6 months is not unreasonable. You should re-string when pearls become loose and spacing is visible. If pearls become loose, the string will enlarge the hole and the pearls won't be straight anymore. Pearls should be strung on silk or non-stretching polyester, not nylon.

Q: WHAT COLOR IS MOST POPULAR FOR PEARLS?
A: Americans generally prefer rose but women should select pearls according to their own skin color. Rose' generally looks best on fair skin. Cream colored pearls look best on olive skin. Black and silver colored pearls complement most skin colors.

Q: WHAT LENGTH OF PEARL NECKLACE DO WOMEN PREFER?
A: The 24" strand is good for business suits. The 32" strand can be worn straight or doubled up. The 18" necklace is also good because it is an all-purpose length that works well with jeans as well as an evening dress. Triple strand pearls compliment Chanel style suits and are a nice finishing touch to most evening wear.

Q: WHAT IS A KESHI PEARL?
A: Keshi pearls are created naturally in the soft tissue of most cultured pearl-bearing oysters and mollusks. Keshis are usually formed by the accidental intrusion of sand or shell. Keshis are considered a valuable by-product of a harvest. The smaller Keshi pearl is not much larger than a pinhead, and is often called a "seed" or "poppy" pearl.

Q: WHAT IS A BIWA PEARL?
A: Biwa are lustrous freshwater pearls from Lake Biwa in Japan. Biwa pearls are a recent discovery, found in the 1970's and 1980's, but they are no longer in production at Lake Biwa due to pollution. Crinkled rice-shaped pearls are Chinese river pearls, which can be lustrous. More recently, round and near round Chinese pearls have been produced that look much like Akoya.

Q: I TRY TO BUY AMERICAN-MADE PRODUCTS. WHAT PEARLS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?
A: The true American pearl is a freshwater pearl from the Tennessee river, although round cultured pearls produced in Japan, do utilize an American nucleus, from this river. The Akoya oyster, which produce round culture pearls in Japan are allergic to most other kinds of shell. South Sea pearls are mainly produced in Australia and the Far East. Biwa pearls originate in Japan.

Q: I ALREADY HAVE A PEARL NECKLACE. WHAT ELSE CAN I BUY TO ADD TO MY PEARL LOOK?
A: Pearl stud earrings are best because they are basic, relatively inexpensive, popular and go with everything. Pearl earrings with a little more style are also a good bet. A pearl bracelet is also a nice idea. It can be used to lengthen a pearl strand if it has a matching clasp.

Q: ARE CULTURED PEARLS REAL PEARLS?
A: Cultured pearls are real pearls that are formed naturally by a mollusk with assistance from man. A shell bead is inserted into the mollusk to act as a seed. The mollusks are then put back in the water and watched carefully on the farm. Non-nucleated pearls are extremely rare and expensive. Keshi pearls and freshwater pearls are a great alternative for those who want all natural pearls.