Marc Aronstam talks about pearls

Pearls are classic, timeless and elegant and a miracle of nature. One of my favorite gem “stones,” pearls come in a huge variety of colors, from classic white to pink, silver, cream, golden, green, blue, black, and even rainbow-hued.

Actually a mineral (calcium carbonate) rather than a true stone, pearls are formed in layers, slowly, within the shell of a mollusk. Most pearls today are formed in fresh or salt water pearl farms using human intervention as well as natural processes.

Their unique luster or iridescence is what makes pearl jewelry so captivating! Caused by the reflection, refraction and diffraction of light, that luster is actually the overlapping of translucent layers of “nacre,” which make up the pearl. The thinner and more numerous these layers, the finer the luster.

Pearl jewelry (necklaces, rings and pendants) are really huge this year, especially in bold and unusual colors – and lots of layering! Black Tahitian pearls are getting lots of interest, as are South Sea pearls in peacock, aubergine, greens and purple hues. But classic strands of white, off white, gold, or pink are also hot.

One of the things that I am always excited about showing clients are pearl necklaces with an interchangeable clasp system. The system allows you to entirely change the look of the necklace by adding a different clasp or pendant.  It also lets you double, shorten or lengthen the necklace with a twist, providing endless looks. The clasps themselves are beautiful, in 14 and 18k gold or sterling silver, often set with diamonds, precious and semi precious gems, and feature the One of a Kind elements I like to design with…more about that later.

Gellner, one of Europe’s most respected jewelry companies offers a variety of pearl necklaces and with interchangeable clasps, and I carry many fine examples in my store.

Pearls make treasured gifts for graduates, and timeless gifts for birthdays, brides and the holidays and I can show you how to make them truly unique.