The Pearl Necklace - A Timeless Beauty

It has been said that of all the pieces of jewelry in the world, a pearl necklace is the only thing that a woman should not be without. And thats no wonder, for a pearl necklace is the embodiment of classic sophistication and timeless elegance. It goes with a variety of outfits, from casual day wear to formal evening attire. And depending on the type of pearl and color, there are various pearl necklace styles suitable for the very young, those enjoying their golden years, and almost everyone else in the middle.

 The price of a pearl necklace depends on the quality of its pearls. Saltwater pearls are generally more expensive than freshwater ones, which are cultured. The sheen and the thickness of the pearls nacre also affect the price, as well as the size and roundness of the pearls themselves. Pearl necklaces of various colors are available on the market. Smaller pearls in light hues of blue or pink are usually more suitable for young children, while the creamier, ivory-toned pearls are preferred by older women. Jewelry pieces made from black pearls are very, very expensive, since these pearls are so rare.

 According to Chinese folklore, pearls are the tears of a dragon. In Roman mythology, they are the tears of Venus. Jewelry designers, in their tireless efforts to do justice to the legendary beauty of these gems, have been adding their own twists to the pearl necklace. Aside from the classic strand, the pearls used in necklaces are sometimes set in gold, silver or platinum. Some designers also mix pearls with other gems to create a unique effect. Extra ornaments, such as charms or a brooch, can also be attached to a pearl necklace to give it a personalized flair.

 Caring for a pearl necklace does not involve a lot of fuss. The most advisable thing to do is to wear it often, because if its stored away for long periods of time, it will dry up and lose its sheen. The bodys natural oils will keep the pearls looking lustrous and fresh. Its also important to avoid having the pearls come in contact with substances such as hair spray or body lotion, since these can also adversely affect the pearls condition.

 The popularity of the pearl necklace has never waned both among ordinary people and societys elite. The quintessential fashion plate, Jackie Kennedy, had a passion for pearls; so does actress Maria Berenson. Other celebrities often photographed wearing pearl necklaces are Michelle Pfeiffer, Sophia Loren, Jennifer Lopez and Paris Hilton. The versatility of pearls is such that fashion experts are even predicting an increase in the number of men who will start wearing pearl-accented dress accessories. For now, however, there is very little to surpass the elegance of the sight of a pearl necklace gracing the neckline of a woman, whether shes a celebrity or not.

How to Use Tiger Tail in Necklace Making

Maybe many people start their jewelry making by making stringed jewelry, such as stringed necklaces, stringed bracelets and so on. But along with the growing of their jewelry making skills, they must want to create some complicated designs, and want to use jewelry wires which including tiger tail, stainless steel, memory wire, aluminum wire and etc.

 Tiger tail is widely used in jewelry making. It is very strong and comes in an array of colors and sizes. While, please keep in mind that tiger tails are not suitable for wire wrapping designs. This kind of jewelry wire is strong enough so that it is very suitable for create heavy jewelry. Here I would like to share two jewelry making ideas about how to use tiger tails in necklace making.

 The first idea is a simple but classic acrylic beads necklace. The materials you need are tiger tail, about 32pcs opaque acrylic beads (about 16mm in diameter), brass magnetic clasp and crimp beads. About the color of opaque acrylic beads, I will use one color only. Let's use red beads to create a simple. First, cut off a length of tiger tail, string a crimp bead and a part of magnetic clasp from one end, and turn the wire back from crimp bead. Use your crimp jewelry plier to press the crimp bead to hold jump ring in the loop created by tiger tail. Second, string all red opaque acrylic beads on. Third, string a crimp bead and the other part of alloy magnetic clasp to make a loop at the other end of this necklace as the first step. Necklace is finished and only need three steps. About the acrylic beads, you can also choose them in different sizes to put the largest one in the middle place and smaller to two sides.

 The second necklace is created with polymer clay and glass beads. Please prepare the following materials: 7pcs purple handmade polymer clay beads with flowers (about 16mm in diameter), purple and clear bicone glass beads (about 4mm in diameter), crimp beads, Tibetan style bead caps, brass lobster claw clasp and tiger tail. We will use more different materials for this design, but it is very easy to create too. First, cut off a length of tiger tail, string crimp bead and a jump ring on to make a loop for this necklace. Second, string several purple and clear glass beads on wire, and use crimp beads to fix their places. Third, string clay beads on wire with two Tibetan style bead caps at two sides, and use purple glass bead to separate each two adjacent bead caps. Fourth, string the rest purple and clear glass beads on, and use crimp beads to fix their places too. The last step is use crimp bead to make a loop to attach lobster claw clasp and stop beads to fall off.

 From the above two designs, you will find that using tiger tail to create necklaces is very easy, even if you are just a beginner of jewelry making.