The Classic Choice

Bridal jewellery sets made with pearls are a classic choice, and with good reason: it’s hard to think of a more enduring gem, from Cleopatra’s time right up to present day they symbolise purity and also happen to complement bridal gowns rather well!

The Stylish Choice

Pearls have stood the tests of time and style- takeone of the modern fashion icons of our time, Coco Chanel, one can hardly imagine a Chanel outfit being complete without a string of ivory pearls.

Bridal jewellery sets are no different- you want your wedding photos to also stand the test of time and style so that when you look back on them in years to come you can still say, oh yes, that pearl jewellery looked fabulous with that dress! (Contrast with “Eeek! What was I thinking with all that bling!?”)

The Versatile Choice

At no other point in history has so much choice been available to brides when choosing their bridal jewellery sets, and this does not exclude pearls. You can find them in all sorts of creations from classic to modern, vintage style to avant-garde.

The Ubiquitous Choice

Bridal jewellery with pearls as a theme is a great option because you can have them in the necklace, bracelet, earrings, tiara/hair accessories or even tiny beaded pearls on the gown itself. With the right amount of subtle detail, this ubiquitous gem can help achieve a harmonious look without being over the top (imagine if you did the same with rhinestone?).

Traditional or punk, country or vintage, pearls are the perfect choice for your wedding jewellery because no other gem says “Wedding” like they do!

Real Pearls
Real or natural pearls are hard, rounded objects produced within a living, shelled mollusc. The finest quality pearls are highly valued as “organic” gemstones.

Almost any shelled mollusc is able to produce a “pearl”. However, the “pearls” produced are often undesirable because they lack the lustre (soft pearly sheen) and iridescence (colour changes with the angle of viewing) we normally associate with pearls.

Desirable pearls are composed of layers of nacre and are produced by saltwater pearl oysters and freshwater pearl mussels. These clams both have a nacre shell lining.

How are Natural Pearls Made?

When a pearl is formed in the wild it is because an irritant e.g. a parasite or other organic particle gets inside the shell. The natural defence mechanisms of the mollusc cover the invader in order to seal it off and protect itself. These protective layers are made of nacre and it takes many years to build a pearl as each millimetre of nacre takes about three years.

Difference between Freshwater and Saltwater Pearls

The difference is in the species of creature that created the pearl.

Freshwater mussels (Unionidae) live in lakes, rivers, ponds and other bodies of fresh water.

Saltwater pearl oysters (Pteriidae) live in the tropical oceans and are usually cultivated in protected lagoons in

• Akoya,
• South Sea and
• Tahiti and other Pacific Islands.

How are Cultured/Cultivated/Farmed Pearls Made?

When a pearl is farmed or cultivated, the irritant is introduced on purpose, and it tends to be much larger to begin with- typically a mother of pearl bead is used and then the mollusc deposit a few layers of nacre over a period of several months.

How are Crystal Pearls Made?

Crystal pearls are manufactured, usually with crystal core and then a special pearl coating designed to mimic the soft sheen of a natural pearl.

Pearl Shapes

The classic pearl shape is perfectly round and spherical or oval. Baroque pearls have an irregular shape as do blister pearls. Keishi pearls resemble bumpy flakes, these are formed when the mollusc ejects the pearl bead nucleus but continues to make a pearl. Other shapes include sticks, coins and crosses.

Pearl Colours

In natural pearls, colour is dependant on the species of mollusc and the environmental conditions when forming the pearl. The most famous coloured pearls come from the saltwater pearl oysters e.g. Tahitian black pearls or white-rose Akoya pearls.

Cultured/Cultivated/Farmed pearls are usually dyed, in most cases once they have been drilled and strung, and a multitude of colours are available.

Crystal pearls, being manufactured, come in all different colours and finishes.

Which Pearls are Best for my Bridal Jewellery?

As with anything, deciding which option to go for depends on your requirements.

Natural pearls are now so rare, that they are incredibly expensive.

Most affordable jewellery designs these days use cultivated, freshwater pearls and crystal pearls. Cultivated freshwater pearls are reasonable priced and they still have the beautiful lustre and iridescence of a natural pearl. They’re widely available and even within this single category there is enormous choice in quality. I have seen low-quality pearls with surface imperfections and hardly any iridescence at all through to near-flawless pearls having the very even lustre of a high quality natural pearl.

Although crystal pearls do not have the iridescent quality, the better ones have a very attractive lustre finish and have the advantage of being absolutely flawless with a pleasing weight and are very hard-wearing. This is an important property to consider since natural or cultivated pearls can be damaged by a number of things: heat, alcohol (in perfumes), creams, detergents, even perspiration.

Personally I like to use good quality freshwater cultivate pearls and also Swarovski crystal pearls- I feel like I’m offering the best of both worlds with these options while keeping the budget down to a realistic level.

Good luck with finding the perfect Wedding Pearl Jewellery for you!