In keeping with themes
of purity and innocence, pearls are a conventional wedding accessory,
both for the bridal party and the bride herself. Lest that leave the
bride-to-be feeling deprived of creative options, the following list of
pearl variations offers a means of personalizing a long-time tradition.
Freshwater pearls
are the most common alternative to basic pearls and are famous for
their diversity in terms of size, shape and color. Perhaps the best
feature of the freshwater pearl is that it is quite accessible and
so, despite its comparable beauty, is less expensive than a
saltwater pearl. Freshwater pearls are usually polished to expose
their colors and subtle metallic overtones and can be found in every
tone from slightly yellow to pink to glistening black. Dyeing
freshwater pearls is common practice and makes for consistent,
striking pieces to be included together on a single piece of
jewelry.
Keishi pearls are
the most unusual pearl you will see, due to their distinctive,
uneven contours. Like the freshwater pearl, they come in an
assortment of shapes and sizes, but the Keishi pearl is often
flat or dimpled and rarely round, resulting in unique surfaces
from which to reflect the light. When strung together, Keishi
Pearls combine to create a line of exquisite texture and
variety.
A variety of the
freshwater pearl, the Coin Pearl looks just like its name
-
circular and flat like a disk, but with rounded edges. Coin
pearls make great pendants, earring drops and bracelet charms.
Like all pearls, the coin pearl can come in almost any color,
but is most often found in the classic white. We suggest
flanking or alternating the Coin Pearl with small, color-rich
gemstones for a subtle match to your wedding's color theme.