Captivating Cultured Pearls Are the Perfect Gift for Your Valentine

They’re timeless, and with today’s selection, incredibly timely and fashionable. Indeed, today’s styles are nothing like your grandmother’s pearls. Cultured pearls come in a spectacular array of colors, from the unusual black, grey and peacock green hues of Tahitian pearls, to the white, cream, ivory, peach, pink and champagne colors of Akoya and freshwater pearls.

The classic round shape is generally the favorite, but irregular, or baroque, shapes steal the heart, especially when placed in creative jewelry designs. Rings, earrings and necklaces profit from pearls, with designs running over with innovation. Pearl strand necklaces run the gamut from dainty chokers and princess lengths to impressively long opera and rope lengths that can be doubled or tripled. If the strand isn’t her style, wonderful pearl pendant necklaces abound, with pearls that drop as center pendants in graduated sizes, or mixed colors.

The juxtaposition of black and white cultured pearls make a striking statement. Earrings range from the classic pearl studs to drops of several pearls in one or mulitiple shades. Other impressive designs include earrings that emulate flowers, sometimes with white pearls as the petals and a black or green Tahitian pearl as the center. Rings are the second-most-popular pearl jewelry category, after necklaces. From the single-pearl ring, to the cluster-pearl ring and the side-by-side duet of different-hued pearls, the offerings are virtually limitless.

Often, pearls with flatter shapes can be set into precious metal, and this opens endless possibilities because the setting can be highly decorative or elegantly simple. Stylistic pearl rings that are classic yet trendy may make mom feel younger, or more vivacious, or just might strike her fancy like nothing else. So this Valentine’s Day, unleash your creativity, look to nature’s gems and select cultured pearl jewelry for mom.