Pearls are considered more than beautiful jewellery. They are also financial assets. To have more pearls, the method of inducing an oyster to produce pearl was invented in the late 19th century.

I love pearls; they make one stand out and create a fashion statement. Even though real pearls are very expensive, the designers have managed to come up with pearls which almost look like originals and make do for the day. Real pearls feel like fine sandpaper when rubbed against the tooth. But the quality of the pearl is based on two aspects, the lustre and the orient.

The lustre is the way light is reflected off the shiny surface of this organic gemstone. The orient, on the other hand, is the delicate iridescence from the refraction of light that goes through the nacre layers. Pinkish iridescence is the favourite.

Interestingly, not all pearls are white and round. Some pearls are irregularly-shaped and they are quixotically called baroque pearls, evoking the extravagance of the baroque movement of art. Some pearls are black or dark grey in colour and they are simply called black pearls.

And some pearls are found attached to the inside shell and these are called blister pearls. The seed of the pearl must have been more than a minor irritation to cause the mussel to produce enough nacre to reach the inside shell.At one time pearls were only for the regal and then later, the very wealthy. You had to have the money and status to wear them.

In the 20th century when class structure didn’t necessarily define what you could and could not wear, older, well-established women often were the only women who could afford to wear pearls. Pearls were to be earned if you weren’t born with the money for them.

The association between older women and pearls remains in the minds of many, which is why pearls often come across as stuffy. But pearls can be as fresh and modern as anything in a trendy teen boutique. Like all else in fashion, it’s about how you wear them.

There are no other gems that offer more versatility than pearls. Queen Elizabeth I of England made the most of this feature. She wore yards of them as necklaces hanging down as far her knees. She had them threaded in her wigs, embroidered in her clothing, and set in her crown and other regal jewellery.

The late Jacqueline Kennedy was also a fan of pearl necklaces and chokers, not forgetting the queen of fashion Michelle Obama whose love for pearls has not gone unnoticed.

The opera length necklace is long and offers many attractive options. It can be worn as a single strand with high necklaces or many to create a fashionable and delicate choker. It can be knotted at the neckline or above the bust to create a stylish vintage look that is gaining popularity as a contemporary fashion trend.

Traditionally, opera length necklaces are worn with eveningwear, although using them to accessorize more casual attire has become a fresh, cutting-edge fashion statement.

Traditionally, different pearl necklace lengths and sizes have been ascribed to particular age groups and attires. But the versatility of a pearl strand should not be limited by such rules, and should ultimately reflect the wearer’s personal taste. Whichever way you choose to wear your pearls, they never disappoint.

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