Pearl jewelry has been an important part of ornamental jewelry for a long time. It helps to add that stylish look to a person’s identity while also maintaining that traditional look at the same time.

In the earlier days, pearl jewelry was affordable only to the some of the richest people in the world. However, the prices have come down so dramatically these days that even the common man can afford to buy a pearl necklace today.

Pearls hold an important place in the mythology of some cultures of the world. The Chinese and Romans held the pearls in high value. For the Chinese, a pearl was a result of a fight between dragons and for the Romans, a way to placate goddess Isis.

In spite of all these beliefs, a pearl has its origin only in an oyster. A pearl is created in an oyster if a substance like a piece of sand or part of a shell gets trapped inside the oyster. This foreign object is covered with nacre by the oyster and over time gets shaped into a pearl. However, all oysters do not form pearls only a select few of them form into pears.

Some years earlier, pearls were created only by this natural process at the bottom of the ocean. But these days, increase in artificial production through pearl farms has brought down the prices of pearls significantly. China and Japan are the two countries leading in the area of artificial pearl production. In these countries, a pearl shell is placed in the oyster to start production of the new pearl.

Certain precautions are to be taken to ensure the longevity of your pearl jewelry. The following information is a listing of precautions.

•As these are very fragile, they should not be subjected to excessive wear and tear.
•They should not be brought into contact with the chemicals used for make up.
•They should be kept away from the contact of water.
•They are liable to appearance of scratches easily. So they must be kept separate from other jewelry.
•They should be cleaned only with a soft cloth.

Exposing pearls to sunlight can dry them out and make them lose their shine. However, the good thing about pearls is that by just wearing them, the moisture in them can be renewed from your body’s natural oils. So pearls are worth your investment and can really make you look graceful on exclusive occasions.