Throughout the latter part of the 19th Century, the use of seed or small pearls became increasingly popular. The inclusion of such in a small pearl necklace set became very much part of Victorian fashion during this time. Although you may find some antique pieces containing such pearls, today some jewelers are now coming up with some amazing small pearl necklace designs. Check out this post and find out the most useful tips!
There are ones now available that can be can be worn at anytime and by women and girls of all ages.
But What Do We Class As A Small Pearl?
Generally, small pearls back in Victorian times would have measured no more than 2 mm in diameter. However, these days a small pearl necklace will contain ones that measure no more than 6 mm in diameter.
How Are Such Pearls Formed?
Today, most such pearls are formed by accident when a pearl farmer is attempting to cultivate much larger ones. Often such are formed as a result of a small piece of tissue remaining inside the oyster after the implanted bead becomes separated from the pearl sac. Or they may form after the oyster has expelled the implanted bead.
As you can imagine small pearls are much more delicate compared to their larger counterparts. So it enables them to be used as accents or decorations within other pieces of jewelry. A great example of this would be a stunning small pearl diamond necklace.
Although there are some amazing small pearl necklace designs now available, you may find some look similar to Victorian ones. As well as used in necklaces you may find such pearls really look wonderful in earrings or bracelets.
One way in which such gems are really able to shine is included within a small pearl necklace choker. These pearls really help to accentuate the main features of the other gemstones included, but help to accentuate the beauty of a woman’s neck.
Just like any other pieces of jewelry when it comes to buying a small pearl necklace there are certain things you need to consider. We offer some tips below that should help you with your choice.
How Choose The Right Small Pearl Necklace?
Tip 1 – Choosing The Right Pearls
To begin with, you need to decide what sort of pearls you want your necklace to include. As you will soon discover when you do a search for small pearl necklace online there are many types of pearls to select from.
To help you we provide a brief description of the kinds of pearls you will find used in say a small pearl and gold necklace.
1. Freshwater
You will find that these are the most affordable and will be used in pearl jewelry that isn’t too expensive. As the name suggests these pearls are formed in oysters that live in freshwater.
2. Akoya
This is what many now consider to be the classic pearl and are most often used in creating small pearl drop necklace. They tend to be a little smaller in size compared to freshwater pearls. Normally they come in a white or cream colour.
3. South Sea
These are actually much bigger in size compared to other pearls we mention here. As you can imagine as the pearls get larger so the price charged gets much higher. In fact, it is very rare to find such pearls being used in a small pearl necklace design. This is because such pearls tend to measure around 10 mm in diameter.
4. Tahitian
To many, these are the most interesting and unique of all pearls now in circulation. They come in a variety of different colours, ranging from black to more metallic ones. As well as being considered very exotic these also tend to come at a much higher price. Yet a small black pearl necklace shouldn’t break the bank if you decide to buy one.
Tip 2 – Choosing The Right Style Small Pearl Necklace
As you will soon discover necklaces incorporating the use of pearls come in a range of different lengths. The main lengths that most jewelers tend to use in the creation of such are as follows:
Collar
This type of necklace will hug against the neck and will really help to bring out the beauty and colour of the small pearls used in its design.
Choker
A favourite of Princess Diana as it helped to accentuate the beauty of her neck and face. These necklaces sit just at the base of your neck.
Princess
These necklaces sit just over your collarbone and measure between 17 and 19 inches in length.
Matinee
This small pearl necklace design looks fantastic when worn with a low cut dress as it hangs just above your chest and often measures between 20 to 24 inches in length.
Opera
A much more dramatic looking piece and of course tends to use much larger pearls. This one will sit just below your chest and often measure between 30 and 36 inches in length.
Rope
This is often made up of one long strand of pearls that when worn normally would sit near your belly button. Most of these necklaces tend to measure between 36 inches in length. As you can imagine the use of small pearls within such pieces would help to keep the small pearl necklace cost down.
But don’t just look at buying yourself just a necklace these days many stores sell sets. A small pearl necklace set that comprises not only the necklace but a pair of earrings or a bracelet would make a wonderful gift.
It is important when deciding what type of small pearl necklace to buy you, keep a couple of things in mind. The first being what you intend to wear yours with. If you intend to wear yours on an everyday basis then we suggest a princess style necklace would be the best option.
Tip 3 – Choosing The Right Colour Pearls
When it comes to deciding on what colour pearls your necklace contains there a wide array to choose from. But you need to be aware that not all the colours are actually natural.
Some may have been dyed or treated in order to create more unique colours. But just like natural pearls, these will need to be taken care of properly otherwise, over time their colour may begin to become dull.
When deciding what colour pearls your small pearl necklace contain, you need to think about your skin tone and the outfits in your wardrobe.
If you have quite a cool skin tone then necklaces containing white or cream coloured pearls may not be suitable. Instead, you may find buying a small pearl duster necklace using pink or lavender pearls a much better option.
As for those of you with much warmer skin tones then opting for a small black pearl necklace or one that uses cream or gold coloured pearls in the design.
If you aren’t sure just what colour of pearls will suit you then might we suggest you visit a local jeweler. Ask them to take a look at some of their pearl pieces.
The best way of determining what colour suits you best you place the pearls against your skin. The best part of your body to place them against is your inner forearm. This way you can really see just what pearls in a small pearl necklace will look amazing on you.
Tip 4 – Choosing The Right Shape Pearls
As you can imagine perfectly round pearls are the most sought after, and so a necklace containing such will cost more. Yet choosing a necklace that doesn’t contain perfectly round pearls will ensure that you are buying a more unique piece of jewelry. Plus of course, the price, of such, pieces of jewelry tend to be less expensive.
Rather than going for a small pearl necklace containing round pearls, choose one containing either oval or baroque shaped pearls instead. Both of these make beautiful necklaces and also help to create a more unique look. You may also find that these styles of pearls help to accentuate not only your skin tone but also the shape of your features as well.
The wonderful thing about such shapes of pearls that they don’t just look wonderful when worn with more formal outfits. They add a touch of glamour to more casual outfits as well.
You could, of course, go for a more traditional style necklace, but when it comes to the small pearl necklace the world’s your oyster as the saying goes. There are some more unique designs now available that don’t just rely on pearls, but other gemstones as well.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you with deciding on which style of small pearl necklace you should buy. What is important is that you take the time and look at each design carefully before making that final decision.
Here at Pearlsonly.com, we have a wide selection of necklaces you can choose from. So finding one that not only suits your budget but also your tastes won’t prove all that difficult.
