Earrings is a wonderful accessories

Earrings come in many different styles. Learn about different earrings designs and the devices that attach them to our ears.

Most jewelry designers just naturally prefer some methods of constructing jewelry to others. However, as the designer is not the only person who is going to be wearing the jewelry it is important to have a range of styles in any design portfolio.

This article will walk you through the different types of earrings and earring hangers.
Obviously, the most important aspect of an earring is comfort. No matter how beautiful or appropriate an earring selection might be, if it is too heavy for extended wear it is going to sit in your jewelry box unworn.

We all know that it is kind of gross to be trying on pierced earrings at a store. But if you have any doubt at all about the weight of the earring carry some disinfectant wipes with you and wipe the earring down prior to trying it on.

Leave the earring on for a few minutes, shake your head - how does it feel? Any discomfort with this brief trial - put the earring back. Never mind about the other shoppers staring at you - they wish they had thought of the idea.

To follow is a quick guide to earring design:

Chandelier - very popular the last few years. As the name implies this style of earring has multi-level branches that hang down from the earring base. Normally gemstone briolettes (tear drop shaped gems) hang from the branches.

Drop - usually one larger gemstone, geometric shape or charm hangs from the earring base normally facing forward. Some drop earrings combine a charm and a gemstone. The basic design of the drop requires the earring to hang in a straight line from base to end.

Hoop - Angelina Jolie is the queen of the gold hoop earrings. As the name implies this earring is round or slightly oval and runs through the piercing in your ear. Hoops come in many circumferences from quite tiny to shoulder dusting.

Stud - Round gemstone earring with a post and earnut that goes through the post at the back of your ear to hold the earring on. Diamond studs are a classic look that are appropriate worn with ripped jeans to evening gowns.

Types of earring hangers:

Fish Hook - this is a type of earring hanger. As the name implies the part that goes through your ear resembles a fish hook

French Hoop - a rounded hanger that is open at the bottom to allow it to past through your piercing.

Leverback - made for both pierced and non-pierced earrings. The back of the hanger flips up to press against the back of your ear to hold the earring in place.

Screw On - non-pierced earring hangers with a terminator that screws up against the back of your ear to hold the earring in place. Rarely seen now except with vintage earrings. Most screw on earrings are extremely uncomfortable to wear for any length of time.

Have a good time with your Beautiful earrings

By : Jewelryfinest

A simple Note on Silver Jewelry

Precious Stone - Silver

For thousands of years, Silver has been known and used frequnetly, It was also believed to have magical ability which could promote healing and bring good luck and prosperity.



In The early ancient times, silver was used for jewelry, ornaments, utensils, and as a important substance that could be bartered for other goods and services. This belief that silver had an underlying "value" led eventually to its use as the basis for monetary systems such as that of the Roman Empire and as a means of paying for international trade.



Silver is the most reflective and affordable of the precious metals. Its lower price permits bold, innovative looks. Sterling silver jewelry is often fashioned by top designers and can range in price from hundreds to thousands of dollars.



Sterling silver is the standard of quality for jewelry containing 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper.


Common Silver Marks

General - Sterling Silver
American - 925
European - 935
French - 800
Russian - 88 or 84


By : Jewelryfinest

Selecting the Right Gemstone

Selecting the Right Gemstone

Whether you're a newcomer to the gem world looking to add color to your wardrobe, or a veteran gemstone wearer fine-tuning your look, finding the right gemstone jewelry is a key way to express your own personal style, uplift your appearance and spirit, and convey to others what you're all about. But this doesn't have to be a grueling decision. Here are some practical tips for selecting gemstone jewelry that works best for you.

Developing Your Own StyleFirst of all, any gemstone jewelry you select must be comfortable. For instance, make sure necklaces hang at the "right" length for you and lay well around your neck. Experts offer similar advice for earrings: with dangling styles, make sure they hang at a comfortable length, fit well against the ear and don't tip forward. Likewise, bracelets and rings should fit comfortably and shouldn't slide off with a simple shake of your arm or hand.

Next, the jewelry must be appropriate for your personality and lifestyle. A glitzy necklace that would dazzle for a night out on the town probably wouldn't work for someone with a more casual outlook. Intent is important. Are you looking for a fashion accessory to match certain outfits, a particular season/event or a specific function, such as jewelry for work? Or are you looking for a piece you will wear everyday? Obviously, things like fashion, price, versatility, durability and other factors will play differing roles in your buying decision, based on your intent.

As for which color best suits you, one way to determine this is to take stock of what's already in your closet. What clothing styles, colors, materials, lengths, etc. are most prevalent? This will give you important clues about the specific gemstone jewelry that will work best for you. In addition, look at your makeup, scarves, hair accessories, and current jewelry for more cues about the jewelry colors and styles most appropriate for you.

Finally, consider your physical features: body type, face shape, finger/hand length and width, hair/eye color, complexion and other characteristics. These factors also will play a key role in determining which gemstone jewelry will look best on you.

Seeking QualityOnce you've got the style down, you want to be assured of the quality of any piece you're interested in buying. Keep in mind that quality determines the value of a stone. Like diamonds, gemstones are judged by the "Four Cs" of color, clarity, cut and carat weight, with color the most important consideration, by far. The better the color, the higher the price. Better clarity and better cut also cost more - and generally, the larger the stone, the more it will cost per carat. Even to an untrained eye, many of these kinds of differences can be seen when similar stones are examined side-by-side.

Other factors that may influence the price of a gemstone include whether it is readily available on the market or subject to supply limitations; whether it's a "hot" color or stone right now, or for various reasons may be unpopular; whether it's a single stone or part of a matched set, particularly in special shapes or cuts; and sometimes, its origin (for every stone, there is a particular location known for producing the finest quality variety of that stone - and often, you'll pay more for a stone from that prized region because of its reputation).

But quality extends beyond simply examining the stone. You need to pay special attention to the setting, as well. Make sure the metal holds the stone firmly and squarely in place. Check prongs to make sure they are tight and sturdy. Look at the finish - is the metal well-polished with no pockmarks or other imperfections? Also, turn the piece around and examine the back - a well-made piece of jewelry will have a good finish on both front and back. If the piece is gold, check for a karatage stamp, as well as a company trademark stamp.

This means the company is standing behind the product and assuring you the karatage is as stated. As for bracelets or necklaces, check the clasps, as well. A quality piece of gemstone jewelry will have sturdy, quality clasps.

How to Buy Pearl Jewelry ?

The Makings of a Pearl

Pearls begin when a grain of sand, another piece of pearl, or any other irritant contained in the oyster’s shell.

To protect itself the oyster secretes multiple layers of a calcium carbonate substance called nacre around the foreign object to isolate it from the rest of the oyster. After a few years, the original irritant is covered in a silky coat and that is a pearl.

Both natural and cultured pearls are born and grow inside live oysters. The difference between the two is that natural pearls are formed by nature, or by chance, and cultured pearls are made by man’s assistance by injecting an irritant into the oyster. Today, most pearls are cultured.

How to Buy Pearls ?

When buying pearls there are six key factors that one must consider:

LUSTER – Luster is the brightness, sheen and/or glow of the pearl. What constitutes a bright luster is the combination of surface quality and the inner glow of the pearl.

With high quality pearls a glow will seem to emanate from within the pearl, especially when light reflects from its surface. Pearls that appear dull, too white, or chalky are not high quality pearls.SIZE – Usually, the larger the pearl the greater its value is.

SURFACE - A clean surface is a sign of a high quality pearl. The more flawless a pearl is the greater value it will have. A pearl should be clean of bumps, cracks, and blemishes.

SHAPE – The shape of a pearl can be round, oval, pear shaped, half round, button-type (one axis flattened), circled, or baroque. The chances of an oyster producing a perfectly round pearl is very low and the value of a pearl is adjusted accordingly. Although, asymmetrical “baroque” pearls have appeal of their own and are generally less expensive, making them attractive to buyers on a budget.

COLOR- when purchasing a pearl always look for a brilliant color. The color range of a cultured pearl is black to pink. When deciding on what color you want your pearl to be it is best to choose according to your own skin tone. Overtones of green, blue, and pink can complement the right skin tone color, but look unattractive on the wrong skin tone. There has been somewhat of a general consensus that pink and silver white pearls complement fair skin tones, while cream and gold pearls complement darker skin tones.

UNIFORMITY – When selecting more than one pearl, uniformity matters. Since every pearl produced is one of a kind the more uniformed a strand or pair of pearls the greater its value.

Types of Pearls

Akoya Pearls – Akoya pearls come from the Akoya oyster, which usually come from Japan or China producing a saltwater cultured pearl. Akoya pearls are the most difficult to grow due to the low survival rate of the host oysters, only 5 out of 10 will survive the nucleation process.

Baroque Pearls – The name baroque refers to irregularly shaped cultured pearls that are very lustrous and quite attractive. Because of the shape these pearls are usually offered at a lower cost.

Biwa Pearl – Originally named after a lake in Japan these pearls are the first cultured pearls without nucleus, or with an organic nucleus, obtained from a freshwater mussel.

Freshwater Pearls – Produced in great abundance these pearls are the most moderately priced of all pearl because they are cultivated from freshwater mussels rather than saltwater oysters. What determines the tone of a freshwater pearl is the original shell the pearl was cultivated in. States the most famous type of freshwater pearl is the Biwa pearl, which are grown mostly in Japan, China, and the United states

Keshi Pearls - The word Keshi in Japanese means “poppy seed”. Keshi pearls are sub-products of a pearl that range in size from very small to tiny. They form accidentally on many cultured pearl oysters.

Mabe Pearls – Mostly grown in Japan, Indonesia, or Australia these pearls are not grown within the oysters body, but rather against the inside of the shell of any kind of oyster. These pearls are mostly used in settings that hide their flat back and reverse side.

South Sea Pearls (also called White South Sea Pearls) – These pearls are cultured in warm salt water in tropical or semi-tropical oysters in the South China Sea, which include the Polynesian Islands, Borneo, Australia, Indonesia, and other Pacific countries. The diameter of these pearls usually ranges from 9 to 14 millimeter.

South Sea Shell Pearls - South Sea Shell Pearls are made of a 100% natural South Sea oyster shell. The pearls have the weight, feel and luster of genuine South Sea and Tahitian pearl. Perfectly round shape with a beautiful AAA surface quality they are hand knotted on silk cord at a very affordable price.

South Sea Tahitian Black Cultured Pearls – Grown in a variety of large oysters that are primarily found in the waters of French Polynesia, the unique color and large size of these pearls demand a high cost.

The color of these pearls can range from gray to black with green or blue with iridescent overtones. These are the largest of all pearls, usually ranging from 8 to 14 millimeters.

Ready to get your pearl jewelry ?