Don't Shop for Pearls Until You Read This

Fri Oct 06 18:49:12 EDT 2006
Thinking of buying pearls for Mother's Day or graduation? Read the
following article first. As I always say, real pearls are very
affordable, but affordable does not mean cheap!

Mother's Day Warning! Are you About to Make a Costly Mistake on This
Year's Gift?

May will soon be here, and with it comes important gift-giving
occasions like Mother's Day and graduation. And then there is June,
with gifts for the bride and anniversary gifts too.

This is also the time during which jewelers heavily promote pearls.
Pearls are the perfect gift for Mom, for the graduate, and certainly
for the bride--pearls were the first gems ever associated with love
and marriage, elevating them to the top of the gift list.
Unfortunately, what no one is telling you is that many of the pearls
being sold in jewelry stores today won't be pearls tomorrow, and those
who buy them might just as well throw their money away.

According to Antoinette Matlins, author of The Pearl Book (Gemstone
Press, Woodstock, VT), huge quantities of promotional pearls are
dumped in the U.S. every year and sold at prices ranging from $75-$200
for bracelets and $1000-$1500 for necklaces. "But consumers aren't
being told that these pearls are really nothing more than worthless
shell beads, with the thinnest of pearl coatings," says Matlins. She
goes on to explain that these pearls have been left in the oyster for
such a short time that the pearl coating is thinner than the thickness
of a dollar bill, so thin that the coating quickly chips and peels
off. In a very brief time, there is nothing left except the shell
beads that were inserted into the oyster to start the pearl-growing
process.

"To make matters worse," Matlins continues, "if you take them back to
the jewelry store when you notice that the pearl is chipping and
peeling, you most likely will be told there is nothing wrong with the
pearls, but that your skin is too acidic and has eaten through them!"
Matlins assures that nothing could be further from the truth.

Matlins finds this especially upsetting because fine cultured pearls
are among the most beautiful and precious of gems and will last from
generation to generation. And for the same money being thrown away on
a poor, thin-coated bracelet or necklace, one could buy a lovely
single-pearl pendant or pair of earrings that will stand the test of
time. For more information, go to www.gemstonepress.com.

The take home lesson from Matlins' article? More than ever, it's a
good idea to buy from a reputable, knowledgeable source that knows
what they're selling has a generous return policy should you have any
problems.

Moon River Pearls.com sells quality pearls. The company proudly stands
behind its jewelry and will refund your money if you're not satisfied.

Choose a reputable source and present Mom or the graduate in your life
with a beautiful gift of pearls that will last for generations.