Hi Everybody!

Ashley McNamara here, and I have some terrific news! Amanda Raab, the owner of PurePearls.com, has delivered her first baby girl into the world! Welcome Avery, we can’t wait for you to come out and play!! May is the month for Mothers all over the world, and we just want to say “Thanks, Mom!” for all of the love, hard work, blood, sweat and tears that go into raising a strong and wonderful families.

Mostly, I’d like to say: Congratulations, Amanda on your very first Mother’s Day!!

Hi Everybody! 
Our May Monthly Special is a salute to Moms everywhere!! Every mother is a working mother, and we know her time is precious! With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we’ve come up with the perfect gift to debut for Moms who are always On the Go! Between breakfast, work, soccer practice, and the science report that’s due tomorrow (of course!), with all her daily demands, her jewelry should be a beautiful and uncomplicated pleasure.
  
Our 9.0-10.0mm, AAA Quality Drop-Shaped Tahitian Baroque Pendant has a simple, elegant look- perfect for everyday wear, fashionable and sophisticated. This versatile, exotic Black Pearl displays a maximum amount of color and shine that easily carries the day, and will keep her feeling beautiful- everyday!!
 
These stunning pearls are part of an amazing lot that we recently received from overseas- super-saturated in a kaleidoscope of colors: intense peacock greens, aquamarines, pinks, purples and more!! Each pearl hand is selected and mounted on a 14K Gold bale and box chain, and is priced starting at just $115.00!!!                                                                                                                                             

Hi Everybody!
 
I have noticed a recent commercial popping up featuring two political personalities: none other than Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich sitting next to each other on a couch! The two politicians put their differences aside to talk about something that matters to us all: Global Warming and the effects of Climate Change on the planet, as part of the “We Can Solve It” campaign sponsored by former Vice President and the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Al Gore. While the two hard-hitting politicos don’t see eye to eye on every issue to confront the American government, it is fantastic to see them agree on all of us actively taking responsibility to reduce our environmental impact on the planet we call home!
  
Pelosi, wearing her Signature strand of mixed Golden, White and Black South Sea pearls looks elegant and refined as always! I couldn’t resist tracking down a color image of the commercial to feature here on our blog. As a business woman in the spotlight, Pelosi instinctively understands that pearls are the accessory- understated, a classic and no-nonsense statement, while very much accentuating her beauty and character!
 
Out of all the gems in the world that are worn- diamonds, rubies, sapphire and emeralds among others, pearls can easily claim to be the most eco-friendly gem available to consumers world wide. Mollusks- be it Freshwater or the Saltwater varieties- that are used to culture pearls depend upon pristine waters and a stable living environment in order to thrive and produce. Unlike most faceted gems, pearls require zero destructive mining, chemical leaching and other hazardous activities in order to bring their natural beauty to shine in the world.  Psst, Nancy… We love your pearls!!                                                 **Photo Courtesy of newt.org

What are the differences between Japanese and Chinese Akoya pearls? How will I be able to spot them in a jewelry store?

Pamela H.-Missoula, MT  Hi Pamela!   In order to answer your question correctly, I need to give you a little history first… The Japanese were the very first to pioneer cultured pearl technology, and have had many more years than the Chinese to perfect their culturing and processing techniques. To this day, they are considered by many to be the undisputed masters of their art. From the early 1900’s through the 1990’s, Japanese Akoya pearls were the only option when purchasing Akoya pearls as well! Additionally, they are still the only source for Gem-Quality Hanadama, or ‘Flower-Pearls’ as they are also called.  The Chinese decided to try their hands at culturing Akoya pearls and grabbing a share of the saltwater pearl market starting around 1980. At first, the pearl farmers focused solely on flooding the market with cheap pearls as quickly as they could harvest them, similar to the Freshwater ‘Rice Crispy’ pearls that flooded international markets during the 1980’s. Many consumers and jewelry insiders quickly shunned the Chinese Akoya and Freshwater pearl products as cheap and poor quality, incomparable with that of their Japanese counterparts. Blinking, poor coloration, heavy chemical bleaching and over-treatment, as well as a heavy ratio of pearls displaying an unacceptable rate of blemishing all too easily became the widely-acknowledged reputation for Chinese Akoya.  However, Chinas’ rapid technological advancements in perfecting their culturing process as well as their new outlook regarding the quality of the pearls that are allowed on the market have become important factors for Chinese pearl farmers and exporters over the last decade. Quality has vastly improved, to the point that it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between Japanese and Chinese Akoya; indeed, it is impossible to distinguish origin for gemological laboratories around the world! Although they have not yet mastered the nucleation techniques of larger Akoya, 8.0mm and up, the Chinese have done an admirable job of attaining quality craftsmanship levels in Akoya pearl sizes ranging from 4.0-8.0mm.  The Japanese, meanwhile have decided not to compete with China any longer for market share in the smaller sizes, choosing instead to specialize on larger Akoya 7.5/8.0mm through 9.5mm (10.0mm has been seen on the market, but this size is rare for Akoya and command a premium.) where their cultivation and processing techniques are still recognized as being of superior quality. So, the standard rule of thumb is: if the pearls are under 8.0mm in size, the statistics say it is probably Chinese in origin.   

Hi Everybody!

Summer is on its way and along with sunshine, carefree lazy days and breezy summer dresses, we our proud to present our Limited Time Only Sale!  Designed with versatility in mind, our Trendy Tin Cup necklaces are perfectly Modern twists on Everyday Classics! Choose from one of three styles that range from chic to classic, and with prices starting at $150.00 this is not a sale you’ll want to miss! 

• Tahitian Tin Cup: Our brand new design, and latest addition to PurePearls.com! Vibrant and Intensely Colorful AAA Quality, 8.0-9.0mm Tahitian Baroque pearls mingle together with 6.0-7.0mm Midnight Blue Freshwater pearl accents and are stationed on a 14K Yellow Gold chain. Our Tahitian Tin Cup necklace has a chic and sophisticated style that transits from the office to a night out effortlessly! 
• Multi-Colored Tin Cup: Naturally-colored Pink, Lavender and White Freshwater Pearls are your choice of AA+ or AAA Quality, and are stationed individually on a 14K Gold or Sterling Silver chain. Playful, yet sophisticated our Multi-colored Freshwater Tin Cup is perfect for any occasion! 
• Classic Tin Cup: The Original Tin Cup Style shows that this look is still in a class of its’ own! Lustrous 7-8mm White Freshwater pearls in your choice of AA+ or AAA Quality are a timeless classic accessory!    

Exclusively at PurePearls.com, these trendy Tin Cup styles are the perfect gift idea for Birthdays, Mother’s Day and Spring and Summer Holidays! They will only be on sale for April, so be sure to get your next Must Have item today!                                                                                                                              

The latest Prominent Pearl Sighting goes to Randy Jackson from American Idol!  He was spotted last week wearing two trendy Tahitian Pearl Bracelets during the Final 10 Episode of American Idol’s 7^th Season.  We’d like to applaud Randy for wearing some very masculine jewelry.  He pulled it off flawlessly!   Psst, Randy- we love your pearls!!