Jewelry can make any special occasion such as Christmas, Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, Birthdays and Valentines’ Day even more special because it suggests that you value the recipient very much to give such a precious present. Jewelry is most perfect as a gift during an anniversary as it is an occasion where you have to make your partner extra special. Normally people would give diamonds, gold, and silver and such are already common gifts for anniversaries. But if you want to make your sweet heart feel extra special, then pearls may be the perfect gift for your anniversary. Pearl is the traditional gift for the 30th wedding anniversary according to Emily Post’s published in 1922 entitled Etiquette in Society, in Business, Politics, and at Home. However, pearl can be a perfect anniversary gift during any anniversary as it can really make your partner feel special whether you are celebrating your first year or your hundredth. The pearl may not be as expensive as platinum or diamonds but it is precious enough to make such a special occasion picture perfect.

Pearls are basically Mother Nature’s product as a defense mechanism for oysters. When an irritant enters a mollusk, specifically the oyster, they begin to secrete special coatings called nacre to make the irritant smooth and bearable. As a result, the extra smooth luscious gem forms. It takes several years to form a substantial size of pearl the way we seem them in the market or in people’s jewelries today, which is why pearls are quite valuable. This complicated natural process of pearl-formation can very much reflect the complex and intimate character of your relationship.

Natural pearls are those that are formed naturally by wild oysters in the ocean, without the help of humans. Natural pearls are very rare these days, and are thus quite expensive. But if you can afford the extra expense, then you may very well get a natural pearl gift for your partner to illustrate the rarity of your love. If however, you cannot afford to buy expensive natural pearls, you can still very well get cultured pearls, which are also quite special

Cultured pearls are those that are formed with human intervention, but they are nevertheless still very genuine and precious. The difference is that humans are the ones who place irritants into the mollusk instead of them being accidentally implanted. The pearl formation process is still very similar as the one happening with wild oysters and it usually takes two to five years. The good thing about cultured pearls is that quality of shape and size of pearls can be ensured since humans know when irritants were implanted as well as their shape and texture.

Most pearls that can be bought today are already cultured pearls, whether they are seawater or freshwater ones. Nevertheless they still hold significant value as the process of creating them takes so much time and effort. Cultured pearls vary in price according to their size, luster, surface, color, and shape. It is important to scrutinize these characteristics to get the most value of a pearl you are vying to give as an anniversary gift.

When buying pearls it is important to examine the following:

The Nacre – this is the natural material that an oyster or mollusk secrets to make an irritant more tolerable. Nacre should not be thin because it can easily chip or peel. Pearls with thicker nacres are usually more expensive.

The Surface – pearls are generally more valued if their outer surface is devoid of blemishes and very clean. Excellent pearls often have mirror-like surfaces that shimmer very well, perfect as an anniversary gift.

The Size – Pearls are usually measured by their diameter in millimeters. As expected, larger pearls are usually more expensive than smaller ones. A difference of 1 millimeter can make a lot of difference in a pearl’s value.

The Color – Though most people think of pearls as being white or cream, there are other colors of pearls such as black, green, aqua, champagne, gray and even gold. It is important to match pearl color with a wearer’s preference especially if you are giving it as an anniversary gift.

The Shape – the symbol of perfection is a perfectly round pearl, thus round pearls are usually more expensive. But there are pearls that have novelty shapes and are considered valuable as well.

Pearls can definitely be perfect as an anniversary gift. So go ahead and shop around for that perfect pearl to make your sweetheart feel extra special on your anniversary.