Which necklace style is appropriate with this outfit? Should I use a long necklace or a short necklace will be better suited? The following list describes the most common necklace lengths and how to use them.

Collar — 12-13 inches in length Collars are usually made up of two or more strands and lie snugly on the middle of the neck. Collars are an ideal complement to elegant V-neck, boat neck or off the shoulder fashions.

Choker — 14-16 inches in length A choker is perhaps the most classic and versatile of all the single strand lengths and is designed to lie around the base of the neck. It is appropriate with everything from casual to formal eveningwear, and complements any neckline imaginable. Is the perfect length to add subtle elegance to your workday paired with a button-down shirt, yet just as stylish with a cocktail dress. This is a good necklace length for a child. This way the necklace has "growth room".

Princess — 17-19 inches in length The princess length necklace is best suited for crew and high necklines. It also complements low plunging necklines. This is an excellent choice if you are not certain which strand length is most appropriate and is the perfect necklace length for a pendant.

Matinee — 20-24 inches in length The matinee necklace is the right choice for casual or business dressing. It looks best with high necklines and adds sophistication to a professional look. The matinee length is also very well suited for fancier wear such as long sundresses and formal gowns. The extra length of the matinee necklace gives the wearer a sense of luxury and confidence. It certainly may dress up an outfit.

Opera — 28-34 inches in length The opera necklace offers many attractive options. Can be worn as a single strand, it is refined and perfect for high or crew necklines. Can be doubled upon itself and serves as a versatile two-strand choker. It can be knotted at the neckline or above the bust to create a stylish vintage look. Traditionally, opera length necklaces are worn with eveningwear, although can be used to accessorize more casual attires.

Rope or Lariat — Over 45 inches in length The rope necklace is very elegant and dangerously sexy. It can be made with several clasps placed in strategic locations, enabling it to be broken down into different necklace and bracelet combinations, or doubled and even tripled to create a stunning multi-strand choker. This versatile length may also be tied in a knot for a charming modern look. Ropes can also be knotted and slung over the shoulder to accentuate the beauty of a backless dress. Lariats are at last 48 inches long, with the ends left unattached for knotting or wrapping around the neck.

Now that you know all about necklaces lengths make sure you include all of them in your wardrobe so you don’t have to worry about not having the right one when you need it.

Topaz is a gem that has a long history of being associated with the sun. This is because the colors of a sunrise or sunset are captured in this gem. Egyptians thought that wearing an amulet or pendant of topaz provided protection by the sun god Ra to the wearer. The Romans associated topaz with the sun god Jupiter, and felt that topaz was a powerful bringer of good fortune and positive events.

Many cultures historically believed that wearing topaz allows you to be clear of vision and thought, and to be able to ward off evil spells or enchantments. Historically it was also believed to give the wearer almost super-human strengths and abilities when in emergency or crisis situations. In ancient times many nobles wore topaz, as it was believe to change color when in the presence of poison. They often wore it in rings and placed their hands over their food or drink to see if it had been meddled with. Topaz was also thought to gain strength with the phases of the moon, and thought to cure some diseases and conditions such as insomnia, respiratory problems and some blood disorders.

In more modern tradition, topaz is the birthstone for those born in the month of November. While a very hard stone, it can be split fairly easily if hit at the right angle.

Colors

Topaz naturally comes in many different colors. The most recognized color of topaz is an amber or gold color, with highlights of peach, tans, browns or shades of orange. A cognac color of topaz is slightly darker than the amber shade, and tends to have more of the brown highlights.

The largest topaz is the Braganza topaz. It is found in set in the Portuguese Crown, and was originally thought to be a large diamond. This topaz, while called white topaz, is really colorless and is the most common type, found in China, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Nigeria and India.

Pink topaz occurs naturally in Pakistan and Russia, and is occasionally found in other locations. Pink topaz is usually pale pink; anything that is described as “hot pink” or “bright pink” is artificially treated or heated to produce the enhanced color. Heating some shades of pink topaz will remove the orange color and will leave a lavender colored gem.

Brown, red, dark pink, yellow, orange and sherry colored topaz are found naturally in Brazil and Sri Lanka. Heating and enhancing of these different naturally occurring colors can lead to a wide variety of darker shades and truly unique colors.

Pale topaz can be irradiated in a lab to create a blue topaz. The color of this gem is very pale to medium blue, and is not a dark blue color. The pale topaz needed to make a blue topaz is found in Sri Lanka, China, Brazil and Nigeria.

In 1998, gemologists began surface-enhancing pale topaz to create a green topaz. This topaz ranges in color from a leaf green to an emerald green. Again, this is not a naturally occurring gem and requires surface-enhancement to produce the color.

The Pacific Ocean is home to the black-lipped oysters that produce large Tahitian pearls. The ocean waters are warm, and this allows the oysters to grow much larger than in other areas, thus producing larger pearls. Tahitian oysters are farmed in large sheltered lagoons that are kept free of pollution and overcrowding. Water temperatures and nutritional levels, as well as environmental and biological conditions are monitored carefully. These well cared for oysters are responsible for producing the beautiful Tahitian Pearls.

How a Tahitian pearl is formed

Aragonite, which is a form of calcium carbonate, is secreted by the pearl oyster. This substance coats the inside of the oyster shell and produces the “mother-of-pearl” lining. It also forms the layers of the pearl. The oyster can produce aragonite secretions up to four times a day with each secretion forming another layer. The layers are about one micron or 0.001mm thick. Tahitian oyster live for about two years which means they produce up to about two thousand layers; more than most other pearls. The light passes through these multiple microscopic layers and is reflected and refracted to produce a shimmering effect. This shimmering creates magnificent colors which seem to travel and move throughout the pearl. This is part of what makes the Tahitian pearl so unique.

Criteria

Pearls are graded based on certain criteria. These are:

• Size – the expensive pearls are the larger ones. The Robert Wan Pearl is the largest Tahitian Pearl and it measured over 20.92mm or 13/16 of an inch in diameter. Tahitian pearls usually measure between 9mm and 14mm and are considerably larger than Chinese or Japanese pearls.

• Pearl Thickness – layers surrounding the nucleus.

• Shape – round pearls are the most sought after and cannot vary more than 2% from being perfectly spherical. Tahitian pearls can also be semi-round and semi-baroque.

• Surface Purity – surface imperfections on the pearl.

• Quality – the luster and the imperfections of the pearl.

• Brilliance – the orient and the luster of the pearl. The orient, which is the shimmering quality of the pearl, is very noticeable in Tahitian pearls.

Colors

Although Tahitian pearls are naturally black, they are very unique in their coloration. The pearls highlights can be silver and even gold. The overtones on a Tahitian pearl can be blue, purple and even green. The variations in the colors of the pearls make very striking jewelry when combined with other gemstones and metals.