Evaluating Pearl Strands

Take a woman's age and body type into account when helping her find the right necklace. Something just didn't look right in the photograph of my good friend. Everything was in focus, her smile was wonderful, but something was wrong. Her necklace threw me off – it didn't frame her face correctly.

Choosing the right necklace isn't hard. Several factors steer this decision, including age, body shape and body composition.

Gauge by Age: Generally speaking, a woman's age plays a distinct role in determining the length of the necklace she should choose. Younger women with youthful skin should wear necklaces closer to the throat to show off their smooth skin. The gauge or thickness of the necklace should be narrow. Smaller pearls show best on youthful necklines. Pendants and charms should be on the small side too. Younger women who wear bigger, wider and flashier necklaces can look like they're trying to play "dress up" with their mother's jewelry. Older women will want longer chains and necklaces to draw attention away from the neck and any apparent imperfections. Eighteen to 24 inches is a good general length. Gemstones or pendants should be two or more inches below the neckline. The longer necklace "elongates" the neck and frames the hair and face, creating an overall pleasing look. These women can wear bigger and wider chains and necklaces. Pearls and beads should be in excess of 7mm. Keeping size proportional, charms and pendants should be larger too.

Composition Class

Composition Class: After considering age, overall body composition, especially of the neck and the face, is important in choosing the right necklace. Most of the time, I follow these guidelines
Short neck: Wear chains starting two inches below the collarbone.
Heavy or thick neck: Wear larger chains and necklaces, especially graduated and 18 inches and longer.
Long thin neck: Have this customer try a triple strand of pearls, with the shortest strand hugging the base of the throat. The pearls should taper up with the curve of the throat. Avoid V-shaped chains. Softer, rounder necklaces are good, such as an 8mm-10mm omega.
Bony neck: Medium to large necklaces. Avoid the base of the neck, the necklace should fall at least one inch below the collarbone.
Soft, contoured, fleshy neck: Show this customer a "hard" necklace. Segmented is good, and it should be close to the base of the neck. Try making a statement with an angular pendant.
Wide-based neck: Use flexible chains that drape well. Be sure the center is at least one inch below the collar bone. This customer is a good candidate for a longer chain. A 24-30-in. necklace helps negate the wideness at the base of her neck. A graduated necklace – very thin around the side of the neck and much larger below the collarbone – will add visual balance.

Necklace Lengths

Choker: At 17-19 inches, the princess-length pearl necklace makes a perfect chain for a pendant or pearl enhancer. It looks great with crew neck tops, and works beautifully for both high necklines and daringly low ones.

Matinee: This mid-length pearl necklace, at 20-24 inches, is great with a business suit or a dress. It's not as formal as an opera-length strand or as short as a choker, but is still perfect on its own.

Opera: Perfect for a night at the opera or any other dress-up occasion, the opera pearl strand is 28-34 inches in length.

Rope: At over 45 inches long, the rope pearl is very luxurious!