Pearl jewelry catches attention because of its uncomplicated and serene elegance. It may seem like an oxymoron, but sometimes the simplest things are the ones that are the most attractive. A look at a simple pearl earring, a representative example of pearl jewelry, is enough to dispel all doubt.

In fact, for many kinds of pearl jewelry, the operating principle is "the simpler the better." At times a single pearl can even say much more than a dozen pearls all lined up. This is why some consider pearl jewelry to be even more beautiful than diamond, more valuable and timeless.

Pearls are formed when a foreign object, such as a grain of sand, becomes trapped in an oyster or mussel. The grain becomes coated with layers of a smooth, crystalline substance known as nacre. Over time this natural process produces the luminescent gem known as a pearl. Most pearls used in making pearl jewelry are cultured, meaning oysters are injected with irritants in order to induce nacre production. Finely-cultured pearls are rare, and they fetch an exorbitant price.

The mysterious glamour of natural South Sea pearls has prompted new combinations among necklaces of various colors and sizes. There is a growing demand for these pearls, as well as an increasing need to know more about pearls in general.

Remember Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady", and as Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"? She wore such simple pearl jewelry, and yet they made her face shine. Pearls bring glamour to a woman's face, catch the light and trap it in to create a very suffused glow not unlike a halo. Translucence is also a mystical quality of pearls, evoking mystery and sophistication in the wearer.

Due to its timeless elegance, pearl jewelry never falls out of fashion. They can be worn with almost anything; after all they serve to accentuate more the healthy color of the skin rather than the clothes a person wears.