• "Next to sound judgment, diamonds and pearls are the rarest things in the world."--Jean de la Bruyerepearls... image by Maida Terzic from Fotolia.com
  
  The white luster of pearls and their oceanic birth has given rise to an association between pearls, the moon, and purity. If you wish to bestow a gift of beauty and value on someone, pearls convey a strong message of your esteem for that person. Depending on how much you wish to spend, you may choose either natural or cultured pearls.
  
  

White Pearls

• A hint of soft white glow at the earlobes glimpsed behind strands of hair--pearl earrings are one of the most discreet and subtle of jewelry statements. Whether you select simple pearl stud earrings, or pearls combined with a twist of silver or a frame of gold, this is a gift for a woman who prefers simple jewelry of true value. Many parents select pearl earrings with their message of purity as a gift for a teenage girl. White pearl jewelry has a strong association with weddings. Grooms sometimes gift their brides with a strand of white pearls to wear on the day of their union. Also, some brides will give a simple pearl on a delicate silver or gold chain as a gift to their attendants. Add-a-pearl necklaces provide an economic way to give one pearl at a time letting a woman gradually accumulate more of these jewels.
  
  

Black Pearl Jewelry

• A touch more mysterious than white pearls, like the dark moon rather than the full moon, black pearls often appeal to women who appreciate something a bit more unusual. Give her a strand of black pearls to wear around her neck, or a black pearl bracelet.
  
  

Pearls for Other Purposes

• If selecting a gift for a devout Catholic, you may want to give a pearl rosary. These come in a variety of colors. For a person interested in gemstone healing, give a healing potion containing less expensive types of pearls ground into powder. Pearls have long been held to hold curative powers for a host of body-mind imbalances ranging from lowered libido to diabetes. Composed of calcium carbonate, pearls may indeed offer some health benefits.