Wardrobe Wire conducted in an interview with Pearl and Gem expert, Michelle Buettner. Ever wondered how to tell a real from a fake? What type of pearl to wear with what occasion? Men, need help buying the perfect gift for your lady? Look no further!
1. Was there a specific moment in your life which you fell in love with pearls and gemstones, thus making it passion?
I remember loving them as a little girl. When I got my first pay check after graduating high school and going to work, the first thing I purchased for myself was a gold and pearl ring with two tiny diamonds! I still have that ring!
2. How can a girl tell if the pearls her boyfriend just gave her are of good quality or poor?
If he’s given her cultured freshwater pearls, not faux, crystal or glass pearls, you can usually tell if the pearls are of good quality by how they appear to the naked eye. If the pearls have a high luster and are free of pits, mars and chips, they are probably just fine. Good quality vs. poor quality in pearls isn’t as easy to spot or get a straight answer on as other gemstones in the jewelry world. And then, of course, everyone wants to know if the ‘tooth test’ really works. The answer is, “most of the time”, but there are new pearls out there that pass that test now – so beware!
3. What type of pearl or gemstone do you think goes best with each occasion and why:
This is a trick question, one that most of us are often lured into by fancy marketing ads! Pearls should be chosen according to your skin type – meaning, which pearls compliment your skin tone and color best. Take me, for example, I look awful in those huge, beautiful, yellow South Sea Pearls, which are some of the most expensive pearls on earth because I have a lot of yellow pigment in my skin, so they just clash or blend in and don’t ‘pop’. I look much better in the blues, greens or rose color of the Tahitian pearls. Also, there are the pinkish or slightly cream colored white pearls.
Just like all other fashion, you should not only find which pearl colors suite you best, but which jewelry styles compliment your face shape. And, always stay true to your own personal trademark style. This way you can never go wrong – even when you “play” a little with colors and trends.
But, to give some ‘traditionally accepted’ pearls or styles to the below scenarios, here goes:
1. A Summer Wedding
2. A Fall Wedding
3. A Winter Wedding
4. A Spring Wedding
I’m going to lump all the Weddings together to answer this one…There is no one style of jewelry, whether it’s pearls, diamonds, sapphires, etc., that truly go best with any season. It all depends on your style of wedding. Is it in Hawaii on the beach, is it in NYC in a grand Chapel, is it a morning, afternoon or evening wedding, is it 200 guests, or 2 guests, a casual wedding or a formal wedding? And then, most importantly, it depends on you, the bride, and your personal style and what dress you’re wearing - there’s so many variations that could be prefect – the options are truly endless!! (But hopefully you’re not having an outdoor wedding in Central Park in December in two feet of snow wearing a bikini and sarong draped with pearls and see shells!)
5. Valentine's Day Date – Something sexy – like pearl earrings that dust your bare shoulders in your strapless dress!
6. A Christmas Party – Something with pearls and crystals!
7. A Job Interview – Depends on the job. Marketing for MTV - Rock ‘em! Analyst for Intel – demure it up, baby!
8. A Blind Date – Arm candy. Lot’s of pearl arm candy! (unless you’re going skateboarding!!)
9. Prom – Again, it’s a dress and location type of thing – use your head and ask Wardrobe Wire!
4. If one was going to travel the world in search of THE best pearls, where would you advise them to go and why? Tahiti! Personally, I like the colors the best and their size is impressive! But, if they like the smaller, classic whites (Mikimoto’s), they should go to Japan.
5. Where do you go to find the pearls and gemstones that you use in making your jewelry? I search out reputable dealers at the Tucson Gem and Mineral shows, such as Majestic Pearl, American Shell Co., King’s Ransom and some others.
6. Where can someone buy your jewelry? Online at www.MiShelDesigns.com
7. Do you have any future endeavors planned that you want to share with Wardrobe Wire? I’d like to put together a question/answer segment on my blog for people to come and ask not only pearl questions, but jewelry questions in general. And of course, I’d love to have a few of my designs in magazines or on a celebrity or two!
8. Do men ever contact you for advise on how to buy the perfect stones for their significant other? Yes, they do. A smart man watches and listens for clues through out the year from his honey, and is able to answer the questions I’ll ask him in order to get the perfect jewelry gift for her!
Thank You, Michelle! The Wardrobe Wire Squad loves a woman who works with jewels on a daily basis. Lucky you!
