Cheryl King Couture Headpieces, Veils, and Jewelry

Cheryl King Couture Look Book 2011-2012

2011-09-25T15:02:00.000-04:00

Exciting news! We've created a Look Book on our website! We realize that with our vast array of styles that it can be quite confusing to find our newest styles. 363 headpiece photos are shown our our Headpiece Designs pages...and we're not done adding the new styles to it yet! So please check back frequently for additions to our Look Book pages as we continue to update it throughout this season. We've included our headpieces, veils, lace veils and mantillas, earrings, bracelets, brooches, necklaces and beaded bridal belts in this section. Enjoy these few photos below, then hop on over to the site! We'd also like to give a special shout out to the following for all of their help in our latest photo shoot. Trust me...check them out-you'll adore them as we do!

Cheryl King Couture Look Book

Accessories: Cheryl King Couture
Gowns: Claire Pettibone
Photography: Leslie Privette Photographic Artist
Models: Carolina Talent

Photoshoot with Leslie Privette Photographic Artist

2011-09-14T22:27:00.000-04:00

Wow-I'm so excited! Our photo shoot with Leslie Privette Photographic Artist was so much fun yesterday...I hope that you enjoy this sneak preview of our couture headpieces, veils and jewelry as much as we do! Also, a very special thanks to Claire Pettibone for sending us the most amazing gowns to use. It was both an honor and a luxury-I cannot imagine any bride not wanting one of her amazing confections! Check out Leslie at http://www.leslieprivette.com

Made In America-25 Years Strong!

2011-09-08T20:18:00.000-04:00

There is a lot of hype about being "Made In America" right now. Guess what? I LOVE it! Did you know that we've been making our designs for 25 years in the good ol' USA?I've been advised, numerous times over the years, to have our designs mass produced for us overseas. I'd sure make a lot more profit, I can tell you that. However...it's just not in my DNA. Not at all. Call me stupid, stubborn, whatever- but I REFUSE. I KNOW how good our products are. Yes, it does cost more to have them made here. But it is worth it-it's that simple. Please support the USA-made designers out there. We are strong, talented, and love what we do. And we do it with a passion to make you happy.

Cheryl King Couture on the cover of Charlotte Weddings

2011-01-12T16:14:00.000-05:00

How exciting to find our beautiful Cheryl King Couture veil "Jewel" featured on the cover of Charlotte Weddings magazine!

Closeup of our lace in gold; also available in silver, ivory and diamond white.


Side view of our Cheryl King Couture veil 'Jewel'

We've included this lace in some yummy headpieces you may enjoy!

Noelle, featured in the silver lace.

Priscilla features silk petals, cubic zirconias and our gold lace.

Cheryl King Couture in Inside Weddings

2011-01-07T15:00:00.001-05:00

Our Cheryl King Couture design Mariah graces the pages of Inside Weddings Magazine, Winter 2011! Another amazing issue, as always, and we're honored to be included.

Mariah features gorgeous chunky Swarovski crystal and rhinestone leaves nestled in a fun spray of feathers, and is accented by a wonderful Swarovski marquis rhinestone cluster filigree. Here's a photo of it worn with our Savvy bubble veil and Icing Couture bracelet BC56B and earrings BC56E:

If you like our Mariah comb, here are a few other headpieces that you may enjoy as well!


Abigail

CarrieSP

Fran

Maureen

MaureenL

Mona headband and Icing Couture earrings SW110E

Samantha

Zoe

Cheryl King Couture in Destination Weddings and Honeymoons

2011-01-05T16:04:00.000-05:00

Our beautiful hand carved mother of pearl hairpin has been selected by the fashion editors of Destination Weddings and Honeymoons Worldwide Guide for 2011!

Here is a closeup photo of this beauty, accented with a gorgeous Grade AAA freshwater pearl.

If you love this style, here are some other mother of pearl flower selections that you will adore!

Addison

Heidi

Selena


Shelly

We've also designed some fabulous jewelry to perfectly complement these styles:

BA30B hand knotted Grade AA large pearls

KV26E

KV26N

KV28N

Couture Bridal Market October 2010, Days 3 & 4

2010-11-12T13:50:00.000-05:00

Well, as we headed into Sunday we were quite exhausted! A record number of visits and fabulous parties will do that to you. Actually, we were so fatigued that we decided to stay in and eat a wonderful meal at the hotel restaurant that evening, then head back to the suite. Party animals!!!

Monday barged in with a roar, as our visits with the media and our buyers was non-stop. I just LOVE seeing all our old friends and meeting new clients!

That evening, again running late (which is a very good thing indeed, yet why oh why does this working thingy have to put such a damper on our party life?) we headed out to a party hosted by the amazing Martha Stewart. What a wonderful touch to be serenaded as we entered!

The fun began as we entered and saw such a festive and fun atmosphere! A DJ was rocking the house, and stations were at the perimeter of the large room full of adventure. Of course, the bar was central so...off we went! (Imagine that). Tiny, fun treats were delivered by hand, including mini milkshakes in shooter glasses, tiny apple pies, bite sized ice cream cones, and an endless supply of other goodies.

Enjoy some of our photos below!

Entrance to the Martha Stewart party


Ronnie outside the entrance

Cheryl can't pass up a signature cocktail!

Ronnie with the Glitter lady.

Cheryl "getting her glitter on"

Now time for the false eyelashes!

Cheryl's turn at the eyelashes. Whew-this involves trust!

The Pipe Cleaner Lady is awesome!

Our pipe cleaner rings

Just a few shots in the Smilebooth!

The mugshot from NYPD...lol

There were so many other activities, including manicures by Essie, calligraphy, candy bar, ice cream station, whew...I just can't name them all!

We headed back to the suite, to rest before breaking down the showroom all day Tuesday and flying home to our wonderful families. What a fabulous trip we had!!!

Couture Bridal Market October 2010, Day 2

2010-11-10T13:30:00.003-05:00

Well, after very few hours of sleep, Ronnie and I hit it running. Literally, as we couldn't quite finish setting up, and our first appointment began at 9 am!

However, we did manage to turn the suite at the Essex House into a showroom. Here are some pics to prove it!

Part of the showroom with veils and jewelry (and Ronnie!)

Some beaded bridal belts, headpieces, veils and jewelry

Veil lined hallway towards the foyer and our private area

After our appointments ended later that evening, we visited the fabulous abode of gown designer Matthew Christopher, where he and the amazingly talented Lindsie Jones of Haute Bride hosted an intimate soiree. The only bummer part (yet not, as we were thrilled with all of our guests in the showroom!) was that our appointments ran into the evening and we had to arrive at the party so late! The food was yummy, the guests wonderful, and one of the best parts was that I was finally able to try Devotion Vodka!


Cheryl and Lindsie

Cheryl and Ronnie on the patio-Devotion Vodka cocktails in hand!

Couture Bridal Market October 2010, Day 1

2010-11-08T16:26:00.001-05:00

Well, we're still recuperating from the whirlwind NYC Couture Bridal Market last month! We had a phenomenal market, and had the most fun ever.

However...things got off to a very rough start! We arrived at RDU airport early, and were going through security (and getting full body scans!) as I received a text message from Delta, saying that our flight had been delayed for about 1.5 hours. Ok, not cool, but whatever. As we got to our gate, the time had changed yet again to after 11 am-around the time we planned to be on the ground at JFK.

Then it got better-they cancelled the flight. What??? We had a booked schedule every day and night, and it takes us 7-8 hours to set up! I began a mini-meltdown immediately. As we waited in line, and on terminal hold with Delta to reschedule simultaneously, I finally got through to a representative. OK, there was a flight on American landing around 1:30 or so. Cool. On hold again-wait, somehow we just got "unconfirmed" from that flight. Huh? The best they could do was have us leave at 4:30, fly to Memphis (?), and arrive at JFK at 11:45 pm. As I was trying to confirm this I reached the "live" attendant in line who said he could have us arrive by around 7 pm, direct flight to LaGuardia. Oh, and here's a $7 voucher for food.

So....we bided our time with a wonderful manicure and a very small cocktail. (It was medicinal, ok?)

Trust me-these are all Ronnie's. Would I lie to you? lol

Well, after another delay, we finally got into NYC via a very bumpy ride and a very small plane. We arrived at the Essex House around 8:30-9:00 pm and began changing to go to Grace Ormonde's party at The Plaza Hotel. Our wonderful doorman hailed a cab, and off we went. 2 blocks later the cab stopped at The Plaza! Ahhh....tourists. We had no idea! $8 please.

The Grace Ormonde party was absolutely exquisite, and the food amazing. We had a fabulous time, received our signed 10+ lb. copy of "being in love never goes out of style," by Ms. Ormonde. Then we WALKED back to the hotel, to begin setting up the suite as our showroom at 11 pm!

Here are some photos for you to enjoy (and drool over, if you weren't there!)

Ronnie at the entrance:

Entering the party:

The first room...

and the second.

Nothing less than exquisite from Grace Ormonde!

First stop was one of the bars (imagine that!) then on to the amazing feast, including an incredible sushi presentation and the most amazing carving station.

Lovely ice sculptures at one of the bars.

An amazing feast indeed.

Incredible sushi presentations

Ronnie and I enjoyed a photo op!

And a wonderful end to the evening as Ronnie was whisked off her feet on the dance floor (or was it the reverse?)

Asian Adventures: Dinner Meeting

2010-07-28T18:26:00.000-04:00

So sorry for the delay-luckily we've been swamped and I haven't had time to blog.

Back on track with the Asian Adventures: J and I had a meeting with some possible vendors, and we were excited to meet them. We were picked up in a taxi and whooshed (is that a word?) away! I was crammed in the back of our tiny cab with 2 others, and our driver thought he was in a Nascar race. Amid many horrified moments I endured was when the girl next to me decided that she was car sick and needed to vomit. Those of you who know me understand that I am totally, emphatically and undeniably freaked out by this natural occurrence. My immediate response was to insist that I be let out of the car immediately. Well, the driver laughed, while everyone searched for plastic bags, as we were going about Mach 2 in heavy traffic. I did not care that I had no idea where I was, that I was in the middle of the road with cars hurtling by us on both sides; I only knew that our bodies were practically enmeshed together and I would end up wearing it. I freaked her out so badly that she managed to contain it! I think I really impressed them...

Hours later, we wrapped up sketches for casting settings and cubic zirconia cuttings, and they were going to treat us to dinner. Oh boy! I was starving.

We walked to the restaurant, a mere few blocks away. Imagine my surprise to find our dinner options outside the door! Yummy frogs, snakes, etc. happily wiggling away.

I decided that maybe I wasn't very hungry, after all. Plain white rice, please! Our gracious hosts were determined to order a feast, and I had my very own "A Christmas Story" experience. They brought out a rooster, cooked, head and all-including that little wiggly red part! I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. (Now, I don't mean any disrespect at all-just coming from America these things were outside of my normal existence.) Everyone looked at me, and I explained to J why I was laughing. She told them, and again, just like the movie, someone came over and whacked off the head, right there at the table. "Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra, ra, ra..." kept circling in my warped head!

Then I really, really expressed my professionalism. I broke down in tears at the table. Yes, I did. I was just so outside of my element, and felt so undeniably weak. I missed my husband and sons terribly, was in a land on the other side of the world where I couldn't speak the language and stomach the food. I had an all out "Pity Party," right there at the table. (At least it wasn't wailing, just a stream of tears that I couldn't shut off.) I just told J to explain to them that I was homesick and excused myself.

After a few minutes, I pulled myself together and came back to the table. I guess I just needed a meltdown, because after that, and a few Pearl River Beers, things began looking up! All in all, I think I did America proud! (NOT)

Asian Trip, Day 1

2010-06-23T17:57:00.001-04:00

Well, after our adventures at the massage parlor and eating in the alley, the first day arrived with a bang. Or more realistically, a wheeze. J came to my door that morning with her face gray and wheezing away. She could barely speak, and ran to my bathroom sink to run hot water and try to breathe the steam to help. Now I find out that she had asthma, but hadn't had an attach in over 10 years. So....she didn't bring any meds for it. I was terrified, and explained to her that I didn't know if there was the equivalent of "911" there, and if there was I wouldn't know how to ask for help, as I didn't speak Chinese. I had visions of her collapsing right there...then what?

So her brilliant conclusion was that we MUST search for snake venom. Yes, snake venom. When she lived there she said it cured every ailment that she ever had. Ok then. Snake venom.

We pounded the streets looking for a pharmacy. Well, actually she just about slithered, but we finally found one. Snake venom in hand, back to the hotel! Interestingly, we noticed no improvement at all as we sat around all morning. I finally insisted that she find medical help. We went to the hotel desk and she inquired, yet she kept being asked to wait while others checked in and out.

With visions of a dead J dancing in my head, she was able to get an address for a hospital. I was to wait in my room until she called me. Thank God she advised me to pack granola bars, Rice Krispy Treats, etc! Hours later she phoned me, and eventually came back to the hotel looking much better. Asthma, plus a lung infection. The really interesting part was the treatment: she came back with about 10 I.V. bags and a bagful of various medicines. Western medicine, at that! Apparently it is common there for them to send you home with the I.V. bags, and you take them with you daily for treatments in a huge room full of others also being treated. And she brought back some treats!

So we did the next logical thing: went in search of goodies! Yes, meetings with cubic zirconia cutters and places that make the metal castings that get set with the cz's and Swarovski crystals. I'm sure that being locked in very small rooms hours on end with everyone smoking did wonders for her illnesses...

Asian Trip, Part Deux

2010-06-18T15:25:00.003-04:00

Well, after we finally got settled in our hotel around 2 am, J suggested that we go and get foot massages at a place she knew that was open all night. Although a bit nervous, I was in! I must say that it was the best massage EVER! For one hour, we sat and had our feet and legs massaged. First they brought out huge wooden tubs of steaming water with assorted herbs and flowers for us to soak our feet. While they soaked, they massaged our back and neck. Then all sorts of fabulous things happened to our feet, which refreshed us greatly. Below is one of the many photos they asked us to take of them.

However, our peaceful respite was suddenly disturbed by first girls, then men, then police running by the room (there were large windows to see out.) Our girls ran out into the hall to see what was up. Apparently, one of the local mafia (their words, not mine-who knows?) decided he wanted a, shall we say, more inventive massage and the masseuse refused. A struggle ensued, and her arm was injured. Let's just say that the water I was drinking suddenly became a little less potent than I desired at that point! Heck, I was almost ready to suck the remaining Maker's Mark out of my clothes, but I worried about glass shards...

We safely left, after paying about $7 USD for both of our massages (talk about a deal!)

Then to what became our favorite hangout after working all day: the alley! There were these little restaurants, all open to the alleyway. As you walked up they pulled out random wooden or plastic tables and chairs for you to sit in. First on the menu: Pearl River Beer! Actually I learned to love it while I was there. AND it only cost about $0.125 each after the bottle refund for a litre.

The next event was quite strange to me. Porcelain bowls, glasses, wooden chopsticks and a teapot full of steaming herbed water were placed on our table. J showed me the deal: you apparently had to disinfect your own eating and drinking apparatus. We poured the herbed water into the glasses and swirled it around the entire glass several times. We then poured it from the glasses into the bowls. Next step: submerge the drinking side of the glass into said water to get that part well, then swirl around the eating end of the chopsticks. When that process is done, you simply dump it on the ground.

Several dishes were ordered by J, but I stuck to my sustenance during most of the trip: a wonderful "hot and sour" potato dish. They were julienned and stir fried with some scallions and a few red peppers, along with some seasoning I don't have any idea about. I loved this because my idea of meat is quite different than the local fare of a little bit of mystery meat on a bone, which J would pop in her mouth and literally suck the meat off of before spitting the bone on the ground. Needless to say, I dropped about 10 pounds during the few weeks that I was there!

We enjoyed all of this as we watched the rats run on the power lines above us and dogs run around (of which I was leery as they apparently don't get many rabies shots there, or so I was told.)

Around 4:30 am we stumbled, er... walked, back to the hotel for some rest.

Here's a pic of our chef and staff (note the rubber wading boots...) and J. You can see the lady in the pink shirt leaning on our chair, directly behind her is the kitchen, and to the right is another restaurant. I wonder what their rating is?

Asian Trip, Part 1

2010-06-17T16:31:00.007-04:00

The view from my hotel room in China.

Well, I am asked to tell stories from my Asian trip constantly, so I thought I'd blog some of them. Now, I travel a lot, but this is a very long trip! And we were heading out into rural areas, so I was a little nervous. I went and got all of my shots (feeling rather sympathetic towards my dogs, er, fuzzy babies, at the vets.) My fantastic doctor asked if I was OK flying, and I admitted that although I was married to a pilot it wasn't my favorite thing. He prescribed Ambien, stating it worked wonders for his wife.

Well, I left early one day and flew to Minneapolis to meet my guide (we'll call her "J".) Of course, after getting to the local airport a couple of hours early, then flying a few more, I had several hours to *enjoy* the Minneapolis airport. I was already exhausted by the time we boarded our flight to Narita International Airport in Japan.

We didn't get to sit together, but were a few rows apart. Of course, we were in the cattle section, gazing longingly at the upstairs first class area. J suggested cocktails, but I was afraid that I'd wake up dead after taking the Ambien and passed. Oh, how I regret that...as I never slept for one minute the entire 12-13 (or 98 bazillion it felt like) hour flight! I believe that the airline was attempting to freeze dry us as we passed over the North Pole, as I've never been so cold in my entire life. Meanwhile, J began coughing up a lung, or so it seemed.

By the time we landed in Tokyo, J was grey and could hardly breathe. Lovely. Please keep in mind that I do not speak a work of Japanese or Chinese at this point, but she was fluent in several dialects so I felt safe. Huh. She decided that we should spend our time in the crowded smoking room, while she did her best to inhale between coughs and gags. After a lovely layover we boarded again for another 5 hour flight to China.

And did I mention that J developed a fear of flying during this trip????

After landing and getting our luggage, I noticed a strong smell. Hmmm...smells like Bourbon. Maker's Mark, perhaps? Luckily my suitcase was dry, so my emergency stash was just fine. As we walked among the stares and wrinkled noses to customs, J then had to argue with them, stating that she just had allergies. They finally let us in the country.

Well, it was the middle of the night (imagine that.) There were not very many cabs, and J insisted on arguing with all of them about the rate to get us to our hotel. We finally got to the hotel, and as the cabbie opened the trunk for our luggage, he started screaming in Chinese. Somehow his trunk was full of a 5th of bourbon! We had to pay him about $50 USD value to get him to stop screaming at us. Now, where to find a cleaners in the middle of the night, as all my clothes were soaked and glass shard coated????

For the next blog I'll address the run in with the Chinese Mafia at the massage parlor later that night...

Couture Bridal Market April 2010

2010-06-10T11:55:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos of our showroom last April in NY at the Essex House for the Couture Bridal Market. It was so wonderful to see all of our friends!

Cheryl King Couture in Charlotte Weddings Spring/Summer 2010

2010-06-08T16:37:00.001-04:00

Here are a few photos featuring Cheryl King Couture and Cheryl King for Icing Couture styles in the Spring/Summer 2010 issue of Charlotte Weddings Magazine.

June 2010 Destination Weddings and Honeymoons features Cheryl King Couture designs

2010-06-07T18:09:00.000-04:00

Here are a few of the editorials featuring Cheryl King Couture for this month. We hope that you enjoy them!

From the fabulous Destination Weddings and Honeymoons May/June, 2010 issue:

Our Fuzzy Staff

2010-06-02T15:36:00.000-04:00

Since I've been thinking about pets and weddings, I thought that I would introduce you to our "Fuzzy" staff members today.

Above is our Quality Control Manager, Savannah. Her interests include singing, sniffing and playing with "woobies."

Bailey is our Invoicing Manager, and enjoys new "onesies," barking and a good burger.

Delilah is our newest fuzzy employee, and is still getting her feel for her specialty. She enjoys licking, bouncing and playing with everyone.

And our model, Rhiannon, was with us for many fabulous years (1986-1998) and we still miss her today.

Although I must admit that they have very sporadic attendance at work, every day they do grace us with their presence in the studio is a very happy day!

Fuzzy Babies and Your Wedding

2010-06-01T17:51:00.001-04:00

Well, the big day is approaching, and you realize that it just wouldn't be complete without your ever-faithful, loving and bestest-ever friend...your pet. How best to include them?

There are several different resources on the internet to help you, and here are a few of our favorites:
Martha Stewart
Wedaholic.com
USA Today

But more fun that that, here are some adorable photos! If you have some photos that you would like us to include in a future post featuring your sweet and fuzzy babies, please email them to info@cherylkingltd.com for consideration!

And we laughed...

2010-05-28T15:06:00.003-04:00

A few years ago (OK, maybe a little more than a few!) I was in my early-mid 30's and went to the Clarins counter at the mall. I'd gotten to know the lady behind the counter, and we became chummy. (In case you are not aware, I am a certified cosmetics junkie, and at this time a die hard Clarins addict.) I would go in about once a month, and she'd give me a wonderful facial and show me products that I simply could not survive on this earth without.

Let's just call the associate "Kim" to protect those who are innocent.

While indulging in said facial, "Kim" told me a very funny story. She spoke of her manager who was in her mid 40's, and although obviously pampered the skin on her face and body, began to show signs of aging. The manager had gone to a sales meeting and was asked if she just arrived at work. With a questioning face, she said that she had been at work for hours. "Oh," the man said, "It looks like you just woke up."

Said manager went into the restroom to look in the mirror, and to her chagrin there were still pillow marks on her face!

Ah, the joys of vanishing collagen. Well, "Kim" and I just laughed and laughed at this incredible story.

Karma has entered my world, folks. Beware of what you laugh at today, for tomorrow you may carry around your pillowcase wrinkles all day!

Flowers everywhere!

2010-05-27T16:21:00.002-04:00

Well, flowers are in bloom everywhere in wedding accessories! From petite and subtle pieces to lavish floral accessories, this trend is here to stay for awhile.

Our "Rose Garden" hatinator has been wildly successful, with very large silk, organdy and velvet petals accented by feather wisps floating upon feathered layers of illusion creating a hat effect.

"Eileen" is more demure with a smaller version of the flower in "Rose Garden," yet still dramatic in its own right.

"Dorothy" combines many elements for a fresh take on a floral piece, with French illusion wisps, jeweled centered flowers, and beaded swirl accents.

Whatever your style, there is sure to be a flower accent for you!

Pearl Luster, Overtone and Matching

2010-05-26T10:39:00.000-04:00

LUSTER

Luster is the brightness and clarity of the reflection of the light through the many layers of the nacre of the pearl. If layers are applied uniformly by the mollusk, with few impurities or disruptions to the layering pattern, light can reach more deeply into the pearl and reflect back outwards in a brighter, more coherent (clear) reflection. The more impurities or broken layers, the fuzzier the reflection will be. This is, by most gemologists' standards, the most critical point in judging the beauty, rarity and value of a pearl.

OVERTONE

Overtone is the secondary color of a pearl. A pearl may have a neutral or silver overtone, as seen in the pearl in the middle in the photo, but oftentimes pearls will have hints of either pink or green, as shown to either side of the neutral pearl.

MATCHING

Matching is a direct indicator of how much time, care and effort was invested in creating a fine piece of jewelry. Even for simple stud earrings, "true twins" are very rare, simply because between two pearls even slight differences are more visible!

COLOR

SIZE

SHAPE

LUSTER

OVERTONE

SURFACE QUALITY

ORIENT

MATCH FACTORS

Pearl Sizes and Colors

2010-05-25T13:35:00.003-04:00

SIZES

Pearls are measured in diameter in units of millimeters. Freshwater pearls usually measure between 4.0 mm - 10.0 mm, as seen on the left. All else equal (luster, surface quality, shape, etc.), large pearls do command a much higher value than small pearls. The large pearl as seen on the bottom took 6 years to create. Good roundness is contingent on the mollusk itself repeatedly making consistent and uniform coatings over the same pearl for however long the farmer nucleates. It's a great risk to let the nucleation continue for so many years, as one bad storm could destroy an entire crop in a matter of hours. For the pearl farmer, there is also considerable financial investment involved in waiting longer to harvest the pearls and take them to market.

COLORS

Surprisingly, pearls naturally occur in a grand variety of bright and beautiful colors. The majority of any given harvest is either white or cream, however, often found are peach, lavender, purple, and, to a lesser degree, pink. The rarer colors include blue, green, and gold. The rarest "color" we have ever found we have named "true mirror", as the body color is overtaken by the highest degree of luster we have ever seen in the world, to the extent that we honestly cannot tell what color it would have been had it been an average pearl. Out of the millions of pearls which have passed before our eyes, we have found only two "true mirror" pearls.

courtesy Kiyojo

Post Harvest

2010-05-24T11:16:00.005-04:00

Post Harvest

First the pearls are thoroughly washed and disinfected, then broadly separated into three groups:

REJECTS

Use: Powderized and recycled

as nutrient for pearl farms

COMMERCIAL

Use: Cosmetics, Chinese medicines

and low-end jewelry

JEWELRY

Use: Further sorting and matching is

required to create pearl jewelry

courtesy Kiyojo

Pearl Farming

2010-05-21T16:50:00.002-04:00

What is Pearl Farming?

Pearl Farms are natural bodies of water used to raise mollusks or oysters for the purpose of culturing pearls. The mollusks are placed in protective cages and suspended in water by balloons or netting. The pearl farmers keep the water free of pollutants, regulate the nutrients in the water, and watch over the health of the mollusks. Pictured above is Cheryl King at one of the local pearl farms.

Time

Pearls may be nucleated for a period spanning 2 to 6 years. The longer left underwater, the larger the pearl becomes.

But if larger pearls are more valuable, why not wait 6 years for all crops? Factors such as climate, weather, environment, mollusk health, and market demands all play a role in deciding the right time to harvest.

The longer the mollusk is kept underwater, the higher the chance something could go wrong, and the lower the chance that the resulting pearl, after countless coatings of nacre, is round. Indeed, sometimes smaller pearls, if all other quality indicators are present, are more rare and valuable than oddly shaped larger ones.

Freshwater Pearl Composition

2010-05-21T11:20:00.001-04:00

PEARL COMPOSITION

Nacre, the material which comprises a pearl, is chemically known as calcium carbonate. Nacre platelets are emited from the mollusk and bond over the surface of the pearl via an organic bonding agent known as conchiolin. This gradual layering effect can be seen in this microscopic image.

courtesy Kiyojo

Asian Origins of Freshwater Pearls

2010-05-20T11:11:00.005-04:00

Chinese historical records dating from 2300 B.C. tell of pearls being given to royalty, although record of the initial discovery is quite unknown. Pearls have been prized throughout both Western and Eastern history as gems of rarity, value and beauty, reserved for high royalty and nobility.

To the left, shell pearls in the image of Buddha can be seen as an example of historical Chinese ingenuity in the practice of pearl culturing.

Image Courtesy: American Museum of Natural Science and Royal Ontario Museum

courtesy Kiyojo

Freshwater Pearl Creation

2010-05-19T16:53:00.006-04:00

CREATION

In tissue-nucleated freshwater pearl culturing, the creation of a pearl requires two mollusks, a donor and a host. A small piece of mantle tissue, taken from the donor mollusk, is inserted into the host mollusk. As well known in urban legend, the introduction of a foreign object stimulates the production of nacre, or pearl essence, from the host mollusk. The nacre is emited in platelets which bond over the surface of the object, forming a series of crystalline layers, as can be seen in the photo to the right.

Discovery of Pearl Culturing

The art of "culturing" a pearl was discovered in 1893 by a Japanese named Kokichi Mikimoto. He began selling his cultured pearls in 1899 in the world-famous shopping district of Ginza, Edo(modern-day Tokyo). Cultured pearls were an innovation which took many long years full of scientific challenges and cultural barriers to their acceptance as authentic. By the early 1900's, Mikimoto's long labor was eventually recognized for it's genius and his pearl cultuing techniques are now utilized all over the world(but mainly within Asia) to generate over 98% of the world's pearl supply.

courtesy Kiyojo

We've arrived!

2010-05-19T16:28:00.004-04:00

Finally, we've entered the world of blogging! Although a bit intimidating, we hope to be able to provide more detailed information than we do on our Facebook and Twitter accounts. We'll delve into choosing the best headpiece and veil for different body types and formalities, as well as some interesting details on freshwater pearls, etc. Enjoy!