For years, pearls have been prized for their beauty; pearls have been ornaments to royalty and criminals alike. Regarded with great value in China, Greece, Europe and the Americas, these jewels have always been a popular choice as highly valued gems. With their variety of designs, we’ll show you how to choose the right kind of pearl earrings for the right occasion. Pearls are naturally formed when a foreign irritant enters the shell of an oyster - the oyster excretes calcium carbonate that forms in layers around the irritant and ultimately produces what we know as the pearl. Natural pearls are irregular in shape and rarely can you find naturally formed pearls that are symmetrical or acceptably shaped. Cultured pearls, on the other hand, are easily grown into acceptable shapes and sizes. Before you go about learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion, it is imperative that you learn how to spot quality pearl drop earrings. Judging a pearl requires consideration of a few factors - color, overtones, size, luster, shape and surface quality. The color of a pearl can range from white, cream, silver, blue, pink, gold and black. Choose a color to suit your skin tone and the occasions you may be wearing your pearl drop earrings to. Luster refers to the reflective quality of a pearl and the more luster a pearl has the more valuable it is. Surface quality is also an important consideration; the less imperfections like bumps there are on a pearl, the more highly prized it is. A pearl, unlike other gemstones, is delicate and can easily be cracked and scratched by other gems. Substances such as sweat, perfume and the like can affect its soft, porous covering. Taking good care of your pearl earrings involve wiping them down with a soft damp cloth and wearing them only after you’ve put on your makeup and your perfume. Earrings worn as accessories are designed to draw attention to the face and should be carefully chosen to flatter your features, depending on the shape of your specific face. Learning how to choose the right pearl earrings for the right occasion begins with determining your face shape.