Best length and pearl size for professional environment

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amother

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 10:32 am

I am debating between choker and princess length. Not sure what diameter pearls. Would like advice on both. Want to keep below $1500.

My highest priority is to be able to wear this necklace with as many of my work outfits as possible. I am an attorney and the day-to-day dress code at my office is the higher end of business casual. I wear suits sometimes too.

While I wear relatively higher necklines and no deep plunging V's, I am not makpid to keep the collarbone covered. So I need a length that will also work with necklines 1-3" below the collarbone.

Also, what earrings can I wear with it? I have two holes in each ear, and always wear the same thing: tiny gold stud in the top hole and tiny gold hoop in bottom hole. Will those work? What else would be good?

Thanks for your help!

33055

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 10:41 am

What about princess length with a clasp that can adjust the necklace to be a choker?

How long is your hair? I am not a fan of double holes.[I had them and let them close up.] I would get something with pearls and gold for the first hole and then pick up the gold in the second hole.

greenfire

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 11:52 am

I would suggest a length that would fall between the collar bone and above the cleavage so it rests on the upper ribcage

main earrings would be pearl as well ... the second hole [upper] I would put a tiny diamond stud

Maya

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 2:05 pm

I think standard diameter is 9 or 9.5. Anything above that will be significantly more expensive. I don't know what the prices are, but if you want bigger pearls, you'll have to compromise on the length.

amother

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 3:20 pm

Thanks everyone. I like the idea of an adjustable clasp. Will the extra pearls be visibly hanging off though when it's set to the shorter length?

oohlala

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 3:33 pm

It would. I have the adjustable length clasp and I find it very handy. I make sure the clasp stays at the back of my neck and I need to be conscious that it doesn't slip to the front.

Dolly Welsh

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 3:52 pm

Right.

You are going to want a match between the earring and the necklace. Greenfire is right. Pearls with gold earrings will not fly; but if one of the earrings were pearl, it would. You could leave the hoops the way they are. Greenfire's diamond idea is good.

You might try high-end costume pearls in various styles first, to see what style(s) work in real life before sinking serious money into real pearls. High end costume looks fine if you spend enough. But of course you want real ones.

The clasp should match the earrings. Don't have a white-gold clasp with yellow gold earrings.

Think about your watch. Is it yellow or white gold, or leather, or what. You would want consistency with your watch. And the metal accents on your handbags, if any. And any metal shoe accents, or belt buckles. You want consistent metal color, or consistency of mixed metal colors. Some kind of consistency.

Choker length is a bit informal, maybe, and might annoy you physically.

PAMOM

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 6:02 pm

I also wear suits with "professional" collars and bought choker- length pearls (8 mm) and added 4 that match. That gets me just long enough not to annoy me but not too long so that they vanish into my blouse. I also think Dolly Walsh's advice is a bit outdated. No one is "matchy matchy" now-- it makes you look insecure also ( sorry DW). However, definitely try on various costume eartings to get ideas. Any tiny studs (diamond, sapphire, etc) should work in the second holes. I have various gold earrings that I like to wear in the bottom holes. Since I'm not a lawyer and work in a looser profession, I have also worn my Roman glass earrings and my Massada coin earrings with my pearls. I have eartings that are a black pearl and a white one set together that I love also. Smaller diamond hoops also look professional.

Dolly Welsh

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 8:40 pm

Maybe that is out of date. I stand corrected.

chocolate moose

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 8:56 pm

I would suggest you dress like the other women at your firm, and not ask us. We don't know the culture there and we aren't attornies.

And if you do litigation, the jury might be distracted by a swinging pearl necklace.

greenfire

Sun, Dec 08 2013, 8:58 pm

Dolly Welsh wrote:

Maybe that is out of date. I stand corrected.

for some people ... for others it's what we call 'classic' - always in style

Ruchel

Mon, Dec 09 2013, 7:52 am

PAMOM I also have the Roman glass and the Massada ! lol
I also don't do matchy matchy so much...

FranticFrummie

Mon, Dec 09 2013, 8:05 am

I sell jewelry for a living, and by far the most popular and versatile length of necklace, whether beaded, a chain, or pearls, is 18 inches long. You just can't go wrong with that. 9 inches is a lovely size. The price will depend on the quality of the pearls. Freshwater pearls should be incredibly cheap, don't let anyone sell you "expensive" freshwaters, unless they are flawlessly smooth AAA grade. Anything less is costume jewelry quality.

Tahitian or South Sea pearls are the best. Mikimoto are nice, but overrated in my opinion. Beware of anything called "shell pearls", they are glass based with a coating of ground up pearls mixed with epoxy resin. They are a nice substitute if you can't afford the real thing, but in your price range no one should be offering them to you.

Here's some exceptional freshwater pearls http://www.pearlparadise.com/p......aspx

Akoya pearls http://www.pearlparadise.com/p......aspx

Full pearl necklace collection for comparison http://www.pearlparadise.com/c......aspx

The prices on this site seem very reasonable, based on a lot of research I've done over the years on pearl prices.

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