The Pearl Jewelry Gift Guide

Pearls are the rare gift that suits almost everyone. Here is how to choose the right one.

Pearls are one of the easiest gifts to get right. They feel significant without being presumptuous, studs and strands need no sizing, and there is a pearl color to suit almost every skin tone and age.

Our best seller: pearl studs

Pearl studs are the gift we send most at Christmas. They suit everyone, go with everything, and get worn every day. Three pairs cover almost every budget:

• Japanese Akoya pearl studs, screw backs, $200 to $600. Our most-ordered pair: 6 to 9mm, in 14K white or yellow gold, with screw backs for a more secure fit.
• Japanese Akoya pearl studs, $140 to $320. The same classic pearl with push backs, 6 to 8.5mm.
• Freshwater pearl studs, screw backs, $175 to $480. More pearl for the money: 6 to 12mm, in white or yellow gold.

Not sure of the size? Around 7mm is the everyday choice; 6mm reads delicate, and 8mm and up reads bolder. See all three side by side on our gifts page.

By budget

By recipient

For someone receiving their first pearls

Start with studs. They are worn more than any other piece of pearl jewelry, they go with everything, and they never feel like a costume. Around 7mm is the everyday size, and freshwater lets you go a size up for the same money.

Luster matters more than size, though. A high-luster pearl worn constantly is a far better gift than a large one worn twice.

Start with the freshwater pearl studs with screw backs, or our most-ordered pair, the Akoya screw-back studs. See all pearl earrings.

For a mother or grandmother

A strand, if she does not have one, or a restringing and a new pair of earrings if she does. An 18-inch princess length sits at the collarbone and works with a neckline she already owns.

If she has worn her mother's pearls for thirty years, the thoughtful gift is often not a new strand at all. It is having the old one restrung and matched with earrings. We offer restringing on request.

See pearl necklaces.

For a bride

Pearl is the traditional wedding-day jewel, and the reason is practical as well as sentimental: it photographs softly, it does not compete with the dress, and it does not date. Studs or a short drop earring for the ceremony; a strand if the neckline invites one.

Buy it four to six weeks before, early enough to be a gift rather than a task.

See bridal earrings.

For someone who already owns good pearls

Move sideways, not up. She has white Akoya, so give her something with color and character:

• Tahitian: naturally dark, with green, aubergine, and steel overtones. Nothing else in a jewelry box looks like it.
• Pearl and onyx: our endless necklace alternates white freshwater pearls with faceted black onyx at opera length, with no clasp. It looks graphic and modern, nothing like her classic strand.
• Pearl and diamond together: the pairing the house is known for: the soft glow of pearl beside the sparkle of diamond.

For a man

Pearl has moved firmly into men's jewelry, and dark Tahitian pearls suit it best. Our Tahitian studs in the 10–11mm or 12–13mm sizes read substantial and unfussy.

By occasion

• Anniversary: pearl is the traditional gift for the 30th, and a strand is one of the few gifts that rises to the occasion.
• June birthday: pearl is a June birthstone.
• Graduation: studs, the classic first piece of grown-up jewelry.
• Christmas: studs for someone new to pearls; a strand or pearl and diamond earrings for someone who already has studs. Pearl photographs beautifully under warm light, which is most of December.
• New mother: a pendant. It is comfortable, goes on with one hand, and survives being grabbed.

Three things worth checking before you buy

1. Luster. The first and most important quality. Look for a sharp, almost mirror-like reflection rather than a chalky glow. It is visible from across a room and it is where most of the price difference lives.
2. Knotting. A good strand is hand-knotted on silk between every pearl, so they do not rub and a broken strand loses one pearl instead of all of them.
3. The clasp. Solid gold, not plated. It is the part that fails first on inexpensive strands.

Christmas delivery

• Order by Tuesday, December 15 for delivery by Christmas in the US. In-stock pieces ship within one to two business days and arrive two to four business days later.
• Engraved and sized-to-order pieces take five to seven business days longer, so order them early or write to us and we will confirm a date.
• Every piece ships in our presentation box, insured to the door, in a plain outer package. Orders of $500 or more need a signature on delivery.
• Add a gift note in your bag and we will include it in the box. The packing slip shows no prices.
• Most pieces can be returned within 60 days of delivery, with free return shipping in the US, so an early gift is not a locked-in guess. Engraved, bespoke, and sized pieces are final sale.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good pearl gift for Christmas?

Pearl stud earrings. They need no sizing, suit almost everyone, and get worn every day. Japanese Akoya studs start at $140, or $200 with screw backs, and freshwater studs start at $110.

When should I order pearls for Christmas delivery?

By Tuesday, December 15, for in-stock pieces delivered in the US. Engraved and sized-to-order pieces take five to seven business days longer.

Akoya or freshwater pearl studs?

Akoya pearls are known for their round shape and sharp, mirror-like luster. Freshwater pearls cost less at the same size and come larger. For a first pair, freshwater a size up gives more pearl for the same money; choose Akoya for the sharpest shine.

What size pearl studs make the best gift?

Around 7mm suits everyday wear and almost everyone. 6mm reads delicate; 8mm and up reads bolder.

Can I include a gift note?

Yes. Add a gift note in your bag before checkout and we will include it in the box. The packing slip shows no prices.

More on choosing between the four pearl types in which pearl is right for me, and on keeping them beautiful in how to care for pearls. Browse the full pearl collection, or shop gifts by price.

ISAAC WESTMAN® · New York, since 1982.