Pearls make a great gift

Pearls Before Swine - Where Do Pearls Come From

Pearls, beautiful, lustrous, glowing pearls. And to think it all started with a grain of sand.

The mollusk, that' s oyster to you and me, opens it's shell to pass fresh water over itself and snag tiny bits of food. Sometimes what it snags is a grain of sand or piece of shell. If the mollusk can't get rid of the bit of grit it begins to coat it with a substance it produces called nacre. Coating the grain of sand makes it less irritating. As time passes the grain is coated with many layers of nacre. Eventually you end up with a lustrous pearl.

Not all pearls are gem quality. The pearl can be lopsided, have an irregular surface, or the coloring of the pearl is grayish instead of glistening. If the irregularity is only on one side and the pearl looks good otherwise it can be set in jewelery with the flaw at the back of the piece where it won't be noticed.

Pearls can be from fresh water or salt water mollusks. Salt water is more expensive.

Colors range from white, yellow, pink, to gray. South Sea Pearls, sometimes called Tahitian pearls, are some of the most expensive pearls. They are larger, because the mollusk is larger, and the colors are iridescent black, purple, and dark gray. The pearl looks like a rainbow is playing against the dark surface.

Natural pearls are very expensive and difficult to find in jewelry since the Japanese began culturing pearls. Cultured pearls are simply oysters in an oyster bed that has been seeded with a nucleus.

Good cultered pearls have been left in the oyster over several years to build up layers of the pearl. Cheap cultured pearls start with a much bigger seed core and then left in the oyster only long enough to gather a few layers. Those layers can wear off.

The value of a pearl is based on 5 factors: cleanliness, shape, luster and orient, and color.

Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction books and loves gold, silver, and gemstones jewelry. She also is an avid gardener and loves to grow roses.

Quick and Cheap But Oh So Fun Valentine's Day Gifts

Flowers are fabulous but sometimes they just don't make the grade, especially for the men in your life. Are you stumped for a quick and easy (and of course cheap) Valentine's Day gift for your special someone.

Visit the grocery store and put together a gift basket. If your significant other loves the sour tang of lemons, use that as a theme. Find fresh lemons of course, lemon candies, lemon cake, lemon flavored tea, lemon soda, lemon syrup, lemon jam, lemon yogurt, lemon pasta, even a lemon based marinade. Package in a pretty basket, lined with a yellow terry cloth towel and top with a bright yellow ribbon.

Speaking of marinades, how about a home made dinner? If your sweetie is partial to pasta, put together the ingredients and a note that you'll cook. Find a pasta pan. Line it with a red and white checkered napkin letting a corner drape over the edge of the pot. Add a package of gourmet pasta, a wedge of good parmesan cheese, a bunch of fresh basil, bright red tomatoes, a bottle of extra virgin olive oil, crunchy sourdough bread, and whatever else catches your fancy. Follow the directions for the pasta when it's done, drain and place in a big bowl. While it's cooking coarsely chop the tomatoes and basil. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil (for 2 servings) and the grated cheese. Toss with the hot pasta and serve.

Focus on hearts. Pick up heart shaped cookies, candies, and cupcakes. Buy a heart shaped cake pan and fill with fresh strawberries. Add a coffee cup with a heart design and packages of gourmet coffee or tea. If you're feeling energetic buy a selection of cheeses and cut into heart shapes by tracing the outline of a cookie cutter on the cheese and cutting with a knife. Champagne glasses and a split of champagne is an elegant and not expensive touch. Wrap in cellophane paper, tie closed with red, pink, and white curly ribbon. Attach a heart shaped helium filled balloon.

Sports are near and dear to many fans. Celebrate your sports fan with a selection of the latest sports magazines and newspapers, his favorite beverage, and snacks. Visit a dollar store and pick up toys that relate to his sport. The fun part is you can use the toys later to have fun playing in the backyard, or if it's too cold, in the house.

Free report on more party ideas

Dee Power is the co-author of several nonfiction books including "The Publishing Primer: A Blueprint for an Author's Success," "58 Ways to Find Money for Your Business, "Inside Secrets to Venture Capital" and "Attracting Capital From Angels." Visit her Budget weddings site for a copy of "Weddings on a Shoestring Budget".