Halloween's behind us, Thanksgiving's just ahead, and that means the holidays are right around the corner. Along with turning leaves and crisp air, there's also a collective quickening of the pulse as the panic of holiday gift buying kicks in. But fear not- we're here with a fantastic gift guide and helpful advice to make your shopping easy and- dare we say it?- enjoyable.
Whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned aficionado, there's no gift quite like pearls, and there's no better place to shop for them than Pearl Paradise.
Why pearls? "They're classic, elegant, and timeless, yet right on trend," says Chief Creative Officer Hisano Shepherd. "They make for a memorable and enduring gift that any recipient will wear and cherish for a lifetime. Can you say that about pajamas or a robe? And of all the gemstones, they're the only ones that are produced sustainably. They really check a lot of boxes."
O.K., so pearls make the perfect gift, but... which ones? The choices are enormous, so where to begin? "If your recipient is new to pearls," says Hisano, "we always suggest starting with classic white pearls rather than colored. We're talking about the kind that evokes Coco Chanel or Audrey Hepburn in a white strand. "And go with white freshwater pearls. They look very similar to saltwater pearls but cost considerably less. They're a great alternative." Then, Hisano suggests considering other factors, such as...
- The recipient's height and general size, which will have a bearing on the size of the pearls you'll want to consider;
- How they tend to dress- does she like to dress up most of the time or go more casual?
- Does she have young children? If so, a delicate drop pendant, for example, might be at risk to curious little hands, and for that person, maybe earrings are a better choice.
"These are the kinds of questions we love to work on with customers so that they can find just the right item that their loved one will get the most use out of," says Hisano. And yes, at Pearl Paradise you can absolutely speak to or have an online chat or virtual appointment with a pearl expert. It's just one facet of concierge-level service that you simply won't find with any other pearl seller.
Another good approach to gift buying is to "crowdsource" some ideas. In other words, what are the most popular items right now? Here are the current best-sellers at Pearl Paradise:
For women:
- Akoyas, the gorgeous and classic saltwater pearl, in 7-7.5mm strands. Either AAA grade or the best-of-the-best Hanadama grade, in regular and natural white.
- Freshadama pearls, the finest freshwater grade money can buy- and you can buy only them at Pearl Paradise. The 7.5-8 mm 18-inch necklace is, "hands down the best gift," says Hisano.
- Earrings, 8.5-9mm freshwater in AAA grade.
And here's a practical bit of advice when shopping for a pearl necklace: If your giftee is going to want matching earrings or a bracelet at some point, we strongly recommend purchasing them at the same time. It will ensure the pearl color and luster match perfectly, which is harder to do if you buy them separately at a later date. Plus, by doing it this way, you can always hold the earrings or bracelet for another occasion, such as Valentine's Day, a birthday, or an anniversary, and you'll already have your gift shopping done in advance!
And one last thing to put any frazzled gift shopper's mind at ease: Every purchase at Pearl Paradise comes not only with beautiful packaging befitting the jewelry within, but also our 100% money-back guarantee: 90 days to wear and consider the purchase, and if for any reason it isn't just right, you'll get free return shipping and a prompt refund of your full purchase price.
Talk about a foolproof arrangement: Nature creates the pearls, we create the jewelry, and you get all the credit, hugs, and kisses.
Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays!
