These are not your Grandma's pearls....

I always thought of my grandmother when I saw a strand of white pearls. Growing up, I always knew when grandma was heading somewhere special. Not just because she pulled out her best girdle and her green dress, but because she put on her pearls. Grandma had a strand of white pearls with matching white pearl stud earrings. Weddings, funerals and grandpa's annual Christmas party, grandma donned the white pearls.

Nowadays, white pearls aren't just for dress-up anymore and they're certainly not just for grandmas. Pearls look right at home with a pair of blue jeans and a sweater or the perfect accompaniment to a graceful evening gown. Nothing says "class" like a strand of pearls.

But I've always had my eye on black pearls. While white pearls are beautiful, to me black pearls seem to glow with a light of their own. A few weeks ago I happened upon a trivia contest on Twitter. Museum Way Pearls was sponsoring a trivia contest on a Saturday morning. The prize? A strand of black Akoya pearls with a retail price of $1500. That Saturday, errands had to wait. I spent that Saturday researching every pearl trivia question Museum Way Pearls asked and I held my breath as I hit that "submit" button to send in my answers. A day later, I was announced as their grand prize winner.


My pearls arrived in record time in a gorgeous display case. They are every bit as beautiful as the picture. Elegant and classy; fashionable and sexy; my black pearls seem to have been tailor-made for me and I love them. These pearls are an heirloom to pass down to my own daughter one day. While they retail for $1500, my strand of Akoya pearls are reasonably priced at $318 at Museum Way Pearls which would make them the perfect holiday gift. With Christmas coming, I've been dropping black pearl earring hints to my husband.

Aren't they pretty? While these earrings retail for $175, they're reasonably priced at $41..a price that certainly won't break his shopping budget.

I was surprised not only by the prices at Museum Way Pearls, but also their selection. I had no idea pearls came in other colors besides white and black. The lavender pearls are especially pretty. Whether you're in search of bracelets, drop earrings, pendants or a simple strand, Museum Way Pearls has it covered. After my pearl trivia lesson that Saturday, I learned about saltwater Akoya pearls and freshwater pearls, Tahitian and South Sea pearls; each type carried by Museum Way Pearls. With so many choices, I'm sure there's something to be found for every pearl lover. As the holidays approach, you may want to keep Museum Way Pearls in mind when you're doing your holiday shopping.