NECKLACE STYLES:
BAROQUE - Off-shape; not round.
UNIFORM - A necklace with nearly equal-sized pearls throughout.
GRADUATED - A necklace in which pearls gradually increase in size.
CHOKER - A necklace that is approximately 15" - 16" in length.
PRINCESS - A necklace that is approximately 18" in length.
MATINEE - A necklace that is approximately 20" - 24" in length.
OPERA - A necklace that is approximately 28" - 30" in length.
BIB - A necklace of three or more strands.
ROPE - A necklace of 45" or more in length. Also called sautoir or lariat.

TYPES OF PEARLS:
CULTURED PEARLS - Formed of a foreign substance being lodged in the oyster. The oyster, to protect itself against the irritant, secretes a material, which is called nacre around the irritant. This then develops onto a cultured pearl.
AKOYA PEARLS - Cultivated mostly in Ago Bay, in Japan. It comes in various shapes and colors.
BIWA PEARLS - Fresh water pearls found only from Lake Biwa in Japan.
RICE PEARLS - Fresh water pearls found from rivers and streams in China.
KESHI PEARLS - Formed by natural means without implantation. Sizes vary from 1 to 2 mm in the Akoya Oyster to larger than 9 mm in South Sea Keshi.
MABE PEARLS - Formed against the inside of the mollusk in half dome shapes. Sizes, shapes and colors vary.
SOUTH SEA PEARLS - Cultivated in the warmer waters around Australia, Philippines and Burma. They are usually larger in size and have thicker nacre.
TAHITI BLACK PEARLS - These pearls are cultivated in Tahiti in the Black Lip Oyster. Usually in the larger size and range in color from silvery grey to deep peacock black.