Over the past few years, pearls have become synonymous with fashion; at Honora we believe that a major reason for this explosion of pearl jewelry is the affordable nature of gem-quality Freshwater Pearls.  Historically, pearls were intimidating.  They were extremely expensive, often handed down from generation to generation and were usually kept locked safely inside your jewelry box for special occasions only.  These days, pearls are everywhere!  Fun, fashionable and accessible pearl jewelry designs are a favorite for black-tie affairs as well as a casual girls’ night out.

Here at Honora, we are always trying to come up with a new and exciting ways to turn our Freshwater Pearls into exciting pearl jewelry.  Our fresh new approach to pearl jewelry began with the revolutionary Microcord designs, continued with our pearl and leather bracelets and now lives on in our vibrant pearl colors.    While the traditional pearl strand remains an important part of the pearl world, we are thrilled to see pearl lovers everywhere embracing the latest shapes and styles.

We invite you to visit our Collections or Advertisements pages to see our most recent designs incorporating an unique array of pearl shapes and colors.  Be sure to let us know what you think of our latest pearl jewelry and what you would like to see from us in the future in the comments section.

Hello Honora Fans!  You may know me from Honora’s Facebook page from the Nic’s Pick’s posts where I choose a new color or style that I love every week.  For those of you who may not know me, I’m Nicole!  I work in Honora’s main office and am a big pearl fan.  One of my favorite perks of working here is trying on and playing with all of the newest pearl jewelry that L’array and Julie are creating.  Since you guys seem to enjoy Nic’s Pick’s we thought it was time to take it to the “next level”, so be sure to check back as I will be posting monthly on all things fashion!

Making sure you guys get the most out of your pearls is so important to us here at Honora, so today I want to talk about getting more out of longer pearl necklaces.  If you are like me, versatility is super important and you want to get the most out of the clothes and accessories you buy.  One of my favorite lengths is 54”, I want to show you just some of the many ways this can be worn:

It can be worn once around for a dramatic effect that really elongates the torso.

You can also “double up” longer pearl necklaces, or even triple them for a great layered look.

A fun “throw back” to the 1920’s is taking the pearl rope and knotting it around the midpoint.

If you have a pearl shortener you can torsade a necklace by holding it at both ends and twisting it, and using the shortener to clasp it.

I personally have taken one of these longer pearl necklaces and worn it so it hangs down my back like the famous photograph of Coco Chanel shown at the start of this post.  This was answered by rave reviews from friends at a formal New Years Eve party.

Whatever the look you are going for, whether it’s formal or fashion, longer pearl necklaces are the perfect way to make a statement.  It really doesn’t matter if I am just running errands or going to a gala, I love experimenting with these longer looks.  Let me know what you think in the comments section, which look is your favorite?  Have you tried something I didn’t think of?  Tune in next month or subscribe to The Honora Blog for pearl fashion tips and be sure to check out my weekly Nic’s Pick over on Facebook!

The Cherry Collection

This bold new color of Freshwater Pearls has quickly become our hottest new collection of Pearl Jewelry.  The Cherry Collection has become a “must have” for Pearl Girls who want to make a statement.  Featured in our new “Very Cherry!” ad, our ringed pearls are the clear favorite in this up and coming collection.  You can see all three pieces featured in this advertisement from the New York Times here or visit our collections page to see the entire cherry collection!

The Wildflowers Collection

Spring and Summer pastels are back with Honora’s new Wildflowers Collection!  This assortment of vibrant colors is L’array’s new take on our popular Multi-Pastel necklace that helped kick off the pearl color trend along side our Chocolate and Dark-Multi collections.  This selection is the perfect companion to your favorite summer dress, but still has strong enough colors to work year round.  Check out the baroque pearl necklace featured in our New York Times ad or view the entire Wildflowers Collection of Pearl Jewelry.

The Sunrise Collection

Rise and shine with L’array’s rich color combination of pearl colors including our new favorite, Cherry!  This selection of vivid colors will instantly remind you of the array pink, reds and oranges that we all associate with the rising sun.  We invite you to see the baroque pearl necklace featured in our New York Times Sunrise advertisement or you can view the entire Sunrise Collection here.

You can find all of these collections and more at The Honora Store or at your Local Honora Jeweler.  Let us know which of our latest collections is your favorite as well as what you think of our latest advertisements in the comments section!

One my favorite new pieces from our upcoming "snake-inspired" collection!

Hey Fans and Friends! It’s time for our third get together!  Last blog I teased you with a few new pearl jewelry concepts we are working on.   It only seems fair that I show you some pictures to make sure I get your full attention this time around!  As I mentioned in my previous post, I am seriously distracted by all of the animal prints showing up on the Fall Runways!  With that in mind, I want to give you a peek at our snakeskin themed group today.  I want to call it ‘Upscale’ (get it? Scale?) or we can go with Ralph’s suggestion of the ‘Cobra Collection’.

How about we let you decide! Please let me know your preference for ‘Upscale’ or ‘Cobra’ on the poll at the bottom of this post.

Anyway, as you know from our signature Pallini, Floral and new Cobblestone pearl jewelry collections, Honora is great at producing silver with intricate patterns and textures.  Sometimes we use oxidation to accent these engraved lines and give a lot of depth to the surface, sometimes the background is left matte and the surface shiny to show off the detail.  This time around I thought, “Why don’t we play off fall fashion with a fun texture like they’re showing on the latest boots and bags?”  All kinds of critters have also been popular of late and we chose the snake. Some pieces will just surround one of our unique Freshwater Pearl beauties with a subtle snake skin texture while others are will be a little more illustrative of the creature as a whole with curving sterling tails and garnets for eyes.

A sneak peak at some of the designs you can expect from this new collection!

Okay, okay, I know some of you are squeamish about these fabulous reptiles. I can just hear my mother recoiling as she reads this latest installment! The truth is the snake really gets a bad rap.  He has suffered from bad publicity since he showed up uninvited in Adam and Eve’s garden, and convinced Eve to eat the fruit of the forbidden Tree of Knowledge. Really, does one deceitful creature ruin things forever for the entire species?!  Aside from that tragic story the snake has been known in different cultures around the world as a symbol of fertility, birth, and eternity. He’s  been linked to Mother Earth, credited for sustainable crops and has often stood for wisdom.  A pretty impressive resume, huh?

We hope we’ve done this infamous reptile some justice (and maybe even helped to improve their reputation) by pairing him with our beloved pearls. The collection of pearl jewelry has something for everyone (we hope!) in that it offers subtle hints of skin for a more conservative customer to over the top fashion coil bracelets for those daring ladies who appreciate making a statement.  I hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peak, let me know in the comments and I just might show you guys some more next month!  Don’t forget to vote in the poll below for the collection name, I need your help to get my name over Ralph’s!  If you have a better suggestion, please leave it in the comments section for us to debate.  Thanks as always for indulging me.

Your Girl with the Pearls,
Julie

To celebrate the launch of The Sunrise Collection and our upcoming Pearl Harvest shows on QVC, we are holding a contest for a chance to win a Sterling Silver 8-9MM Baroque Sunrise Collection 36″ Necklace.  Click here to enter into the contest and be sure to share the news! If we get to 3000 fans on the Honora Facebook Fan Page, Joel and Ralph are going to double the prize and offer a second necklace to members of our mailing list (by entering this contest, you automatically join that list).

See our newest collection of pearl jewelry and let us know what you think of Sunrise in the comments section.  To learn more about our April 3rd and 4th Pearl Harvest shows on QVC, check out our latest post on our QVC Blog.

It doesn’t matter if you love or hate Lady Gaga’s fashion sense, but you cannot help but admire the risks she takes.  At Honora, we’ve always worked hard to live up to our motto of A Fresh New Look At Pearls and we have to commend Gaga on taking a Freshwater Pearl look to the next level.

Lady Gaga, you looked amazing decked out in all of those pearls, but we have to make one tiny suggestion.  Next time, give us a call and add in some of our pearl colors!  We are always here if you need us.

So, what do you think of Gaga’s one-of-a-kind pearl look?  Let us know in the poll below or in the comments section!

I cannot wait to read your entries and may even be inspired to share my own!  Don’t worry if this has nothing to do with our Freshwater Pearls, we just really would love to hear your own romantic story.  As it has been a while since our last contest, we have something special for the winner!  The author of my favorite story will receive one of our newest Cherry pieces, a 13-14MM Coin Freshwater Pearl 36″ Necklace valued at $490 MSRP that is pictured in this post.  This item is so new, that it isn’t even featured on our Pearl Jewelry Collection pages yet!

Please tell us your story in the comments section below to ensure that you are entered into the contest.  We will accept entries through Wednesday, February 17th and I will feature the winner and their romantic story here on The Honora Blog the very next day.  If you haven’t joined us on our Facebook Fan Page, be sure to check it out and be on the lookout for my weekly pics!  I am looking forward to a difficult decision!

While a few offered up suggestions, we were surprised by how many women simply bought themselves whatever they wanted and thanked their husband for footing the bill.  While efficient, it isn’t exactly romantic and we think guys need to put in some effort this year.  Here are a few suggestions that will help even the clueless figure out the perfect gift to ensure romance (and brownie points) on Valentine’s Day.

Ask Her Friend For Help – This is a terrific approach on two fronts: The first obviously being that her female friend will more than likely have a far greater ability to recognize and select a present your significant other will actually like. The second, more long-term (and mildly selfish) strategy is that her friends can make terrific allies for you in the future and it never hurts to make a good impression with her girls.

Make Her Feel Unique – While most men like to play it safe, you might consider taking a small risk that might pay off. We have to stress: nothing over the top, but introducing some color and flair into the gift (based on her taste) shows confidence and understanding of her unique personality.

Web History – Short of being creepy, the occasional glance at your significant other’s web history can provide insight and gift ideas.  Many women consider online browsing to be a recreational hobby and you might just get lucky.

Thought Trumps Price – As cheesy as the saying is, it’s really the thought that counts, especially when you take the time to figure out what she would want.  Find something you know she’ll love that she probably wouldn’t buy herself.  That doesn’t mean you have to spend an arm and a leg, just show that you listen and understand her and it’ll mean so much more.

Just Ask Her – This is a shockingly well-received approach for the man without a clue. Usually a good 10 ideas are in the chamber, just waiting for you to pull the trigger and ask… but let’s call this a last resort.

We know this is an overwhelming task, so always feel free to call in an expert.  In fact, if she happens to like pearl jewelry, we are happy to help!  You can always check out our latest collections here and call The Honora Store fashionistas for professional advice at 212.308.8707 or email them at retail57@honora.com.  Either way, we wish you the best at wowing her on February 14th!  Good luck Guys!

Tell Your Friends – A trusted best friend always knows what her bestie (that is best friend for any guys who might read this) wants or needs.  If you know that your significant other has a good relationship with one of your friends, than it is a safe bet that this is one of the first places he is likely to go.

Web History Is Your Friend – While guys often go out of their way to hide their browsing history, this can be an ideal way for you to drop a hint.  Making sure that ideal gift is high up on your browsing history (you may even want to stop by that page a few times) can go a long way towards getting a gift suggestion on his radar.

Point It Out – If you are out and shopping with your significant other and see something you might like, point it out.  We wont lie, these “subtle” hints can often get missed by husbands and boyfriends, but occasionally they take note and will think back to those moments when figuring out what to get you.

Ask Him What He Wants – It is almost a given that once you ask, he will undoubtedly ask you in return.  While this is a bit underhanded, it is effective and also helps you figure out exactly what he is looking for as well.  That is certainly a win/win for everyone!

Just Tell Him – This really depends on the kind of relationship you have with your loved one, but often times simply telling them what you want can take a lot of pressure off of them and help you get that perfect present.  More often than not, he will appreciate the direction!

BONUS TIP: Just Buy It – This one comes courtesy of all of our friends on The Honora Facebook Fan Page.  We thought we were bold, but we have nothing on these savvy ladies.  They just buy exactly what they want and thank their husbands when it arrives!  So kudos to women who know what they want and know how to get it!

It’s not an exact science, but maybe, just maybe our collective wisdom will help you get that perfect gift this year.  Ladies, if you feel that your guy is going to need a bit of extra help, rest assured that we are going to be offering some suggestions that you can pass along to him a little later this week!  If you have any suggestions we may have left off, be sure to leave them in the comments section!

The need for aid in Haiti is clear and Honora wants to help.  With this in mind we have created a pearl necklace from the colors of Haiti’s flag and will donate 100% of the proceeds to the ongoing efforts.

Inspired by initiatives from our friends at 12for12K, we will donate all proceeds from our 36″ 7-8MM Cherry and Navy Blue Freshwater Pearl Necklace to the Naples, FL based charity, Hope for Haiti.

For nearly 20 years, this amazing charity has improved the quality of life in Haiti and they have been working tirelessly since the earthquake in Port-Au-Prince.  We chose Hope for Haiti as they have been engaged in improving life in Haiti long before the human disasters of the past month.  Thanks to their immense volunteer base, they are able to give $0.95 of every dollar directly to humanitarian program needs.   You can read Hope For Haiti’s press release about their aid program here.

Nicole is wearing the Sterling Silver 7-8MM Freshwater Pearl Hope For Haiti Necklace, $140 MSRP

Honora will donate 100% of the proceeds from every purchase of the Hope For Haiti necklace directly to their charitable efforts.  This necklace is only available through The Honora Store in New York City and can be ordered via phone at 212.308.8707 or through email at retail57@honora.com.

If you would rather make a personal contribution directly to the charity, simply use the widget below and 100% of your donation will go to Hope For Haiti (12for12K is a fully volunteer-based call-to-action with no admin costs).

[Click here if you cannot see this widget]