Samantha Rose Designs, Inc. is borne out of a convergence of design talent and friends coming together to recognize a common passion for jewelry and jewelry design.
We are a trusted American company that brings together fresh, inspired jewelry products from around the world. SamanthaRose.us is dedicated to providing high-quality, exclusive pearl jewelry to everyone.
Samantha Rose features pearl accessories like pearl necklaces, pearl earrings, pearls bracelets, bridal jewelry and limited edition pearl pieces.
ABOUT PEARLS
Pearls in History
Pearl Formation | Color | Luster | Clarity | Shape | Size | Care for Pearls
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Pearls are organic gems that have been esteemed for their beauty and rarity for thousands of years. The natural pearl was a treasure of almost incomparable value to ancient cultures that spanned the globe from China to Rome, the Arab world to the Americas. Sometime in the late 19th and early 20th centuries Japanese researchers discovered a method of producing pearls artificially. Thus the process of pearl farming began, making the beauty of pearls affordable and accessible. Prior to the creation of cultured pearls, natural pearls were so rare and expensive that only the aristocracy or the very rich could afford them. A 16-inch strand of perhaps 50 pearls with a price range of approximately $500-$5,000 today would have financed an entire military campaign during the peak of pearl popularity during the height of the ancient Roman Empire. What was once an exclusive luxury can now be enjoyed by many, thanks to the innovations of modern pearl production. |
Pearls develop inside mollusks such as oysters and mussels. They are formed when an irritant, like a tiny stone or a minute particle of sand, enters the mollusk’s shell. A lustrous substance, called nacre, is secreted around the object to protect the soft internal surface of the mollusk and as layer upon layer of nacre coats the irritant, a pearl is formed. Light that is reflected from these overlapping layers produces a characteristic iridescent luster. This process of building a solid pearl can take as long as seven or eight years. Natural pearls form when an irritant accidentally enters the mollusk, while the irritant is artificially introduced to stimulate the growth of a cultivated pearl.
The ancient Chinese developed the technique of cultivating pearls as early as the 12th century B.C.E. The process starts with “nucleation”. After this seeding process, pearl farmers place the mollusks in wire-mesh baskets, suspend them in water and tend them for pearl development for 18 months to 5 years. The thickness of the nacre coating—an important factor in determining the value of pearls—depends on how long the seeded pearls are left in place before being harvested. Pearls are not judged by the common quality criteria of gemstones (color, cut, clarity and carat weight). Rather, a pearl is appraised according to color, luster, surface clarity, shape and size.
Primary body color for pearls can be white, cream, pink, rose, golden, silver, grey and black. Secondary body color refers to the surface sheen which is a result of subtle iridescence. The affect of color on pearl price varies, and it is advisable to compare pearls of the same type and color when comparing the prices of pearls.
Luster is the pearl’s natural shine and brilliance. The higher the luster, the stronger and sharper the light reflection and contrast between the bright and dark areas of the pearl. Pearls with low luster appear chalky and dull. Pearls with a higher luster are recommended.
The fewer and smaller the flaws, the more valuable the pearl. Cultured Akoya pearls may have fewer flaws than natural pearls because the latter have been in the oyster long enough to develop blemishes. Cultured pearls from the South Seas may also posses more flaws than Akoyas.
Rounder and more symmetrical pearls have higher value. However, some asymmetrical shapes have become increasingly desirable, especially in unique jewelry applications.
Like other gems, pearl size is intrinsically linked to value. The bigger the pearl the more desirable it becomes. However, there is one important difference: pearls are measured and assessed by their size (e.g., in millimeters) and not by their weight.
The organic substance in pearls makes it prone to change, especially to drying out. This can lead to what experts call the “aging” of pearls, the shortening of its useful, desirable life. Remember to wipe pearls with a soft damp cloth after wearing them. Avoid hot steam, bleach, chemicals, ammonia based cleaners and acids. Also, avoid hair spray, perfumes and cosmetics. It is best to put your pearls on last, after the application of these substances. To protect your investment, have your jeweler check your strands or setting, in case it comes loose. There is no guarantee of the length of the life of pearls but their beauty can last approximately 150 years. With proper care, this life span can be extended.
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MEET THE SAMANTHA ROSE TEAM
| Marietta Klein | Na'shica Jackson | Philip Ruiz | Rachel Ball | Skippy Yu | Vanessa Ruiz | Kylo Chua | Rowena Raroque-Watters
Growing Samantha Rose is Marietta’s business. She’s got drive and loads of energy which takes her, with lighting speed, to everywhere we women love to be. Stand still, and you may be lucky enough to catch her zipping through one of our representative boutiques, or perhaps while sponsoring a fundraiser, or even in the midst of a home party.
Marietta has a formidable resume with a narrative of Sales experiences ranging in variety from technology start-ups to curriculum development in the academe. Samantha Rose is privileged to have Marietta on our team.
Ever reliable and always there when we need her, Na’Shica starts the day for us and keeps us on our toes. She works through our myriad, and sometimes manic, personalities and somehow reminds us of what it means to be a team.
And just when we thought we had pigeon-holed her into delightful predictability, she reveals a creative side: Na’Shica is also our product copywriter.
Somewhere between an order confirmation and our jewelry arriving at your front door, Philip does his magic. He makes sure that precious jewelry pieces are in stock, in the best condition, sorted, organized and ready to go. Not only does he watch over every package leaving our warehouse, he obsesses over orders arriving on time and in perfect condition.
We love that Philip is meticulous, passionate and, thankfully, well-organized.
“Our Pearls of Wisdom” is the Samantha Rose Blog Site, and Rachel is our Editor. Her vision has opened many creative avenues for our team and design ideas for our customers and users.
As Editor, she liaises between the executive and creative areas of Samantha Rose, directing the skill and passion of a web of artistic contributors to present the elegant face of the Samantha Rose Blog to the public.
Among the members of the Samantha Rose family, Skippy has the enviable task of taking the creative to the next level – that of the MOM! Skippy keeps us grounded, focused, in check, and then tells us that it is time to celebrate someone’s birthday!
Always organized and efficient in the upper case, Skippy’s magic works behind the scenes, behind the website, and behind our operations.
Skippy begun her career in Singapore, moving to the retail scene in Hong Kong and Manila, before finally landing (to our glee) in Dallas.
When it happens in Samantha Rose, we make sure you know. We blog, we email, we use social networks to reach you. And when it comes to social networking … we enter into the realm of our newest team member, Vanessa Ruiz. She reaches out in so many different ways, including print and electronic media.
Vanessa shows no penchant for litanies or useless verbiage. Just get to it, she’ll likely say, and then get right to work making it all happen. Friendly, artsy and utterly reliable, you know she’ll be twitting as we speak.
Our graphic artist, Kylo, has a passionate curiosity for the visual arts. And as with his sculptural pieces, he turns ideas into graphic realities, and he makes it so that others can perceive as he does on a sentient level.
It is fascinating to watch the evolutions in Kylo, in his artistic mettle and in his assimilation with the team. He has what it takes to make a very successful artist … and we are happy to be able to watch from the front row.
Jewelry is an art form. Pearl jewelry is an amalgamation of nature’s work and man’s expertise. Rowena’s fascination for this medium drives her to many adventures in travel and in life. She hopes that her trek brings beauty and satisfaction to every single member of her team, and every single member of the Samantha Rose family.