A pearl necklace should look beautiful on anybody who wears it. However, some necklaces look better worn higher and some necklaces are worn lower and use the added length to add a certain flair and draw more attention to the necklace.
We’ll tell you what the various necklace sizes are called and how to determine the length. You should always use a flexible measuring tape when measuring the length of a necklace to ensure the most accurate measurements
Standard Necklace Lengths
| Length | Style | Body Position |
| 40 cm (15” – 17”) | Necklace | Sits at the bottom of the neck |
| 45 cm (17” – 19”) | Princess | Sits in the collarbone |
| 50 cm (20” – 24”) | Matinee | Between the collarbone and chest |
| 60-70 cm (28” – 37”) | Opera | Between the top of the bust to the bottom of it |
| 85-90 cm (37” – 60”) | Rope | From the middle of the bust to the stomach |
Deciding on Your Necklace Length
Different styles of necklaces look better hanging at some lengths than others. A single pearl pendant necklace looks best when worn at the Necklace or Princess length. A luxurious string of pearls can look good at nearly any length. Strings of pearls can also be knotted, which decreases their length without altering where they hang on your body. You should try on several styles of necklaces at different lengths to learn what looks good on you.
The shorter pearl necklaces are generally appropriate for office or casual settings and look good when worn with anything from business attire to jeans. The longer and more luxurious pearl necklaces are mostly reserved for special occasions and worn with formal wear and gowns.
How to Physically Measure for Necklace Length
Use flexible measuring tape like the ones used by tailors. These tapes generally allow you to measure necklace lengths in either cm (centimeters) or inches. Hold one end of the tape at the back of the neck, where the clasp of the necklace would sit. Use this as the starting point for your measurement. Wrap the rest of the tape around the neck and let it drape down your front. Then, simply read the measurements in the locations of the different standard lengths and mark them down.
What Makes a Quality Pearl Necklace?
There are three main factors to consider when considering the quality of a pearl necklace. The first is whether the pearls are genuine or not. The tooth test can help you quickly decide whether the pearls are real or fake. Simply rub the pearls on the front of your teeth. Fake pearls feel smooth, whereas genuine pearls have a rough, grainy texture that’s immediately noticeable.
The color grading is the second determining factor of quality. Hold the necklace up to the light and take a close look at the colors of the individual pearls. The color of the pearls actually also includes the luster and surface quality. The color of the pearls should match each other closely.
Size grading is another way you can determine the quality of a pearl necklace. The pearls should all be a uniform size. Some necklaces have a variation of sizes, but these necklaces are strung to show a gradual change in sizes. The necklace should never have various sizes of round pearls strung together without regard for size.
The uniformity in pearl size and color indicates the skill and care of the jeweler in creating high-quality jewelry that can become a treasured heirloom and be passed down over generations in a family.
Discover Amorn Pearl Phuket
Amorn Pearl Phuket offers high-quality pearl necklaces for sale in Thailand. The pearls are grown in our pearl farm off the coast of Phuket, and you can view the pearl necklaces and our other fine pearl jewelery at our showroom in Phuket.
On your next vacation to Phuket, make an appointment to tour our pearl farm and visit our showroom to view a selection of real pearl necklaces in Thailand.
