As long as pearl jewelry have been known to people, they have been a highly sought commodity for their beauty. It's only in recent times however that the industry has taken the hunt for the perfect pearl to a whole different level. Today, the shiny orbs that we see on in display in jewelry stores have actually almost always been grown in farms. That's a far cry from the dangerous extraction and collection methods used before the invention of modern technology. In the past, not more than 100 years ago, the only way to retrieve pearls was by diving in lakes, floods and the ocean to pick them up, one at the time. The unfortunate divers who'se job it was to do this, were often poor and lured by the relative large sums they could get. The diver would sometimes have to dive as deep as 100 feet on one single breath of air. In order to preserve air and to stay submerged the longest, the divers would hold on to heavy stones on the way down. Naturally, this dangerous activity was reserved for the desperate or the powerless - in many cases slaves or extremely poor peasents. Today, this method is all but obsolete in most places of the world. The cheaper cultured pearls have become popular and are many times the only pearls available to the consumer. There are however still a few isolated areas that practice this old art of pearl diving. Some of the finest natural pearl speciments come from the gulf of Bahrain. Here, divers still risk their health to retrieve what are considered the top of the crop in the world. In fact, Bahrain wants no part of the sale of cultured pearls, banned from trade. Bahrain is one of the few places on earth that does an active job in trying to preserve the natural habitat and waters from pollution. It's an interesting story and one that continues to fascinate buyers around the world. Somehow, the beauty of the pearl grows when it's been retrieved from the depth of the ocean.

Buying pearl jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you're considering a gift of pearl jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here's some information to help you get the best quality pearl jewelry for your money, whether you're shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online. Pearls Natural or real pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks. Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with human intervention; that is, an irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to grow. Imitation pearls are man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials. Because natural pearls are very rare, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls, because they are made by oysters or mollusks, usually are more expensive than imitation pears. A cultured pearl's value is largely based on its size, usually stated in millimeters, and the quality of its nacre coating, which give it luster. Jewelers should tell your if the pearls are cultured or imitation. Some black, bronze, gold, purple, blue and orange pearls, whether natural or cultured, occur that way in nature; some, however, are dyed through various processes. Jewelers should tell you whether the colored pearls are naturally colored, dyed or irradiated. Clams, oysters, mussels and many other mollusks with limy shells are known to produce pearls. But very few kinds yield gem pearls of jeweler's quality. The pearl is an abnormal growth of mother-of-pearl, or nacre, imbedded in the soft bodies of these shellfish. It is built up, layer upon layer, in the same way as nacre is added to the lining of the growing shell and always has the same color and luster. For example, over the country, hundreds of good-sized pearls are found each year in the oysters we eat. Unfortunately these have no commercial value regardless of whether they have been cooked or not because they are dull opaque white or purple like the shell of the parent oyster. In recent times almost all pearls of gem quality come from the oriental pearl oyster which has a bright shimmering translucent nacre. A pearl starts growing when some irritating foreign substance such as a sand grain, bit of mud, parasite or other object becomes lodged in the shell-producing gland called the mantle. Pearls formed in the soft flesh where nacre can be added on all sides are most likely to be spherical and the most highly prized. By far the great majority are flattened or variously distorted and have little value. Size, color, luster and freedom from flaws are other essential qualities. Unlike other gems, such as diamonds, pearls have an average life of only about 50 years. In time the small amount of water in a pearl's make-up is lost and its surface cracks. Because they are mostly lime, necklaces which are worn often are injured by the acid secretions of the human skin.

Washington - Childhood immunisation rates reached an all-time high around the world last year and vaccine development is booming, the World Health Organization and the World Bank said in pearl necklace a report on Wednesday.

Despite the record 106 million vaccinations the report said 24 million children were deprived access to immunisation programmes.

The two organisations said an estimated $1bn in additional funds are needed to make available new and existing vaccines to children in 72 of the world's poorest nations.

In a statement accompanying the report, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan stressed the importance of overcoming "the divide that separates rich from poor, between those who get life-saving vaccines and those who don't."

Chan extolled the unparalleled role of vaccines in preventing the spread of diseases, such as the avian and swine flu, and urged everyone to take up the challenge of making them accessible to freshwater pearl bracelet populations most at risk.

"The influenza pandemic draws attention to the promise and dynamism of vaccine development today," she said.

"Yet it reminds us once again of the obstacles to bringing the benefits of science to people in the poorest nations."

United Nations Children's Fund Executive Director Ann Veneman said "worldwide measles deaths fell by 74% between 2000 and 2007, and vaccinations played an important part in sterling silver jewelry that decline."

"Such progress must inspire new efforts to immunise children around the globe against life-threatening diseases," she added.

Cape Town - The Wireless Application Service Providers' Association of SA (Waspa) on Wednesday urged cellphone users to be vigilant after a series of fraudulent SMS messages targeted users with wish pearl gift set promises of monetary rewards.

This particular SMS scam appears to be similar to the 419 scams routinely reported worldwide.

The latter are named after the section of the Nigerian penal code which prohibits them.

Waspa received reports of cellphone users being targeted with freshwater pearl bracelet similar SMS messages in the United States and the United Kingdom which indicates the problem is not confined to South Africa and more than likely did not originate in this country.

"The fact that 419-type scams have made it onto the mobile phone is an unfortunate development," said Neil Hutchinson, Waspa management committee member.

"It illustrates how fraudsters constantly refine their nefarious activities to pearl necklace take advantage of every technological platform available to them. Waspa urges cellphone users to delete these messages as soon as they are received."

Waspa believes no legitimate South African Wasp is connected with these messages.

The fact that the SMS messages were sent across multiple networks in sterling silver jewelry multiple countries proves this.

The SMS messages are simply a way of making contact with potential victims in the same way that 419 fraudsters have tended to use e-mail to defraud unsuspecting persons.

Waspa stated that according to the trends that pearl necklace have been reported, it appears users are not charged to receive the fraudulent SMS messages.

This means securing direct money transfers from a victim¡¯s to a fraudster¡¯s bank account appears to be the ultimate goal of the messages.

Example of a fraudulent text message:

Congratulations! your mobile phone number has won ¡ê500 in pearl earrings the nokia promo. claim code NK12 to claim email claimdept@sify.com phone+447810021950

London - Prudence, a little piglet living at an animal rescue centre in Britain, believes she is really a puppy and spends her days chasing sticks and balls with her canine friends, it was reported on sterling silver jewelry Wednesday.

"Prudence got friendly with a puppy when she arrived, then decided she wanted to spend her days with the dogs," Rosie Catford, owner of the Wildlives centre near Colchester, in the south-eastern county of Essex, said.

"She seems to think that if dogs run free, then why wish pearl gift set not she."

Nine-week-old Prudence spends her days chasing sticks and balls with her new friends, said Catford.

"They wrestle and chase, then all fall asleep together."

Eventually, when she grows up, Prudence will have to live with pigs. "But at the moment we just sit back and enjoy the cabaret," said Catford.

Prudence was brought to the centre by a member of the pearl necklace public. She had been born on a farm and was going to be shot because she was the runt of a litter, Catford said in a report published by Britain's Press Association.

Cape Town - SA book worms can now read their favourite titles in electronic form with Amazon's electronic reader, Kindle.

Amazon announced on Monday that it made its popular e-book reading device available to freshwater pearl bracelet customers in South Africa and 99 other countries.

According to Amazon Kindle Books director Laura Porco, customers will be able to download e-books wirelessly from Amazon via free 3G technology. No SIM card, airtime or contract will be required to buy books.

Instead, the Kindle has a built in cellular chip which is supported by AT&T and its partner roaming networks. (In SA, both MTN and Vodacom are AT&T international roaming partners.)

The Kindle weighs only 290g, as much as a paperback book, fits comfortably in wish pearl gift set your hand, and can store 1 500 e-books. It can also play MP3 music files and open images.

Readability of printed paper

Utilising the latest in electronic-ink display technology, the device's crisp 15cm black-and-white screen has the same appearance and readability of printed paper.

Sharp and natural with no glare or backlight, reading on sterling silver jewelry Kindle is nothing like reading from a computer screen.

The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically.

The long battery-life also ensures that you can read on a single charge for up to 4 days. If you turn the wireless technology off, you can read for up to 2 weeks.

SA customers have access to a library of 260 000 e-books, of which 35 000 sell for only $5.99 (R44). Bestsellers and new releases sell for $11.99 (R88).

The Kindle can be ordered from Amazon.com for $279 (R2 065), excluding shipping costs and country-specific taxes.