I love pearls, Dear Reader.

Actually, I love all gems. I took a semester-long course during my undergrad years at Penn State on the science of gems. It was an honors science elective, and it was fascinating. I like to think that I know quite a bit about them.

While I know some about most of the precious gems, there’s a special place in my heart for pearls.

Did you know that pearls are not technically minerals because they come from living creatures? That’s your earth science lesson for today, courtesy of Mrs. Feels like Home, high school earth science teacher.

Gracie was a June baby, born on the second of the month. That makes her birthstone the pearl.

Joe had already given me several pearl necklaces and bracelets and earrings before Grace came along, and he’s given me some since. Just like my rubies remind me of my own birthday, my pearls remind me of my precious pumpkin’s.

Please don’t gag; it’s the truth.

I tell you all of this, Dear Reader, because I want to tell you about Pearl Paradise.

Jeremy Shepard, the founder and president of Pearl Paradise, is a pearl connoisseur. He and his staff (all graduates of the Gemology Institute of America, specializing in pearls) travel to pearl farms in Asia to monitor the cultivation of freshwater pearls. They purchase only the best two to three percent harvested, and they use the most exquisite of these to create their Freshadama line.

Because Pearl Paradise negotiates directly with the pearl farmers, relies only on word of mouth advertising, and bypasses traditional retail stores, Jeremy is able to sell high-end pearls to customers at a very reasonable price. The prices are shocking, in a good way, especially when you learn that Pearl Paradise pieces have been included in the swag packages at the Academy Awards.

Every piece from Pearl Paradise carries a 90 day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee, but I can’t imagine that anyone would ever give these pearls back.

From PearlParadise.com:

We are proud to be the only company in the world to offer this new line of freshwater pearls. Each Freshadama strand features round cultured freshwater pearls with brilliant luster, higher than even the finest quality akoya pearls. The pearls feature orient, which is a rainbow iridescence and an incredibly rare factor only seen in approximately .01% of freshwater pearls produced today.

Stunning doesn’t even begin to describe my strand of Freshadama pearls. Breathtaking and magnificent are better, but still lacking.

The first thing I noticed about the Freshadama pearls was the orient luster. I have never seen pearls like them. In the sunlight, they almost glow. When I hold them in my hand, I can see my reflection in each one.

Guess what, Dear Reader! Pearl Paradise is giving away this strand of Freshadama pearls to one very lucky Feels like Home reader! Are you verklempt? You will be when you see them!

To enter: Visit Pearl Paradise and chose your favorite piece. Come back here and tell us what you chose and why. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you.

For extra entries: You can earn one extra entry for each of the following:

1. Tweet about this giveaway and leave the URL for the Tweet in the comments.
2. Stumble this post and write a brief review.
3. Write about this giveaway on your blog, including Feels like Home and Pearl Paradise. Leave the URL in a comment.
4. Post my button on your sidebar. Report the URL for your site in a comment.
5. Subscribe to my feed and report it in the comments.

Good luck! I’ll use Random.org to choose a winner some time after 11:59 pm on February 2, 2009.

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