Every holiday season I design an easy to make yet expensive looking piece of jewelry to give as a gifts to friends and family members.
This year the design is an akoya pearl on a filigree sterling silver bail hung on a sterling silver curb style chain.
Akoya pearls are cultured salt-water pearls - usually obtained from Japan or China. They have a deeper luster than their cultured freshwater pearls equivalent. However, this necklace would look great substituting freshwater pearls for the akoya pearls.
You could also fabricate this gift using a 14k gold filled bail and chain - although that would nearly double it's cost to make.