Queen Elizabeth recently addressed the United Nations. This quote from Politics Daily stood out to us: "Her hat, suit, pearls and diamond brooch were visual throwbacks to empires of dust, wars won and lost, and countless speeches delivered by the famous and the infamous."

This doesn't surprise us!

From MSN:

Of course she does. Lady Gaga gave an inspirational interview to Daily Mail where she once again confirmed that she never, ever drops her pop diva persona — we didn't realise she took it this far, though!

"You have to live your art, as it's all about integrity," she says of her decision to dress up in crazy clothes and be fabulous 24/7.

"You won't ever catch me in sweatpants and a hoodie. Even in bed I wear my pearls and high heels. I'm always looking for more inspiration, new barriers to push."

"Everything I do is about getting a reaction," she told the tabloid.

"My aim in what I do is to push buttons, make people do a double take. People will either love me or they will hate me.

"That's what I want. No artist should ever want to be bland. I dress to get people to stare, I say a lot of things for shock value and I do a lot of things to deliberately unsettle people — like going around in my underwear in the middle of winter. It gets a big reaction."

The following was taken from the article Layer it on: The art of layering necklaces by NWSource, Seattle, WA

The number of necklaces depends on what you choose. Two necklaces that complement each other in texture and proportion can be the perfect addition to a "busier" outfit or neckline. With three necklaces, you can get more creative. Just make sure you choose pieces carefully for balance. Beyond three, it gets a little trickier, and in some cases, tackier. If you're after this look, consider buying one of the many multi-necklace jumbled affairs available.

While the jewelry lovers I talked to emphasized that there are no specific layering "rules," they generally agreed that:

1. The chains should be of varying lengths and staggered.

2. Adjustable clasps and hooks are a plus when layering. That way you can adjust to the appropriate length.

3. Mixing metals such as gold and silver in varying shades creates diversity.

4. Mixing media like pearls, gems, and costume beads and baubles adds texture.

5. Before buying, dig through your own drawers for forgotten or unusual pieces. You may not have to spend a dime!

To create a put-together look, use a combination of elements that brings the pieces together. Two of the necklaces should share something in common, either a color, metal, shape, gemstone or texture. The third necklace should share something in common with one or both of the other two.

This photo is from the New York Magazine's Michelle Obama Look Book.

This story was reported from DNA India.

A pearl farmer has developed a 48-carat pink pearl, in Chikhli town of Gujarat's Navsari district.

The pearl-farmer, Bhargav Desai, said that they are planning to auction the pearl at the famous auctioneers Sotheby's or Christie's, and are awaiting clearance from the Gem and Pearl Testing Laboratory in Bahrain.

The pearl is expected to fetch a price between Rs30 million and 100 million.

Desai has been producing pearls since 2004 at the Bhargav Freshwater Aquaculture Farm in Chikhli town.

He said that pearl farming is much more profitable than any other type of farming.

"This pearl culture gives us more income than normal agriculture. Pearl culture is not that widespread in India. There is very limited production and the demand for pearls is very high in our area...and pearls are being imported from China as well. So, if more pearl farms are developed here, our foreign currency would be saved and our farmers will be economically saved," said Desai.

He added that though pearl farming brings good returns, it is a risky business and that prevents people from taking it up as a profession in India.

Pearls are farmed in fresh water and nuclei of different sizes are implanted in mussels for the production of pearls. The entire process of implantation and harvesting of the pearl takes about two years.

Lucky women who were born in April enjoy having one of the most valuable birthstones on the market – Diamonds. “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” which was famously performed by Marilyn Monroe in 1953 and still rings true today especially during this month.

“Diamonds take a woman’s breath away. Not only sometimes, but always.” says J.R. Brown, CEO of Madison Pearls. “Women love diamonds not only for their value but more so for the significance for the occasion for when they receive them. When a woman receives diamond jewelry her eyes light up and her smile never ends.”

“Pearls compliment diamonds in jewelry by providing a touch of modern new world style, grace, and elegance. Look at our pearl rings for example, they are numerous styles featuring high quality pearls and encrusted with diamonds, the match of these two gems in one piece of jewelry is just radiant.” Mr. Brown explains.

Throughout the month of April, Madison Pearls is offering a ten percent off special for all diamond and pearl jewelry. Customers should use the code SAVE10 at checkout to take advantage of these huge savings as well as free shipping.

Madison Pearls founded its online store in March of 2009 and has quickly become a leader in the pearl jewelry market. By primarily focusing only on pearl jewelry and custom design they have become one of the only full service specialty jewelry stores on the Internet. Their award winning customer service has gained them a place in today’s luxury market. You can find Madison Pearls on the web at madisonpearls.com