Let me first say that I am an avid buyer of pearls - all of my friends know that I LOVE pearls and make sure to comment on any new pieces that they see me wearing. When this necklace came, I wasn't "wowed" when it came out of the box. I also noticed that none of my friends gave me any compliments on the piece (although I did not receive any negative comments, either.) MAJOR FLAW: The clasp broke within a couple of months of occasional wear. Not only is the very unusual clasp tricky to begin with (DO NOT buy this necklace if you have arthritis or any other troubles with your hands), but the metal is flimsy and the thin piece of wire that secures the clasp broke easily (i.e. I definitely did not wear this necklace while rock-climbing or something.) However, I CAN still wear the necklace. I just need to check every half an hour or so to make sure it is still on my neck. Additionally, the luster of the pearl is rather dull. I was very disappointed by this. Even to the untrained eye, the pearls look fake. Nonetheless, the necklace fulfilled the purpose I had in buying it. It was a nice length: a bit longer than your average pearl necklace. And the pearl width was slightly larger than "regular" pearl width. It goes well with turtlenecks and the like. I am a senior college student and it suits my age group well, in terms of young women who dress more on the mature and conservative side. I would not recommend it to any females younger than the upperclassmen college age range. However, I believe it is suitable for any older age ranges. It's both classic and modern, and it fits perfectly between an "average" pearl width and the more trendy large, bauble-like pearls that younger women have been wearing lately. But unless the price is chump change as far as you're concerned, don't bother with this necklace. I have received MAJOR compliments from many other Overstock.com pearl purchases, such as the 16" freshwater pearl necklace. Buy that instead - it will become a wardrobe staple!!!