June: Pearl

June Birthstone: Pearl

Birthstone Color: Varieties includes white, pink, blue, black, gold

Pearl Myths & Historical Facts

The pearl is a gem of unsurpassed beauty and elegance. Although we know that pearls come from the mollusk, there are many stories that have been created over the years to explain the origin of the pearl. The Greeks believed that pearls were the hardened tears of joy that Aphrodite, the goddess of love, shook from her eyes as she was born from the sea. There is an Arab legend where pearls were formed when oysters swallowed moonlit dewdrops after being lured from the depths of the ocean by the beautiful moon. The Ancient Chinese thought that these gems came from the brains of dragons.

The truth is, the actual scientific explanation of how natural pearls are formed is almost as unbelievable as the folklore. The process begins when an irritant, such as a small parasite, becomes lodged in the flesh of an oyster, mussel, or clam. Once this occurs a protective substance called “nacre” is produced. Over years, the layers of “nacre” build on top of the irritant and create a lustrous pearl. Natural pearls are rare, so a process has been created in which a piece of shell of bead is placed inside a mollusk to stimulate the production of nacre. This results in a cultured pearl, which accounts for about 90% of the pearl industry.

There are two alternate birthstones for the month of June; Moonstone, a type of feldspar named because of its uncanny resemblance to the iridescent sheen of the moon.  Varying in color from clear to blue-white or peach, and Alexandrite, a yellowish or brownish green in color, this gemstone has the unique characteristic of changing color to a red hue when exposed to a glowing light source, such as candlelight.

Pearl Facts

Cultured pearls combine nature’s beauty with man’s genius to create an organic gemstone in a variety of styles and prices.

White the most valuable moonstones are colorless with a blue sheen and high transparency, some of the most popular have a silvery white sheen with a white-to-gray body.

Pearls are a highly versatile organic gem that can be worn casually or reserved for dressy occasions. Pearls have been referred to as a “gift of the gods.” The ancient Greeks, for example, believed that Aphrodite, the goddess of sensuality and beauty, adored the beauty of pearls. The Chinese believed there was a link between the moon and a pearl’s soft glow.

Pearl culturing began in the early 1900s. Cultured pearls are divided into freshwater and saltwater varieties, and are cultured in pearl farms around the world.

Although cultured pearls are relatively soft, 2.5-4.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, with proper care, they can last a lifetime.