Gem Gossip – Pearl Jewelry

What counsel has the hooded moon
Put in thy heart, my shyly sweet,
Of Love in ancient plenilune,
Glory and stars beneath his feet
A sage that is but kith and kin
With the comedian Capuchin?

Believe me rather that am wise
In disregard of the divine,
A glory kindles in those eyes
Trembles to starlight. Mine, O Mine!
No more be tears in moon or mist
For thee, sweet sentimentalist.

-James Joyce

Those born in June are sociable, humorous, and talkative. Born under the zodiac Gemini, June borns often exhibit childlike traits and are cheerful, restless, and full of life. They are very intelligent and are extremely inquisitive in nature. And just as a child is both soothed and intrigued by the silvery hues of the moon, the moon like pearl and moonstone are the birthstones of these candid, trusting individuals.

According to South Asian mythology, pearls were dewdrops from heaven that fell into the sea, caught by shellfish under the first rays of the rising sun, during a period of full moon. A tale of childlike innocence, wonder, and magic for the childlike June born!

Unlike most gemstones of mineral origin that are found within the Earth, pearls have an organic origin. Pearls are made mostly of aragonite, a relatively soft carbonate mineral (CaCO3) that also makes up the shells of molluscs. They are created inside the shells of certain species of oysters and clams when an irritant such as a very small fragment of rock, a sand grain, or a parasite enters the mollusc’s shell. It irritates the oyster or clam, much like a dust particle would irritate our eyes, and the mollusc responds by coating the foreign material with layer upon layer of shell material. Pearls formed on the inside of the shell are usually irregular in shape and have little commercial value. However, those formed within the tissue of the mollusc are either spherical or pear-shaped and are in high demand for jewellery. Many pearls today are cultured in oyster farms that sustain a thriving pearl industry.

Pearls possess a uniquely delicate translucence and lustre that place them among the most highly valued of gemstones. The colour of the pearl depends on the species of mollusc that produced it, and its environment. White is perhaps the best-known and most common colour. However, pearls also come in delicate shades of black, cream, grey, blue, yellow, lavender, green, and mauve. Black pearls can be found in the Gulf of Mexico and waters off some islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Persian Gulf and Sri Lanka are well-known for exquisite cream-coloured pearls called Orientals. The journey a pearl goes through to create a piece of jewellery is a miraculous event. Gemstones must be cut and polished to bring out their beauty, but pearls need no such treatment to reveal their loveliness.

Pearls were used in medicine as early as 2000 BC in China, where they were believed to represent wealth, power, and longevity. In Europe, pearls were used in medicine until as recently as the 17th century. Arabs and Persians believed it was a cure for various kinds of diseases, including insanity. Even to this day, lowest-grade pearls are ground for use as medicine in Asia. In India, warriors encrusted their swords with pearls to symbolize the tears and sorrow that a sword brings. According to Vedic Astrology, Moon reflects the human mind and has a profound impact on our thinking. Pearls maintain the stability of the mind and improve confidence.

If you are a June born and would like to own a piece of the pearls in exquisite jewellery, visit us at Gehna and talk to our design team about the fascinating ways you can wear pearls. Customize your own unique masterpiece by highlighting the subtle lustre of these gemstones with the occasional sparkle of the extremely well-paired diamonds. And if you are not one born under the dreamy sheen of the moon, maybe we have tempted you enough to own some moonbeam anyway?

 If you enjoyed reading our article on pearls, you might also be interested to have a look at our ‘How To Take Care of your Pearls’ article.