The Pearl Birthstone

Each month celebrates its own special piece of birthstone jewellery, and for June, Pearl is the gemstone of choice. Loved for its iridescent and pearly lustre as well as their all-natural elegance, Pearls represent a perfect gift for anyone who is celebrating a birthday during this early summer month.

The name “Pearl” is derived from a Latin word that means “sphere” – “spherus”. These “organic gems” form inside the shells of molluscs like oysters, mussels, or clams. Whenever a grain of sand or other tiny object gets inside the shell, nacre starts to form. It covers the object slowly, smoothing it out in order to protect the shellfish’s soft inner tissues. It may take as long as 8 years for a Pearl to develop fully. While many Pearls form naturally, others are cultivated by deliberately putting a tiny object in a mollusc shell.

Rated only 2.5-4.6 on the Mohs hardness scale, Pearls are quite soft and come in several colours including white, cream, brown, black, and pale pink.

Where Do Pearls Come From?

Pearls are both cultivated and harvested in China, Japan, Australia, French Polynesia, and other parts of the Asia-Pacific area. Pearl farming historically began in Japan, and even today it is known for its high-quality saltwater and freshwater pearls.

A June Pearl Birthday Gift

Pearls are sometimes known as “the queen of gems”, and are the June birthstone as well as Gemini’s associated stone. Pearls are also often given as a 30th, 12th, 3rd, or 1st wedding anniversary gift. Said to symbolise love, Pearls are believed to bring wisdom and fortune to anyone who wears a piece of Pearl birthstone jewellery, and will bring happiness and joy to the wearer.

How To Choose A Piece Of June Birthstone Jewellery

There are no visible differences between freshwater farmed Pearls and cultivated Pearls, as only the mineral compositions are different. Cultivated Pearls represent an ecologically sound alternative and are often more affordable. Nevertheless, whichever type of Pearl you choose to buy as a birthstone jewellery gift, there are several quality factors to keep in mind: surface quality, lustre, colour, size, nacre thickness, and shape.

The lustre of the Pearl is its most crucial quality, since it’s the iridescence of the Pearl that makes it so beautiful and allows it to reflect the light perfectly. While some Pearls reflect the light brightly, others shimmer, but no Pearl should look dull. As Pearls are natural, they may have tiny imperfections like scratches or dents. However, if only a few can be seen, they don’t affect its longevity or value overall.

When it comes to colour, it can vary between varieties. The most traditional colours are cream, black and white, but brown and pink Pearls are also popular. Pearls that have a rainbow-like shimmer are also a common choice.

While the best-known Pears are round in shape, there are actually 8 different shapes to choose from – button, pear, semi-round, baroque, drop, circled, oval, and, of course, round. The most valuable Pears are perfectly round or symmetrical drops.

If you’re choosing a piece of January Pearl jewellery that contains multiple stones, for example a necklace, the colours of the Pearls should always be matched unless the shape, colour, and size are being mixed for a creative aesthetic.

The most valuable Pearls are larger, and will be natural as a good quality cultivated Pearl needs no kind of treatment. Some Pearls are coated, dyed, irradiated, or bleached, but buying cultivated untreated pearls is always a better choice.

As Pearls are sensitive to chemicals, humidity, and heat, they need to be handled, worn, and stored carefully. Pearl birthstone jewellery should only be put on once perfume, hairspray, and cosmetics have already been applied, and it should be wiped clean after wearing with a soft cloth since sweat may cause damage. Pearls should never be soaked in water or they could easily be damaged, so take care to remove your Pearl jewellery before taking a bath, swimming, or washing the dishes.

The Legends And History Of June Pearl Birthstones

Pearls have long been associated with luck, wisdom, wealth, and love. In ancient Roman times, they were only affordable for rich families and were held dear as a status symbol. In fact, Pearls had a legendary part to play in Antony and Cleopatra’s famous love story, when Cleopatra wagered with Marc Antony during a banquet that Egypt was wealthier than Rome. Her paramour took the bet, however once Cleopatra took a huge pearl, crushed it, then drank it with her wine, he admitted defeat.

In ancient Greece, Pearls were said to be the gods’ tears, and it was believed they brought happiness to a marriage, stopping young newly married women from crying.

When Europeans started to colonise Central America, they began to harvest Pearls, but by the time the 19th century was drawing to a close the natural supplies were depleting so only the very wealthiest people could afford to buy them. Fortunately, in 1907, Kokichi Mikimoto developed Pearl cultivation, allowing everybody to enjoy the beauty of this gorgeous birthstone, and they continue today to be one of the most feminine symbols of sophistication and style.

For centuries, Pearls have been linked to innocence, humility and purity, and when given as a piece of birthstone jewellery, its meaning is “sweet simplicity”. Pearls have also been thought to come with beneficial properties including the ability to bestow prosperity and long life on the wearer, and in alternative medicine it is said to help relieve indigestion, improve eyesight, ease depression, and quieten nervous tremors.

If you give Pearl birthstone gold or silver jewellery to a loved one, you are giving them the gift of joy, self-worth, and self-confidence, while also helping them to connect more fully with their creative side. You can discover beautiful Pandora June Pearl birthstone charms as well as stunning gold Pearl jewellery on our website that is sure to delight any special loved one on the occasion of their June birthday.