June Birthstone Spotlight: Pearl

The month of June is here, so it’s time for our second birthstone spotlight! June officially has two birthstones: pearl and alexandrite. Today, we will focus on pearl. 

What is Pearl? 

Pearls are organic gemstones, which means that a living organism created them. Pearls form in the body or mantle tissue of certain mollusks. This process occurs naturally when small irritants enter the mollusk. When the process happens in nature, we get “natural pearls.”

Skilled technicians can also replicate the natural process and create what we call “cultured pearls.” Most pearls sold today are cultured pearls. 

Types of Cultured Pearls

Here is a breakdown of the four types of cultured pearls: 

Fresh Water Pearls

Freshwater pearls come mostly from China. They are the most widely available cultured pearls and, therefore, the least expensive. Freshwater pearls come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors. 

Akoya Pearls

Akoya cultured pearls come mostly from Japan and China and are the most familiar saltwater cultured pearls in the US. They are the classic choice for most single-strand pearl necklaces. Most Akoya pearls are white or cream-colored.

South Sea Pearls

South Sea cultured pearls come mostly from Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines. The color of the pearl depends on the type of oyster it comes from, ranging from white to silver to gold. These cultured pearls are the most valuable because they are the rarest and take a long time to form.

Tahitian Pearls

Tahitian pearls are cultivated around the islands of French Polynesia, including Tahiti. These pearls are saltwater cultured pearls and can be various colors, including black, gray, or brown. Many have blue, green, purple, or pink overtones. 

The History of Pearls

One of the most treasured gemstones of all time, pearls have been around for thousands of years. Pearls were first recorded in written history in 2206 BC. Throughout Asia, Europe, and other locations, wealthy citizens and members of royal families desired and treasured pearls for centuries, often passing them down from generation to generation. 

In Japan in 1893, Kokichi Mikimoto successfully created the world’s first cultured pearls. These cultured pearls came to the market in the early 20th century and began to spread in popularity across the globe. 

Quality Factors

Pearls have six main quality factors. They are size, shape, color, luster, and nacre.

• Size: Pearls range in size. Larger pearls are rarer than smaller ones, so if all other factors are equal, larger pearls are the most valuable.
• Shape: Pearls also vary in shape, with round being the most difficult to culture. Therefore, round pearls are generally most valuable, although many pearl-enthusiast also treasure pearls that are pear, oval, or baroque (which means irregularly-shaped). 
• Color: Although most people think of pearls as white, they come in a large variety of hues from yellow, orange, and pink to blue, green, and violet. The color of pearls is usually a matter of preference. The value of particular pearl colors depends on current availability and fashion trends.
• Luster: Luster is arguably pearl’s most significant quality factor. A pearl’s luster is its reflective quality. The brighter and sharper a reflection appears on the surface of a pearl, the higher the luster, and the more valuable the pearl will be.
• Nacre Quality: Nacre quality is closely related to luster. If a pearl has a thin or dull nacre, it will not have much luster. It will also be less durable than pearls with thicker nacres.  
• Surface Quality: Pearls, like all gemstones, are seldom perfect. Most have some surface characteristics, such as scratches or abrasions. The fewer surface characteristics a pearl has, the higher its surface quality. If a pearl’s surface characteristics are very noticeable or affect its durability, it will be much less valuable.

If a piece of jewelry has more than one pearl, matching also becomes a quality factor. Pearls strands, for example, should have pearls that are closely matched in size, shape, color, and luster (unless the pearls are deliberately mismatched for design purposes). 

How to Care For Pearl Jewelry

Pearls are susceptible to damage from many everyday substances like hairspray, lotion, and perfume. When wearing pearls, you should follow the “last on, first off” rule, which means that pearls should be the last item you put on when getting dressed and the first thing off when undressing. By following this rule, you reduce the chances of exposing your pearls to anything that could harm them.

You can use warm water and a new, soft makeup brush to gently clean pearl jewelry at home. If you’re uncomfortable with cleaning your pearls yourself, stop into our store and let our professionals do it for you. 

Interesting Facts About Pearl

• Pearls are the birthstone for June, as well as the traditional gem of the 3rd and 30th anniversaries. 
• Pearl ranks as 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.
• In China, pearls were once thought to offer protection from fire and fire-breathing dragons.
• In Europe, pearls were once a symbol of purity, modesty, and innocence.
• In the mid-1910s, Pierre Cartier couldn’t afford to buy a building, so he traded a double strand of natural pearls for a mansion on Fifth Avenue in NYC.