Treasure the cool, soft luster of June’s pearls

by Bethany Waldrop Keiper

 "By her who in June was born, no gem save pearls shall be worn. They will ensure her constancy, true friendship and fidelity." – Gregorian Birthstone Poems

Tears of gods and goddesses, drops of moon dew, symbols of purity, birthstones for June -- all of these phrases have been used to describe the lustrous pearl. These shining orbs differ from the mineral gemstones in many ways. They need no cutting to make them beautiful, no facets to make them shine.  

These ready-to-wear qualities have made them objects of desire and the stuff of legends, as well as treasured adornments, for thousands of years.

When dragons fought, pearls would fall from the sky, according to long-ago Chinese myths. Ancients believed pearls were the tears of the gods, while the Greeks believed pearls would prevent newlywed women from crying. This ancient belief may have something to do with the modern tradition of giving pearls as a first wedding anniversary gift. Other beliefs attached to pearls are that they promote love, and bring luck, protection, and wisdom.

In the more down to earth sense, most people have heard the story of a pearl’s journey into being. They are called organic gems, since they are formed inside oysters, and also the shelled creatures mollusks and mussels. For the uninitiated, pearls are brought to life when an irritating bit of stone or sand finds its way into the creature’s shell, irritating the mollusk’s tender insides. The mollusk patiently wraps the irritating thing in nacre, the pretty coating formed inside its shell.  As years pass, the coated irritant, now a pearl, becomes larger, enfolded in layers of light-reflecting luster. Cultured pearls are created when humans introduce a perfectly round “irritant” into the shell to receive this beauty treatment.

This luster is one of the keys to a pearl’s value. The most desirable is call “Orient luster” and is shimmering and iridescent. Perfectly symmetrical, completely natural, and good-sized pearls bring the most value. The search for pearls takes divers into waters by Australia, Japan, Venezuela, California, Panama, and the Persian Gulf.

Pearls also come in a variety of different shapes,  sizes, and colors. Many of the colors of pearls are believed to carry certain qualities within them – blue pearls have love, pink have success, and black or gold have wealth.  White pearls have meaning in the beliefs of the chakras, where they assist with spiritual matters, and are believed to allow and strengthen unity with the higher power as part of the crown chakra.

As with other gemstones, there are pearls famous for their size and beauty. But one of these was found fairly recently in the United States. The Big Pink Pearl, as it is known, was found in Petaluma, California, at Salt Point State Park, in 1990. Weighing in at a hefty 470 carats, it is listed as the largest natural abalone pearl ever found. In 1991, it was valued at $4.7 million.

Pearls have been popular in America for a very long time. The “Father of Waters,” was the meaning of the Native Americans’ name for the Mississippi River – and it could have been called the provider of pearls as well. In the river they found freshwater pearls, perfect for their necklaces and headdresses.

Resources:
About Birthstones
http://www.about-birthstones.com/
Gaia's Garden
http://www.gaiasgarden.com/
Molecular Expressions: The Birthstone Collection
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/birthstones/pages/pearl.html
Pearl Facts, Lore, History, Myths and Pictures
http://www.bernardine.com/gemstones/
The World's Largest Pearl Guide
http://www.pearl-guide.com/

 

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