Pearls – The Birthstone of June
These birthstones of June are one of the oldest and the most loved gemstones. With their timeless beauty and elegance pearls have fascinated humans for centuries.
Pearls are organic gems, i.e. they are formed from living tissues. Natural pearls are probably the most beautiful accidents of nature. Pearls are formed when some parasite or some other irritant sits and gets trapped in the body of a mollusk such as an oyster. The mollusk then produces a crystalline substance called as ‘nacre’. The beauty and luster of a pearl is directly related to the thickness of nacre.
Since times unknown, pearls have been greatly valued and cherished for their inimitable beauty. Possessing a pearl in ancient times was considered equivalent to owning a piece of land. Roman historian Pliny the Elder even stated, “The richest merchandise of all, the most sovereign commodity, through the whole world are these pearls.” For many years the radiation that these gems radiate from their center led many to believe that these gems had a mystical quality about them. In ancient Rome, only people of certain ranks were permitted to wear peals.
Aphrodite pin displays one of the oldest and the largest pearls of all times. The pin is a gold plated bronze and date back to about 300 B.C. The pin comes from the Greek Century of Aphrodite, the Goddess of love, want and beauty.
Natural pearls V / S Cultured Pearls
Natural Pearls are formed only accidentally. They do not involve any kind of human intervention. One out thousands oysters produces a perfect pearl, thus natural pearls are very rare and highly prized.
Contrary to this, Cultured Pearls are not formed by accident but are planted by humans. Foreign objected are inserted in the body of a mollusk to ensure that a pearl is formed. The rest of the process is completely the same as that of natural pearls.
Below are some of the most popular Cultured Pearl Varieties
Akoya Cultured Pearl
This variety of cultured pearls is grown in China and Japan. There were originally developed by Mikimoto in Japan. These pearls are one of the brightest pearls. In recent years China has swept the market with its mass production of these pearls, but still Japanese ones are highly valued for their quality.
White South Sea
White South Sea cultured pearls are grown in Indonesia, Austria, Myanmar and Philippines. This variety is valued for its rarity and big sizes.
Tahitian
Tahitian Cultured Pearls occur in a wide range of colors, ranging from light gray to black, green and purple. This variety is grown only in French Polynesia and is loved for its extravaganza with colors and unconventional looks.
Birthstone Rings and Gemstone Earrings at Angara.com
Related Articles: -