History and Origins of the Delicate June Birthstone — Pearl

Pearl is one of the most beautiful gems extracted delicately from a living mollusk. The features of pearls — such as the lustrous shade, fragile build, and royal feel — are more than enough to spellbound everyone. What’s more, it’s one of the three birthstones of June! The association seems apt as the inherently spirited persona of June-born would work exceptionally well with this stone of sincerity.

June birthstone’s Intriguing History

Pearls are officially the oldest gem on earth, first found in a Persian sarcophagus in 420 BC. But the gem’s history starts in 2300 BC when Chinese Royalty would get them as presents.

Alongside China, ancient Rome also regarded pearls as an indicator of your affluent status. The Egyptian Queen Cleopatra was once challenged to host the most extravagant dinner. She actually crushed a priceless pearl, mixed it in her wine, and drank it. It was the boldest and most expensive move as pearls symbolized wealth and luxury.

History shows that the great Julius Caesar gifted his favorite mistress, Servilia, a large black pearl. Called Servilia’s pearl, it is the first individual pearl known to mankind. Caesar was also a pearl connoisseur and passed a law that only the aristocrats could wear it.

With such a refined history, it is no wonder that pearls are still associated with Royalty. To this day, the royal family of England still follows the tradition of gifting pearls on birthdays and other celebrations. In fact, the Queen is never seen without her iconic three-strand pearl necklace and pearl earrings.

Pearls — Symbolism and Meaning

Pearls have the most intriguing symbolism and meaning associated with them. It is said that pearls possess healing powers, and wearing them brings you a sense of safety. Thanks to the tiresome process the mollusks go through to make a pearl, the gem has always been the ultimate symbol of wisdom gained through experience.

Interestingly, pearls are also a symbol of eroticism and purity. As Botticelli shows in his infamous painting, Venus, the Roman goddess of love and eroticism, is seen to be born in the sea like a pearl. However, among Christians, pearls are considered an indicator of purity. It is astounding to see how a tiny gem could mean so many different things to different people!

For its milky white color, uneven texture, and water origin, pearls are linked to the Moon. Therefore, pearls would make a great gift to the June born who are strongly inclined towards the lunar and the water. And with them being a harbinger of good luck and wealth, nothing could be a better present.

Mythical Stories About Pearls

There are many stories found in world myths about this luminous gemstone. In King James’ version of the Bible, the Gates of Heaven are said to be made of pearls. Another story tells that the tears of Eve turned into white pearls while Adam’s tears resulted in black gems. This might be the reason behind the rarity of black pearls!

In Indian mythology, Lord Krishna is said to have fetched the first pearl out of the sea to gift it to his daughter on her wedding day. Another myth says that Goddess Sita possessed a necklace with 27 rare pearls. She gave it to Lord Hanuman as a reward after the great war between Rama and Ravana.

While Greek mythology tells us that pearls are Aphrodite’s tears of joy, An Arabian legend says that pearls are made when sea oysters swallow the moonlight-filled raindrops. All these myths have definitely given a sacred, ethereal quality to pearls. This quality was bound to translate into the pearl’s royalty status. Therefore, it’s not a surprise to spot the gems in royal families throughout history.

Interesting Facts About June Birthstone, Pearl

1. People in ancient times believed in pearls healing properties superstitiously. Pearls would be crushed and mixed in cosmetics, medicines, and food. These lustrous gems are also believed to be effective on insomnia, epilepsy, and palpitations.

2. Pearl farming is mainly carried out in countries like China, Japan, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Australia, and the Persian Gulf. In fact, the country island of Bahrain is known as the Island of Pearls. The title was bestowed on the island because of its thriving pearl-farming industry.

3. The record for the biggest-known natural pearl goes to the Pearl of Puerto. It weighs 170,000 carats and is 67 cm long and 30 cm wide. A fisherman in the Philippines found this pearl and then hid it under his bed for almost a decade! It is supposed to cost around $100 million.

4. One of the rarest pearls has to be Melo Melo pearls. What’s so special about it? These pearls are produced not by oysters but by Melo Melo snails. These pearls cannot be cultured, making them extremely valuable.

5. Contrary to the usual belief, pearls are available in several colors — brown, black, pink, green, blue, and even purple. The different colors also symbolize many things. For example, pink pearls embody fame, romance, and success, and purple gems are associated with art, passion, and nobility.

6. Pearls are not always round! Other than spherical, they are found in the shapes of a button, baroque, oval, drop, and semi-round.

7. In 2008, a restaurant owner and his wife in Lebanon found 26 pearls in an oyster! They were having lunch when they discovered the cluster in one of the oysters on their plates. The pearls were not that valuable, but the number of pearls present in one shell is bewildering!

Conclusion

Jewelry pieces with pearls are the epitome of sophistication, bestowing the wearer with subtle elegance and a sense of refined grace. Gabriel & Co. has a vast pearl collection! Not exaggerating, but you’ll be enamored to buy statement pearl jewelry for yourself or even more!