Birthstone of the month – Pearl

Pearls are the oldest among highly coveted gems, prized in almost every ancient civilization, from China India, Persia and the middle east and all the way to the Native American civilization. Till recent times, pearls were harvested exclusively from the ocean, with the best pearls arriving from the Persian gulf. Natural pearls were so rare that for a long time in history, they were far more expensive than diamonds! Probably the best-known story involving pearls is the that of Cleopatra and her wine that had pearls dissolved in it. While it sounds incredible, this story has some documented basis – during the “pearl banquet” held in the honour of Mark Antony, Cleopatra famously crushed a pearl from one of her pearl earrings and dissolved it into her wine, which she then drank. This was more a grand display of wealth by Cleopatra than a habit of hers, because in Rome, where Mark Antony came from, pearls were so valuable that the price of one could buy entire towns!

Pearls continue to charm women to this day, and as jewellers, we often get questions about the difference between “natural” and “cultured” pearls – What are natural pearls? Are cultured pearls artificial? Are they not valuable? Well, here are some facts: * Pearls are formed when a foreign particle lodges itself in the flesh of a pearl-producing mollusk, and the mollusk secretes a substance called nacre, which coats itself around the irritant, resulting over time in a pearl. * Cultured pearls are also natural, in that they are made by the same twenty-odd species of mollusks that make “natural” pearls. The difference is only that, naturally occurring ocean pearls, while rare, are almost always irregular in shape, making it hard to set them into beautiful jewellery. In the case of cultured pearls, the particle is introduced manually, so that the pearl that will be formed is shapely and beautiful, making them highly suitable for ornaments. * Another bonus with cultured pearls is that apart from the classic white, it is possible to create pearls in several other colours, such as brown, pink, and even black! * Finally, the process of creating cultured pearls has saved oceanic mollusks, which would otherwise have been over-harvested for their pearls, threatening their very existence. In terms of fashion, pearl jewellery is highly versatile and is never outdated. For those who like a laid back yet sophisticated look, pearls are just perfect every-day ornaments. White pearls go with everything from Saris to business suits, while coloured pearls are unique and terrific for parties and casual occasions. Pearls are also safe bets when it comes to gifts, because almost every woman has, or is building, a pearl jewellery set, so you just cannot go wrong choosing them.   pearl ring, pearl necklace designs and pearl set online, Shop Here.