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Pearl
Facts, Information and Description
Pearl is the Modern June birthstone. It is also the birthstone for the Star Signs of Gemini and Cancer and is considered the Mystical birthstone for November. Fresh water pearls are given on the 1st wedding anniversary. Pearls are also given on the 3rd, 12th and 30th anniversaries.
The pearl is the oldest known gem, and for many centuries it was considered the most valuable. Unlike all gems, the pearl is organic matter derived from a living creature - oysters and mollusks. An ideal pearl is spherical, but other shapes are common. A pearl may even become cemented against the inner wall of the shell, and eventually become a blister pearl.
Most pearls are "cultured", meaning the oysters (or mussels) have been opened and a "seed" inserted into the flesh of the oyster. The oyster then secretes nacre over the seed, eventually covering it with mother-of-pearl and a pearl is formed. Note that a natural pearl of significant size takes many years to form, as only a fraction of a millimeter of nacre is deposited each year. But for a cultured pearl, a bead is inserted as a seed (typically composed of shell), and the oyster may be harvested (and the pearl removed) in as little as six months, although for higher quality pearls (a thicker layer of mother-of-pearl) the harvest may not be done for several years. Different species have different secretion rates of nacre, so the minimum time varies widely.
At one time, pearls were very rare and expensive, because more than a thousand oysters might be harvested to find a single pearl, and that one may have been small or misshapen. However, raising oysters or freshwater pearl mussels is relatively easy, and the process of inserting the "seeds" has been perfected, such that cultured pearls are now harvested by the ton. Still, only a fraction of the harvest will be of high-quality pearls.
Folklore, Legend and Healing Properties
There is much folklore and tradition about the pearl. In fact so much history accompanies the Pearl that five months claim it as a birthstone - February, April, June (traditional), July and November.
The pearl is an astral stone for the signs Gemini and Cancer, and astrologers link it to the moon. It was said in some early cultures that the pearl was born when a single drop of rain fell from the heavens and became the heart of the oyster. Pearls have been called the 'teardrops of the moon'. Some believe that pearls were formed by the passage of angels through the clouds of heaven.
Over time, the pearl has become the symbol of purity and innocence and it is often sewn into bridal gowns, or worn as jewelry by the bride.
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