PEARL GUIDE
(JUNE BIRTHSTONE)

Pearl June Birthstone

The pearl birthstone is a symbol of purity and innocence. Pearls are widely appreciated in the fashion scene and due to their positive connotation, are often given as gifts or as wedding presents.

History of Pearl as the June Birthstone

Since pearls are naturally occurring, it is hard to say who first found them. However, it is most likely that they were first found by ancient tribes whilst looking for food. They have been used historically as far back as the Egyptian and Roman periods when they were used as decoration.

Pearls have retained their popularity over the years with some of the most famous including the Hope Pearl, La Peregrina and the Abernathy Pearl. They are admired due to their links to femininity, purity and peace. They are also often compared to the moon.

Characteristics of Pearls

Pearls are naturally occurring items which are predominantly made up of calcium carbonate, but are also about 10% conchiolin and around 2 to 4% water which impacts how they should be looked after.

Pearls are formed within oyster shells as part of a defence mechanism. When an irritant enters the shell, it creates layers of fluid called nacre which solidifies around the irritant. It is this which becomes a pearl. This includes thousands of extremely thin layers of the liquid and can take up to ten years. The odds of finding a pearl in any given oyster are around 1 in 10,000.

There's a range of pearls available, including freshwater, which is the most common kind, as well as cultured, natural and saltwater.

Symbolism of Pearls

There is a lot of symbolism associated with pearls which makes them the perfect gifts. They are known for signifying purity and innocence. They also stand for love and commitment which is why they are so commonly associated with weddings.

Pearls also have spiritual connotations and myths widely view them positively. They are considered to tap into your inner wisdom and help you to enhance your personal integrity. Pearls bring truth and sincerity and help you to focus your attention. They are thought to be calming and have a protective and strengthening impact on those who wear them.

As well as this, pearls can be a range of colours including white and lavender. Purple is a symbol of royalty, peace, power and confidence which add to the symbolism of the stones.

Modern Uses of Pearls

Pearls are commonly used in jewellery and fashion. They have continually been used in this way over the years and are referred to as timeless and classic pieces, acting as wonderful highlights for any piece of jewellery and enhancing any style. They can be used within clothing too, adding elegance to fashion pieces.

As well as this, pearls have been used for industrial purposes in more recent years. They can be crushed in order to create cosmetics as well as medicine or even paint. Often, low-grade pearls are used for these purposes.

How to Choose a Quality Pearl?

There are a few factors that affect the quality of a pearl, including:

• Lustre – Good quality lustre means you should be able to see your reflection on the surface of the pearl. If it looks dull then it has a low lustre.

• Shape – Since pearls are created naturally, you cannot expect perfect spheres. Therefore, finding those which are as rounded as possible is positive. However, some of those with unusual shapes are used in more creative pieces.

• Size – Ordinarily, the ideal size for pearls is between 7 and 7.5 millimetres. However, a bigger pearl is likely to have a higher value.

• Surface – The surface of the pearls should be smooth and clean with no cracks or bumps.

Pearl Birthstone Care & Cleaning

Once you have looked into each of the factors that impact the quality of pearls and chosen the best for you, caring for your pearls is of great importance. Ideally, you should store your pearls in a soft cloth pouch. If you want to use a box, it should be a soft-lined box.

Pearls are created naturally and so have a certain amount of water in them. Due to this, you must avoid storing your pearls in an airtight container since this can result in damage to the pearls and can worsen their lustre.

Conclusion

Pearl birthstones are wonderful items which have great significance. They can be worn to improve strength and protection or can be gifted since they are a symbol of love and purity. Pearls are unique in that they are one of the only objects produced within the soft tissue of a living thing, which makes them all the more impressive.

Having stood the test of time over thousands of years, pearls are sure to maintain their enduring appeal and provide calm and strength to wearers for many years to come.

Want to learn more about birthstone meanings? Check out our birthstone guides by month: