Pearl
The Pearl - June birthstone
"Who comes with summer to this earth
And owes to June her hour of birth
A pearl should wear against her skin
Who's innocence many a heart shall win."
- Anonymous
Definition
The word Pearl is derived from the Latin word "pirum" which means "pear" which reflects the shape of the gem.
Characteristics
For those who were born in the month of June the Pearl is the traditional birthstone. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the June Birthstone Pearl are modesty, chastity and purity. The pearl is also said to promote loyalty, faithfulness and friendship. The healing properties of pearls are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the heart, spleen, stomach, intestine & ulcer problems. The Pearl is also used to enhance personal integrity.
Physical Properties
The pearl is a smooth lustrous round structure having a brilliant lustre, with varying tints, found inside the shell of a mollusc such as a clam or oyster. It is formed due to a secretion of shelly substance around some irritating foreign particle. Its substance is the same as nacre, or mother-of-pearl. Pearls which are round, or nearly round, and of fine lustre, are highly esteemed as jewels, and compare in value with precious stones. Real pearls are made by oysters or other molluscs whilst imitation pearls are man-made. Cultured pearls are made by molluscs but with human intervention (an irritant introduced into their shells causes a pearl to grow). A good sized pearl can take between five to eight years to form, which is usually the entire life of the oyster or mollusc. The value depends on the size and the coating, or “nacre”, on a real pearl which gives it its iridescence. Pearls come in a wide variety of colours ranging from white to black. The colour of a pearl might be classed as white, silver, cream-colored, gold, green, blue or black. Pearls are found most commonly in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Mannar, the South Pacific, the Gulf of California, the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast of Mexico, Europe, Japan and Australia
History
Historically, pearls have been used as an adornment for centuries. They were one of the favourite gem materials of the Roman Empire; later in Tudor England, the 1500s were known as the pearl age. Pearls are unique as they are the only gems from living sea creatures and require no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty. Pearls were a popular gem in Victorian jewellery. In the early 1900s, the first successful commercial culturing of round saltwater pearls began. Since the 1920s, cultured pearls have almost completely replaced natural pearls in the market.
"Who comes with summer to this earth
And owes to June her hour of birth
A pearl should wear against her skin
Who's innocence many a heart shall win."
- Anonymous
Definition
The word Pearl is derived from the Latin word "pirum" which means "pear" which reflects the shape of the gem.
Characteristics
For those who were born in the month of June the Pearl is the traditional birthstone. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the June Birthstone Pearl are modesty, chastity and purity. The pearl is also said to promote loyalty, faithfulness and friendship. The healing properties of pearls are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the heart, spleen, stomach, intestine & ulcer problems. The Pearl is also used to enhance personal integrity.
Physical Properties
The pearl is a smooth lustrous round structure having a brilliant lustre, with varying tints, found inside the shell of a mollusc such as a clam or oyster. It is formed due to a secretion of shelly substance around some irritating foreign particle. Its substance is the same as nacre, or mother-of-pearl. Pearls which are round, or nearly round, and of fine lustre, are highly esteemed as jewels, and compare in value with precious stones. Real pearls are made by oysters or other molluscs whilst imitation pearls are man-made. Cultured pearls are made by molluscs but with human intervention (an irritant introduced into their shells causes a pearl to grow). A good sized pearl can take between five to eight years to form, which is usually the entire life of the oyster or mollusc. The value depends on the size and the coating, or “nacre”, on a real pearl which gives it its iridescence. Pearls come in a wide variety of colours ranging from white to black. The colour of a pearl might be classed as white, silver, cream-colored, gold, green, blue or black. Pearls are found most commonly in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Mannar, the South Pacific, the Gulf of California, the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast of Mexico, Europe, Japan and Australia
History
Historically, pearls have been used as an adornment for centuries. They were one of the favourite gem materials of the Roman Empire; later in Tudor England, the 1500s were known as the pearl age. Pearls are unique as they are the only gems from living sea creatures and require no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty. Pearls were a popular gem in Victorian jewellery. In the early 1900s, the first successful commercial culturing of round saltwater pearls began. Since the 1920s, cultured pearls have almost completely replaced natural pearls in the market.
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