The historical use of the June birthstone - the pearl - dates back to ancient times.
The Greeks believed that pearls were hardened tears of joy fallen from the goddess of love's eyes as she emerged from the ocean's depths; and the ancient Chinese thought that these gems were derived from the brains of dragons.
Even now in modern times, when we know that pearls are formed by nature, the allure of the pearl remains as it always was: exotic, beautiful, rare and eternally elegant.
The scientific process by which pearls are formed is as simple as it is mystifying - a particle of dirt or grit finds its way into the shell of a marine or freshwater oyster or clam.
The oyster or clam react with a defense mechanism that coats the dirt particle with layer upon layer of a substance called nacre - also sometimes called "mother of pearl" - until eventually, over many, many years the coating becomes thick enough to form a pearl.
There are two main types of pearls: natural pearls and cultured pearls.
Natural pearls are extremely rare and so the process of coating the particle with nacre is sometimes helped along by human intervention, creating "cultured pearls". Cultured pearls make up roughly 90% of the pearls we see in jewellery across the globe.
Pearls have been a passion and even an obsession of people throughout the ages. They have been ground up and used in cosmetics and as a medicine to treat heart and stomach conditions. Some cultures believe pearls to be an aphrodisiac.
These organic gems have decorated crowns, clothing, and temples, and were said to be a favorite of Cleopatra. In fact, before modern times, royals and aristocrats were the only ones able to attain pearls for use in their jewellery and attire.
Eventually, people of all classes were able to acquire these timeless gems and they continue to be seen as a true mark of taste and refined elegance.
Pearls are the ultimate symbol of purity, and are often given as a gift to celebrate a marriage or the birth of a child.
Pearls are nature's perfect gift, suitable for all ages, and elegantly worn with everything from jeans to an evening gown.
