"Pearls of Wisdom" Celebrating the June Birthstone

“The Pearl is the Queen of Gems and the Gem of Queens”

Sometimes I wish I was a June baby because the birthstone for June is pearl. The pearl is absolutely one of my favorite jewels.

Prized for being classic, pearls are also regarded as miracles. They are the oldest gem known to man, having been worn as an adornment for over 4,000 years.

Pearls are unique, as they are the only gemstone that comes from the sea instead of the land. They are formed by living organisms, and they don’t require polishing or cutting.

Pearls represent wisdom, purity and innocence, and the spiritual world.

Pearls make lovely gifts. In fact, pearls were presented as gifts to Chinese royalty as early as 2300 BC. In ancient Rome, pearl jewelry was considered the ultimate status symbol. Julius Caesar passed a law limiting the wearing of pearls to the ruling class. Legend has it that Cleopatra swallowed a pearl as a symbol of her power and wealth in order to impress Marc Anthony.

The lustrous and reflective qualities of pearls also make them a desirable fashion accessory. The pearl goes with everything, and throughout history pearls have been worn in varying quantities and fashions to complement the style of the time. Coco Chanel said, “a woman should own ropes and ropes of pearls.” Chanel also introduced us to faux or imitation pearls. Her iconic designs and use of pearls in almost every season has cemented the pearl as symbol of elegance and haute couture.

In American fashion, the pearlhas been synonymous with wisdom and grace, almost every First Lady has made the pearl her go-to classic accessory.

Prized for their symbolism, pearls make lovely gifts for graduations as representatives of wisdom. White pearls are also the favored accessories choices by many brides as a symbol of purity.

We often think of pearlsin the traditional sense, but pearls also come in a variety of colors and shapes. Every pearl is one of kind, making them unique to the wearer.