Pearls – June’s Birthstone

by on in Fashion, Jewelry, Stones

Pearl is the birthstone for June and the gem of the third and thirtieth anniversaries. Perhaps the best-loved gems of all time, pearls—natural and cultured—occur in a wide variety of colors. The most familiar are white and cream, but the palette of colors extends to every hue. Natural pearls form around a microscopic irritant in the bodies of certain mollusks. Cultured pearls are the result of the deliberate insertion of a bead or piece of tissue that the mollusk coats with nacre.

2206 BC
A Chinese historian writes about pearls for the first time.

653 FIFTH AVENUE
In 1917, Pierre Cartier traded a double strand of natural pearls for a mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

1893
Kokichi Mikimoto successfully cultures a pearl in Japan.

FACTS
  • MINERAL: Calcium Carbonate
  • CHEMISTRY: CaCO3
  • COLOR: White, black, gray, yellow, orange, pink, lavender, green, blue
  • REFRACTIVE INDEX: 1.52-1.69
  • SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 2.60-2.85
  • MOHS HARDNESS: 2.5-3.0
TREATMENTS

There are a number of processes used to alter the color, apparent clarity, or improve the durability of gems. LEARN MORE

SYNTHETICS

Some gemstones have synthetic counterparts that have essentially the same chemical, physical, and optical properties, but are grown by man in a laboratory. LEARN MORE

IMITATIONS

Any gem can be imitated—sometimes by manmade materials or by natural materials chosen by man to impersonate a particular gem. LEARN MORE

WHY WE LOVE THIS GEMSTONE

  • 1
    LUSTER

    Luster results from reflection of light rays off the pearl’s surface, and from concentric inner layers of nacre, like light bouncing off a convex mirror.

  • 2
    IMITATIONS

    Imitation pearls are smooth when rubbed against your teeth, while natural or cultured pearls have a slightly rough texture.

  • 3
    NATURAL PEARLS

    Natural pearls can be separated from cultured pearls by taking X-rays to reveal their inner structures.

QUALITY FACTORS

An assessment of the following characteristics determines the value of each type of pearl.

  • LUSTER

    Pearls with high luster have sharp bright reflections on the surface.

  • SURFACE QUALITY

    The number of blemishes on a pearl’s surface is evaluated to judge quality.

  • SHAPE

    Spherical pearls are the most valued but symmetrical drops are also sought.

  • COLOR

    Although white is most classic, appreciation has grown for more unusual natural colors.

  • NACRE THICKNESS

    Nacre thickness is evaluated to make sure that cultured pearls are durable as well as beautiful.

  • SIZE

    Cultured pearls range from 2-16mm in diameter, depending on the mollusk used.

  • MATCHING

Information provided by GIA.edu

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