June Birthstone of the Month – Pearl

Those born during the month of June have one of the most coveted and desired gem as their birthstone, the pearl. It is also the anniversary stone for the 3rd and 30th year. The term pearl comes from the old French perle, originally from the Latin word for leg, perna, in reference to the shape of bivalves--clams, oysters and mussels

Considered the most feminine stone in the gem world, pearl is widely regarded as symbolic of chastity, modesty, and purity.

Pearls may occur in nature randomly or produced through culturing.

A natural pearl is formed when a microscopic irritant, such as a bit of sand or a parasite, finds its way inside the soft tissues of the mollusk’s shell. As a defense mechanism, the mollusk produces a sac around the irritant, secreting a substance known as nacre. Many layers of nacre eventually formed into a pearl. Nacre is what gives a pearl its lustrous beauty and iridescent shine.
Due to rarity of natural pearls, modern production of pearls is usually cultivated. A cultured pearl is formed by the same process as the natural one, only it begins with a surgical insertion of a nucleus bead in the mollusk’s reproductive organ. In this manner, the rounded bead serves as the irritant where concentric layers of nacre are secreted.

Few of the most popular cultured pearls are South Sea, Tahitian, Akoya, Mabe, and Lake Biwa cultured pearls.

Both natural and cultured pearls come in different shapes and forms ranging from oval, to pear, button, drop, and round, being the most valuable and difficult to form. While pearls with perfect symmetry are highly valued, irregular shapes such as baroque pearls are now increasingly popular in jewelry setting.

Pearls are also available in an extensive array of colors and sizes making them a popular gem choice used for crafting exquisite earrings, rings, and pendants. But perhaps beaded pearl necklaces and bracelets are most often favored and admired by many women around the globe.

If you wear a strand pearl necklace or bracelet on a regular basis, the string tends to wear out overtime. Additionally, the silk stringing material absorbs body moisture and eventually looks dirty. Therefore, pearl and bead restringing is highly recommended not only for the purpose of securing your pearls but also restoring the beauty of your elegant jewelry piece. Schmidt Jewelers provides pearl restringing.

At Schmidt’s Jewelers we are proud to be a licensed dealer of
Imperial Pearls. They offer a fabulous line of fashionable pearl jewelry.