02 Jun Pearl – Birthstone for June
Pearl
Pearl is the birthstone for June and the gemstone of the 30th wedding anniversary. Unlike most other gemstones which are minerals, pearls are organic and are formed within the soft tissue of a shelled mollusk,
The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beautyfor many centuries. Until the early 1900’s the only means of obtaining pearls was by manually gathering very large numbers of pearl oysters or mussels from the ocean floor, lake or river bottom. It was necessary to open the shells of more than a ton of these shellfish in order to find three to four quality pearls.
The pearl oysters were gathered by pearl divers. Pearl divers were free-divers who were often forced to descend to depths of over 100 feet on a single breath. For generations there was a rich history of pearl diving in the United Arab Emirates. Many families in the region can trace their fortunes back, not to oil, but to the historic pearl diving their forefathers did.
Natural pearls are rare and expensive. Today, more than 99% of all pearls sold worldwide are cultured pearls. In simple terms cultured pearls are human creations, formed by inserting a spherical piece of shell into a pearl oyster. Implanted oysters are returned to the sea. Layers of mother of pearl produced by the shell coat the nucleus of the new pearl and after a period of up to three years enough material has formed around the shell and the the pearl is ready for harvesting. Kokichi Mikimoto introduced the first cultured pearls in London in 1919 at prices considerably less than natural pearls.
Colored pearls, can be made by inserting natural dyes into the shell. A wide variety of colours are available white through to black.
Visit us in Kay Street, Rawtenstall. Call us and speak to one of our experienced team to discover more about the pearl jewellery we have to offer.from our stock. For a truly unique piece of pearl jewellery consider a bespoke piece – designed and created in our own on-site workshop in the heart of Lancashire.
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