PEARLS
Birthstone: June
Wedding Anniversary: third and thirtieth
Known and appreciated since ancient times, pearls do not require any cutting or polishing to reveal their beauty. These organic gems are produced by bi-valved mollusks that live in salted water (pearl oysters) or in freshwater (pearl mussels). Whether it is a freshwater or a saltwater pearl, a pearl consists of successive layers of aragonite, known as nacre which the mollusk produces to protect itself from a minute intruder in its shell.
At the beginning of this century, the Japanese developed a technique of culturing pearls by introducing a small nucleus made of mother-of-pearl into the pearl oyster and this was slowly covered by layers of nacre, to form a cultured pearl. The type and colour of the pearl varies according to the variety of the mollusk. The small Akoya oysters of Japan produce pearls of sizes up to about 9 mm in white colours with pinkish or yellowish overtones. The large Pinctada oysters, cultivated in Australia produce the South Sea pearls which are about 9 to 20 mm in size. The principle producer of black pearls is the French Polynesia (Tahiti).
The freshwater pearls are cultivated without the nucleus and in the past they used to be elongated or baroque in shape. China is one of the largest producer of these pearls and their production today is of nearly round pearls and they come in white or pastels colours. The quality of the pearl is determined by its lustre, surface smoothness, size, shape and colour.
Pearls are a symbol of the moon and retain magical powers which bring prosperity and long life. They are also associated with love and are said to promote marital bliss. Legend has it that Cleopatra crushed an expensive pearl and drank it to impress Mark Anthony.