Pearl – June Birthstone

Pearls have long been associated with purity, humility and innocence. So it may be said that the June birthstone meaning is “sweet simplicity.” As such, pearls were traditionally given as a wedding gift. The birthstone representing June is the pearl. Individuals born in June are truly lucky to be born in the only month with an organic birthstone, meaning that the gem is not formed over long periods of time in the Earth, but, by a living organism. Pearls can only be grown by a very small percentage of mollusk species which may live in either saltwater or freshwater environments. Each species produces a distinctive-looking gem that is characterized by a specific range of colors and sizes.

Pearls used to be an exceedingly rare gemstone. Their accidental discovery by divers foraging for food was a happy accident and any new gems sent noblemen and wealthy citizens throughout history scrambling to acquire them. It was only recently, in the year 1893, that Japanese innovator Kokichi Mikimoto figured out how to grow pearls in a process called “culturing”. The newfound ability to grow pearls instantly made them accessible at a reasonable price point to individuals everywhere around the world and demand skyrocketed. Today, there are vast mollusk farms that take advantage of the few places in which pearl-bearing mollusks live.

Pearls are made from nacre, the substance that lines the shell of their parent mollusk, so their colour will be the same as is displayed by the animal that grew them. Historically, the pearls found are white or cream-coloured, which is the hue that most people associate with pearls. However, we now gather pearls from a variety of species that produce gems with a wide range of body colors. White and cream remain staples on the market, but gold, silver, black, and grey have become common. Thanks in part to creative breeding, you can find pearls in many hues from gentle pinks and oranges to exciting greens and blues. These hues may have a very light to very dark tone and a warm, but usually not particularly strong, saturation. In addition to being the birthstone for June, pearls are traditionally given to commemorate the third and thirtieth wedding anniversaries.

We have an excellent selection of pearl jewellery in store including necklaces, pendants, earrings and bracelet. Not all of our items are listed on our website so call into store to see the full collection.