June Birthstone - Pearl

Happy Birthday June!  June is a lucky month as it has THREE gemstones representing.  The traditional Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone.  Today we are going to discover the traditional birthstone of June, the pearl.  It is perhaps one of the most recognizable and beloved gems of all time!

Whether it is natural or cultured, the pearl is most popular in white or cream, but they come in a variety of hues.  Pearls are the only gemstone that is derived from a living creature.  Composed of potassium carbonate secretion, it is created as an anti irritant inside the soft flesh of a mollusk.  The oldest known mention of a pearl was written by a Chinese historian in 2206 BC.  The Roman Empire also had a connection with pearls.  Julius Caesar sanctioned them to be worn only by royalty or nobility.  In Japan, Kokichi Mikimoto was the first to successfully cultivate pearls.  His method was patented in 1896.  Mikomoto was quoted saying that his dream was to “adorn the necks of all women around the world with pearls." Today, 99% of the world's pearls are cultured. 

Skaneateles Jewelry is proud to have a partnership with the Tanabe Pearl Farm of Japan. Stay tuned for more info...

Fun fact: Pierre Cartier traded a strand of pearls, worth a million dollars, with the wife of a railroad magnet in exchange for her Italian Renaissance style mansion on New York City's Fifth Avenue.  This mansion was transformed into Cartier's luxurious flagship store that still stands today. 

Photo courtesy of: Tanabe Pearl Farm Japan - https://eng.tanabe-pearl.com/