Pearl
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Symbol: Royalty & Luxury
Unlike most birthstones, pearl isn't a mineral — it's organic, formed inside oysters and mussels as a natural response to an irritant. Layer by layer, the mollusk coats the intruder in nacre, the same lustrous material that lines its shell, until a smooth pearl forms.
Where It Comes From
Natural pearls have historically come from the Persian Gulf and the coasts of Sri Lanka. Today, most pearls sold are cultured, a technique pioneered in Japan by Kokichi Mikimoto in the early 1900s.
What Different Peoples Believed
| People | What It Symbolized |
|---|---|
| Persian Gulf tradition | Prized in royal courts for centuries as one of the region's great trade treasures. |
| Ancient Rome | So valued that sumptuary laws restricted who was permitted to wear them. |
| Chinese tradition | Linked to the moon and its shifting phases. |
Birth Month
Pearl is one of the official birthstones for June, alongside moonstone and alexandrite.