What is a pearl?

The allure of the pearl is timeless and universal. Since the beginning of history, the pearl has always been regarded as one of the rarest, most valuable and symbolic of gems and has been prized in every culture, from ancient China, India, Egypt, Rome, through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance to today. The pearl is today’s birthstone for June and the 30th wedding anniversary symbol.

A pearl is formed when a tiny intruder, such as a parasite, a piece of grit, etc. lodges itself inside a mollusc (called “an oyster” or “mussel” although the ones producing pearls are much larger than the oysters/mussels we know and most are non-edible). If the mollusc cannot get rid of the intruder, it starts to produce a substance to soothe the irritation the intruder causes: Nacre. What we know as a pearl is the build up of layer after layer of nacre, enveloping the intruder. Nacre is the same substance that forms the lining within the shell.