Knowledge
The world’s oldest gemstone, the pearl has a long and illustrious history, which predates written history. Admired for their beautiful lustre, the pearl is a miracle of nature and amongst the most highly coveted gems of all time.
Gemstones
An Ancient Gem
The Persian Gulf was the major historic source for gathering natural pearls, with other primary sources found in the Orient, particularly in the waters around India and the Arabian Gulf. One of the oldest natural pearls was discovered in a 2019 archaeological dig on Marawah Island located in the Persian Gulf, with the pearl dating back an incredible 8,000 years to the Neolithic period.
As George Kunz, the eminent late nineteenth century gemmologist points out in his tome on the subject, The Book of the Pearl, ancient fish-eating tribes were likely the first people to appreciate the superb natural beauty of pearls. In written history, pearls first appeared in Asian cultures, in both ancient Chinese and Indo-Persian Sanskrit texts as early as 4000 years ago.
The oldest surviving example of a pearl necklace, now in the collection of the Louvre, is thought to have been made circa 350 BC, and was found in modern day Syria. Known as the ‘Susa’ necklace after the name of the site where it was discovered, it is composed of three rows of strung pearls with metal spacers, a form which has changed little over the millennia.
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Pearl Lore
As the demand for pearls began to rise, so did the myths and legends surrounding them.
In Indian culture, it was thought that pearls were formed from dewdrops which fell into oysters which came to the surface to breathe.
In ancient Greece and Rome, pearls were believed to come from the tears of the gods. Especially associated with Aphrodite (or Venus), the goddess of love and beauty, pearls became a symbol of seductiveness, yet in the medieval era, pearls took on an opposite meaning. A symbol of power and authority for royalty and the Church, pearls were associated with Christ and the Virgin Mary, symbolising purity and chastity.
Pearls were also thought to work as amulets, curing illnesses of the mind and were also pulverised and drunk for their magical and medicinal properties.
Pearls for Princes
Throughout history, royalty have adorned themselves with natural pearls which symbolised wealth, status, and power. In ancient Rome, pearls were considered more valuable than diamonds and Julius Caesar passed a law stating that only the upper classes could wear pearls within Rome’s borders.
The nobility and royalty of Western Europe also coveted the natural pearl, adorning themselves with elaborate pearl jewellery of every variety. In 1612 the Duke of Saxony passed a law allowing only royalty to wear pearls. Upper society was then excluded, and pearls distinguished royalty alone. Instantly, these prohibited gems became ever more desirable.
However, as popularity grew the number of pearl-bearing molluscs began to decline. This, along with the difficulty in gathering pearls from their source are the main reasons why natural pearls were so rare and exclusive.
Today, the natural pearl is one of the rarest gems, as there are only a few scarce occasions in which a natural pearl is found in the current ocean environment.
The Formation of a Pearl
The pearl is one of nature’s greatest wonders, an organic gem formed inside live mollusc shells which come in all shapes and sizes. They are formed as the result of a natural irritant within the mollusc's mantle and as a defence, layers of iridescent nacre form over the top of it, creating a pearl.
The majority of pearls found are not of good enough quality to be used in jewellery. A natural, spherical, sizeable, smooth, lustrous, white pearl with no blemishes is exceptionally rare, numbering only one from every thousand natural pearls.
All pearls occurred naturally up until the twentieth century. In 1893, the Japanese entrepreneur Mikimoto Kokichi created the first cultured pearl. Cultured pearls are created by manually inserting an irritant into the mollusc's mantle. The mollusc will naturally protect itself against the irritant and form layers of nacre to create a pearl. Any shape irritant can be inserted and quite large size spherical cultured pearls can be created.
Cultured pearls can be farmed on a large scale and were invented to appeal to more of a mass market. The miracle of a beautiful pearl forming is somewhat less fascinating when they are cultured, and their inherent value changes accordingly.
Conch Pearls
Conch pearls come from the Queen conch mollusk, which lives primarily in the Caribbean Sea. Conch pearls are typically thought of as pink, though they can also occur in orange, yellow, brown, white, and purple hues.
Unlike true pearls, which are composed of nacre and derive from oysters or mussels, conch pearls are calcareous concretions with a porcelain-like surface.
Conch pearls are one of the rarest types of pearls, with about one out of every ten thousand conchs containing a pearl, approximately twenty percent of which are gem quality. The most desirable specimens are orange or pink in colour and exhibit a distinctive flame structure which gives them the appearance of a burning fire on the surface.
A Necklace for a House: The Cartier Maison
Antique strands of natural pearls are especially important, when one considers that very few natural pearls were good enough to be used in fine jewellery, so matching them in quality within a necklace would have been incredibly hard to achieve.
In 1917 Pierre Cartier exchanged a double strand pearl necklace, worth a staggering $1 million for railroad magnate Morton Plant's renaissance style mansion at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street. The mansion went on to be Cartier's flagship store in New York.
The natural pearl is an astonishing gem with a rich history and makes for a true investment piece. Antique pearl necklaces can be found in both strand and pendant styles in the Berganza collection, and our pearl engagement rings from across the eras are to be marvelled at!
The birthstone for June, pearls make for a wonderful gift, and both pearl earrings and bracelets make fine choices for that special occasion!
One of the most spectacular pearl pieces in our collection is a 1920’s pearl tiara, which can also convert into a necklace and a bracelet. For an upcoming wedding or event, this piece is sure to enchant!
Our entire collection of natural pearls, including a rare example of a conch pearl, can be viewed online, or make an appointment with our jewellery specialists today.
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As pearls are a softer gem, they should be kept separate from other jewels so they do not get scratched. Kept wrapped up in a cloth, or in a separate box is the best way to store pearls for their protection.
A seed pearl is a very small natural pearl, 2mm or less in size. They were often used as decorative borders or highlights in larger clusters of gemstones.
If your antique pearls are natural, then they could be quite valuable! However, cultured pearls, which can also be found in antique pieces, would be worth less. To find out how much you could sell your pearls for, get in touch with our buyers today.
Pearls can come from both saltwater sources, such as off the coast of Japan and Australia, as well as freshwater sources with China being a prime location for cultured pearls.