June is the month of the pearl. Pearl jewelry has long been a symbol of prosperity and stature. The word itself has become synonymous with rarity and finesse. How could then we let this month pass by without acknowledging the history of pearls and how contemporary trends have shaped its popularity? Pearls are formed naturally within the mantle of a living shelled mollusk. Comprised primarily of calcium carbonate micro-crystals layered over time, natural pearls have a slightly gritty surface appearance, although they might seem smoother to the naked eye. Contrary to popular belief, not all pearls are round. Even though perfectly round pearls are increasingly rare in nature and high in demand, irregular pearls like baroque pearls also enjoy regality in appeal.

Natural Pearls

Natural pearls are formed in the wild without deliberate human intervention. Natural pearls are becoming extremely rare to find and will fetch a huge sum if properly shaped. Round pearls are the most desirable yet the hardest to find in nature. It is surmised that the formation of pearls is accidental and in reaction to an irritant. When a microscopic irritant finds its way into the inside of the shell of a mollusk, the mollusk secretes calcium carbonate and some proteins to cover the irritant with layers of non-irritant secretions. This leads to the formation of natural pearls. Hence, natural pearls are almost 100% calcium carbonate.

Cultured Pearls

Cultured pearls are created in pearl farms by implanting tissue grafts from a donor oyster into the mantle of a mollusk (usually freshwater river mussel or saltwater pearl oysters) and letting it form a pearl sac around it which eventually fills up with calcium carbonate in the form of nacre (or mother of pearl).

Imitation Pearls

Imitation pearls are many of the manufactured objects made to resemble real pearls. Imitation pearls can be anything from glass to plastic to a nacre core coated with enamel. Her Majesty, Queen of England recently revealed that a pair of pearl earrings given to her by her grandmother Queen Mary is her favorite item of jewelry. The wardrobe of a queen is no stranger to jewels from out of the world, so it is quite flattering for the Queen to have pearl earrings as her most beloved. Pearls have been associated with nobility and regality for centuries and even though they had dipped in mainstream popularity for a few years, pearls are back again to dominate the jewelry market. What best time to buy some premium pearl jewelry than the month of June? Celebrate the month of June with exquisite pearl jewelry from Van Scoy Diamonds.