Pearls are one of the oldest most highly valued and sought after gems. Known for their warm iridescence and shimmering beauty; Pearls, have captured hearts for thousands of years.

The Latin word for Pearl literally means "unique", attesting to the fact that no two pearls are identical. There are basically three types of Pearls: natural, cultured and imitation. A natural pearl (often referred to as an Oriental Pearl) forms when an irritant, such as a piece of sand, works its way into a particular species of oyster, mussel or clam. As a defence mechanism, the mollusc then secretes a fluid to coat the irritant. Layer upon layer of this coating is deposited upon the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed. A cultured pearl virtually undergoes the same process. The difference is that the irritant is a surgically implanted bead or piece of shell called Mother of Pearl.

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Pearls can source from either salt or fresh water. Typically, saltwater Pearls tend to be of higher quality. Freshwater Pearls are often irregular in shape, with a puffed rice appearance being the most prevalent. Nevertheless, it is each individual pearl’s merits which determine its value, rather than the source of the Pearl.

From the earliest time there have been countless references to the Pearl in the religions and mythology of many cultures. Ancient cultures believed pearls were a symbol of the moon and had magical powers. A fragment of the oldest known Pearl jewellery, found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess who died in 520 BC, is displayed at the Louvre in Paris.

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