"The pearl owes nothing to man. It is absolutely a gift of
nature on which man cannot improve."
..quoted from the great gemologist of the late 19th century, George Fredrick Kunz.
Salvador Assael, of Assael International says, "I find with pearls, more than with any other
gem, endless parables for life itself."
And he adds, "The black pearl of Polynesia captures the rainbow after the storm. It is a
symbol of hope for all humanity."
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/pearls/index.html
“Next to sound judgment, diamonds and pearls are the rarest things in the world”
Jean de la Bruyere quotes (French satiric moralist, 1645-1696)
The pearl is the quintessential symbol of beauty and femininity. It is associated with the luminous moon, fertility,
birth, and rebirth. The ancients believed that oysters produced pearls through a process of celestial impregnation. A
number of other symbolic associations make the pearl a powerful fertility amulet, these include its association with
water, its pale luminosity which resembles the moon, and its growth inside a shell. The oysters ability to transform
matter into a "spiritual" jewel, made the pearl a symbol of rebirth as well.
In mythology, pearls were worn by Aphrodite and Venus, goddesses of beauty, love, and sexual desires. Although
pearls were also symbols of purity and innocence. The Romans also wore pearls for their medicinal and protective
qualities. In China they symbolize wisdom, immortality and light. In Tibet they were linked with the moon and were
worn to enhance fertility. And last but not least, throughout history, pearls have been worn as a symbol of wealth.
http://www.pearloasis.com/pearlhistory.html
Pearl: The Pearl is a perfect symbol of femininity, purity, light and wisdom. An organic
gemstone, Pearls are created when a foreign object becomes embedded in the tissue of an oyster. In
response, the oyster produces a layer of nacre, or Mother of Pearl, that surrounds the object and forms a
Pearl.
Due to their extraordinary beauty, Pearls have been prized by many cultures throughout time and are
associated with the moon, fertility and rebirth. The Romans wore Pearls in homage to Isis and used them
as talismans against all types of calamities They considered them to be a symbol of wealth and social
standing and only people above a certain social rank were allowed to wear them.
The Egyptians valued Pearls so highly that they were buried with them. The Hindus were said to believe
that Pearls carry the energy of prosperity and longevity, and they were believed to possess magical
powers by both the Incas and the Aztecs. The Persians believed that Pearls symbolized the moon and its
energies.
It's been written that during the Dark Ages, knights often wore Pearls onto the battlefield because they
believed they contained magic that would protect them.
In Europe, during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, pearls were considered very fashionable and
often the clothing of both men and women were embroidered with them. Pearls were considered an
exclusive privilege for royalty and there were laws that mandated who could and could not wear pearl.
Pearls have long been seen as the sacred gem for weddings and marriage. The Greeks believed
that Pearls attract love and would adorn all the wedding attendees with them. There is ancient Hindu
story that tells of how Krishna discovered pearls when he plucked the first one from the sea and
presented it to his daughter, Pandaïa, as a gift on her wedding day. Today it is still a symbol of purity that
is used in modern marriage ceremonies. The Pearl is also known as the third eye of both Buddha and
Shiva.
Native Americans used pearls and shells for decorative purposes and some tribes used them as a way to
pay honor or tribute. It's been said that Pocahontas' father, Powhattan, had an immense store of Pearls
that he was given in tribute.
Pearls were seen as both medicinal and sacred and according to ancient texts, Pearls have been used
for medicinal purposes for over 5000 years. They have been used to treat all types of ailments from
detoxing the system, to balancing the liver and the nervous system. Known to promote glowing, pearl-like
skin, Pearls are used in a variety of cosmetics in many countries. In the Orient, Pearls are known as an
aphrodisiac and there is a funerary custom of placing a Pearl in the mouth of the dead as a symbol of
transfiguration.
It was written that on his 3rd voyage to the Americas, Columbus fell out of favor with the King of Spain
when he failed to reveal the discovery of Pearls in the New World.
In more recent times, Pearls have continued to be seen as symbol of status and wealth. There is an
extraordinary story of how Pierre Cartier traded a magnificent double strand of natural pearls worth $1
million for the landmark Cartier store located on New York City's famed Fifth Avenue.
Mother of Pearl also has a long history of legend and lore attached to it. The ancient Chinese would slip
beads or small figures of deities between the mantle and the shell of a living mollusk, which would then
become overlaid with mother-of-pearl. They would then take these beads and figures to the temples and
offered them to the gods in the hope that it would bring good luck. The Chinese also used mother-of-
pearl for medicinal purposes and prescribed it to help with high blood pressure, heart palpitations, and
dizziness.
In ancient Mesopotamia, exquisitely carved wooden ornament and musical instruments inlaid with Mother
of Pearl were found in the tombs of Sumerian Royalty.
The Toltecs inlaid treasures of ornamental jewelry and sculptures with mother-of-pearl and the Yaqui
Indians, said to be descendants of the Toltecs, wear necklaces made of Mother of Pearl, which is thought
to protect the wearer from harm.
In Polynesian myth, the iridescence color of Mother of Pearl is said to come from the Spirit of sand and
coral.
Thailand has a long history of using of Mother of Pearl to adorn objects. In the past, temple doors and
windows, boxes, and bowls were masterfully embellished with it and today, you can find beautiful
furniture, boxes and numerous other items inlaid with this shell.
http://www.montanadreams.net/symbology/gemstones/prl.html