Timeless Luminescence: A Complete Guide to Pearl Jewellery
The incomparable beauty of pearl jewellery has been celebrated since time immemorial, prized across cultures for its silky opaline lustre and associations of purity, wealth, and good fortune. The only gemstone created by a living creature, the pearl has been a source of adornment and delight for humanity since before the written word.
Pearl jewellery remains an enduring favourite today for those enchanted by its timeless, almost otherworldly elegance, making it a popular complement to bridal attire and occasionwear or a meaningful gift to commemorate a significant life milestone. Whatever draws you to this unique gemstone, learn all there is to know about the history, cultural importance, and perpetual allure of pearl jewellery with Michael Spiers.
What is a pearl?
A pearl is the only gemstone created by a living creature, formed inside a mollusc (either a saltwater oyster or a freshwater mussel) in response to an irritant being lodged in its soft tissue. Over months and sometimes years, layers of secretion known as nacre build up around the intrusion to form the pearl.
What is nacre?
Nacre is the iridescent, organic-inorganic composite material secreted by certain molluscs to line the inner surface of their shells, and is the substance from which all pearls are formed. Composed primarily of calcium carbonate platelets bound together by a protein called conchiolin, nacre is produced as a defence mechanism, with the mollusc coating any foreign irritant lodged within its soft tissue in successive layers to neutralise the intrusion. Over months or years, this layering process gives rise to the pearl, with the thickness and uniformity of the nacre directly determining the gemstone's lustre, durability, and overall quality.
What is the difference between a natural pearl and a cultured pearl?
The difference between natural pearls and cultured pearls is the manner in which the gemstones are created. Naturally occurring pearls, wherein an irritant is organically lodged in the soft tissue of a mollusc, are incredibly rare due to historic over-harvesting. By contrast, cultured pearls are created by manually introducing the irritant to stimulate nacre production.
How can I find out the quality of a pearl?
The quality of a pearl can be determined by an established grading system that identifies value based on a combination of factors, including lustre, nacre thickness, shape, size, colour, and surface clarity. The most widely recognised industry standard is the A–AAA scale, in which AAA represents the highest quality, while several luxury houses operate their own proprietary systems. Mikimoto, for instance, reserves the prestigious A1 designation for pearls meeting their most exacting standards, a benchmark that fewer than ten percent of all evaluated pearls are deemed worthy of achieving.
What is the birthstone for June?
The birthstone for June is the pearl, accompanied by the modern alternatives of alexandrite and moonstone. Symbolising purity, wisdom, and emotional balance, pearl jewellery makes a deeply meaningful gift to mark a June birthday or any significant milestone.
A Brief History of Pearl Jewellery
If there exists a universally beloved gemstone, the pearl would surely be a strong contender. Humans have been harvesting this iridescent, silver-toned jewel since before the written record, with historians theorising that it was first discovered by hunter-gatherers in search of food on the seashore. It has remained a favourite across cultures for centuries: the Abu Dhabi Pearl, discovered on Marawah Island in the UAE, dates back 8,000 years to the Neolithic period, pointing towards the historic trade and harvesting of pearls, and ancient Egyptians of high social standing were pictured wearing mother-of-pearl jewellery in portraits from more than 5,000 years ago.
Persian and Mesopotamian legend described these gemstones as ‘tears of the gods’ fallen into the sea, and Egyptian rituals afforded the pearl, which to them symbolised purity and high status, great significance, being included in burial rites to accompany the deceased into the afterlife. Greek myth told that pearls were the sacred and joyful tears of Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, and so brides wore pearl jewellery in her honour to invite a harmonious, tearless marriage. Ancient Romans valued the gemstone so highly that laws were passed restricting the wearing of pearls to the ruling classes only, and the goddess Venus, the patron of love and fertility, is famously immortalised emerging from an oyster as a pearl by Italian painter Botticelli.
As global trade routes were established and travel from nation to nation became widespread, so too did the beauty of the pearl advance across continents to reach the European courts. The Renaissance period saw pearl jewellery become an essential adornment for monarchs and the nobility, with Queen Elizabeth I remaining perhaps the most iconic example – her portraits picture her dripping in pearls, a deliberate projection of power, prestige, and chastity. Another English monarch, Queen Victoria, later wore pearls throughout her life, popularising them as sentimental tokens of love and remembrance that constituted the quintessential bridal jewel.
The enduring popularity of pearl jewellery came at a cost, however; in the late nineteenth century, years of over-harvesting brought natural pearl-producing oysters to the brink of collapse, nearly decimating the mollusc populations that produced these gemstones. Thus, natural pearls became extraordinarily scarce and expensive, driving demand and threatening the future of pearl jewellery.
To address this scarcity and ecological strain, the practice of culturing pearls was created, pioneered by the Japanese entrepreneur and business founder Kōkichi Mikimoto. Today, natural pearls and the practice of pearl diving to retrieve them have almost entirely been supplanted by these cultured pearl farms, in which the irritants that stimulate nacre production are manually implanted into the soft tissue of molluscs. Mikimoto’s groundbreaking invention democratised access to pearls, ensuring more predictable production and preventing the extinction of wild mollusc colonies.
Mikimoto: Pioneer of Akoya Cultured Pearls
Born in 1858 in Toba, Japan, Kōkichi Mikimoto is undoubtedly one of the most significant figures in the history of pearl production. His early fascination with the gemstone was sparked by watching the pearl divers of Ise unloading their treasures, and his pursuit of the ‘perfect pearl’, which would eventually revolutionise the industry, began as he observed the flaws present in natural pearls.
Mikimoto started his search for an alternative pearl production method as the chairman of the Shima Marine Products Improvement Association, during a time in which pearl-producing molluscs had been severely over-harvested and demand significantly outweighed supply. He established his first pearl oyster farm in 1888 with his wife and partner, Ume, and, after years of experimentation, achieved the first hemispherical ‘Mabe’ cultured pearls in 1893 by seeding oysters with a small amount of mother-of-pearl.
Mikimoto’s vision soon extended far beyond Japan. He opened his first international boutique in London in 1913, with subsequent expansions to Paris, New York, and beyond, steadily building a global market for his cultured pearls. A defining moment came in 1927 when Mikimoto met the inventor Thomas Edison, who marvelled at the pearls and declared it a miracle that he was successful in culturing them; the story was thus reported in the New York Times, elevating the Mikimoto name to international recognition almost overnight.
This new technology invented by Mikimoto allowed Japan’s cultured pearl industry to quickly expand, and by 1935, there were 350 pearl farms in the country producing around 10 million cultured pearls annually. Today, Mikimoto's commitment to excellence remains unwavering. So rigorous are the brand's quality standards that fewer than ten percent of all evaluated pearls are deemed worthy of the Mikimoto name, with each piece judged on lustre, nacre thickness, shape, size, colour, and surface clarity. The very finest of these earn the prestigious A1 designation, representing the absolute pinnacle of Akoya cultured pearl quality.
What are the Different Types of Cultured Pearls?
Although all pearls are produced as a natural byproduct of molluscs, there exists variation in the types of cultured pearls available. These differences are created by a range of factors, including the particular species or breed of mollusc used, the climate of origin, and whether they are harvested from freshwater or saltwater environments.
Akoya Pearls
The original cultured pearl, these gemstones are produced in Japanese saltwater by the small Akoya oyster. Ranging from 2–10mm in size, they have the highest mirror lustre of any cultured pearl and routinely achieve near-perfect roundness, giving them the classic ‘pearl necklace’ shape. Akoya pearls are Mikimoto’s specialty, having been perfected by the company’s founder almost 130 years ago.
Freshwater Pearls
These pearls are cultured in mussels, primarily on farms in China. They are found in a wider variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, and are generally sold at a more accessible price point, making them a perfect point of entry in pearl jewellery.
South Sea Pearls
South Sea pearls tend to be large in size, averaging over 10mm in length, and are harvested from the silver-lipped oyster in Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They come in two variations – white and gold – and have the thickest nacre of any cultured pearl, taking around 2–3 years to form.
Tahitian Black Pearls
These are the only naturally dark-coloured pearls in the world, produced from the black-lipped oyster in French Polynesia. They can be found in a variety of deeper hues, including charcoal black, peacock green, aubergine purple, and silvery blue.
Celebrate Your Special Occasion with Pearl Jewellery
Pearl jewellery is the natural choice when celebrating life’s most meaningful milestones, universally beloved for its versatile simplicity and luminous, opaline brilliance. Whether as a gift to a loved one or to commemorate a special event, as the perfect complement to bridal glamour or a time-honoured treasure passed down between generations, this gemstone embodies charm, delicacy, and allure.
The June Birthstone
The pearl is the traditional birthstone for June, alongside the more modern alternatives of alexandrite and moonstone. The month of June was named after Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, making this a fitting pairing for the gemstone most associated with weddings. Symbolising purity, wisdom, and emotional balance, pearl jewellery acts as a thoughtful and poignant gift for those celebrating a June birthday, whether a delicate pair of pearl earrings to add a touch of understated glamour or the classically elegant silhouette of a pearl necklace.
Pearl Anniversary
Pearl is the traditional gift for the 30th wedding anniversary, often known colloquially as the Pearl Anniversary. This significant milestone is celebrated with pearls in recognition of the gemstone’s slow, layered formation, a fitting metaphor for the patience, wisdom, and devotion that define three decades of marriage. Diamond serves as the modern alternative for couples who wish to mark the occasion with a different jewel, whilst green and pearl white are the anniversary’s associated colours and the lily its accompanying flower.
From radiant pearl anniversary jewellery and elegant pearl jewellery sets to statement Akoya pieces from Mikimoto, there are countless ways to honour this remarkable achievement.
Bridal Pearl Jewellery
Pearl jewellery has been the bride’s chosen adornment for thousands of years, valued for its associations with purity, harmony, and enduring love. From the Ancient Greek women who would walk the aisle decorated in pearls in tribute to Aphrodite, goddess of love, to the medieval knights who bestowed these precious gemstones upon their brides as tokens of protection, the pearl has long held a sacred place in matrimonial tradition. By the Victorian era, the influence of Queen Victoria had cemented pearls as the classic bridal jewel in British tradition, woven into wedding gowns, veils, and jewellery alike.
Today, pearls continue to enjoy a place at the heart of modern bridal aesthetics, with a recent resurgence drawing brides to both classic Akoya strands and contemporary asymmetric designs. From a delicate pearl jewellery choker to a complete bridal pearl jewellery set with matching earrings and necklace, there are countless ways to incorporate the timeless beauty of pearl wedding jewellery into your bridal ensemble.
Discover Pearl Jewellery at Michael Spiers
Established in the heart of the South West, Michael Spiers is the region's destination for fine jewellery and luxury watches, with a curated selection of pearl jewellery that spans the timelessly classic and the refreshingly contemporary. As an official retailer of Mikimoto, we are proud to offer the world's finest Akoya cultured pearls, from delicate pendants and stud earrings to statement strands and elegant bracelets.
Mikimoto is available at our Truro, Plymouth, Exeter, and Taunton showrooms, where our experienced team is on hand to guide you through the collection and help you find the perfect piece. To explore the world of pearl jewellery in greater detail, or to arrange an appointment, we invite you to visit your nearest Michael Spiers showroom or browse the collection online.