Pearls are the oldest known gem and were once considered the most valuable. Early cultures believed that a pearl was born when a single rain drop fell from Heaven to become the heart of the oyster. Pearls have also been called ‘teardrops of the Moon’ and it was once believed that pearls were formed by the passage of angled through the clouds. Pearls have come to symbolise purity and innocence and are the symbol of a happy marriage, hence the reason why they are the gem of choice for brides.
Pearls are the only gems created by a living organism – oysters and mollusks. Pearls come in an array of colours, shapes and sizes and they are often labelled either natural or cultured. Both types of pearls are real. Natural pearls are rare and very expensive. Cultured pearls have been farmed and given a helping hand to start the pearls growth, this does not make them any less real than natural pearls.