Pearls have been used for personal ornament for thousands of years. They were probably one of the earliest gems found and treasured by prehistoric man, being naturally-perfect objects which required no additional craftsmanship. (Gemstone faceting did not develop until the 1400s.) They were probably first found along the coastline of India. Ancient civilizations had many stories to explain the origin of June's birthstone, such as the Greek belief that pearls were the hardened tears of joy that the goddess of love shook from her eyes as she was born from the sea. According to Arab legend, pearls were formed when oysters were lured from the depths of the ocean by the beautiful moon and then swallowed moonlit dewdrops. The Ancient Chinese thought that these gems originated from the brains of dragons, or from their claws.

The pearl's unique qualities of luster and iridescence were noted by Homer in the Odyssey: "Earrings bright with triple drops that cast a trembling light." They are mentioned in ancient Hindu epics, in the Nh'ya Chinese dictionary from 1,000 B.C., in Marco Polo's accounts about the king of China, and in Pliny's 1st century, A.D. Historia naturalis. Pliny wrote: "The richest merchandise of all, and the most soveraigne commoditie throughout the whole world, are these pearles."

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Crusaders spread their use and popularity throughout Europe while the Aztecs of central Mexico studded the interiors of their palaces with pearls and emeralds. Freshwater Pearl is the anniversary gemstone for the 1st, 12th, and 30th years of marriage.

Pearls come fine-finished directly from nature. Because of their natural beauty, they are associated with the matrix of life, and the beauty of birth.  Some say that the pearl helps balance one's bodily rhythms and hormonal levels with lunar cycles. Pearls are said to harmonize one's life with the rhythms of the natural world. Having an interior glow, some claim that pearls can be used to help tap inner wisdom and to nurture the growth of love. Pearls have been a passion and even an obsession of people throughout the ages. They have been ground up and used in cosmetics and as a medicine to treat heart and stomach conditions. Some cultures swear by pearls as an aphrodisiac.

These gems have adorned crowns, clothing, and temples, and were said to be a favorite of Cleopatra. Only those with royal status once wore pearl jewelry, but eventually these gems were seen among all classes of people. They continue to be viewed as a mark of taste and refinement as well as a symbol of purity, and they are often given to celebrate a marriage or the birth of a child. Pearls are nature's perfect gift, suitable for all ages, and elegantly worn with everything from jeans to an evening gown.

The scientific explanation for natural pearls is almost as mystifying as the ancient folklore. Pearls are formed within certain shellfish: from the saltwater oysters of the Margaritifar family and the freshwater mussels from the family Unionid. These animals are not related to the edible oysters of America and Europe (Ostrea). In fact, the flesh of pearl oysters is unfit for food. A pearl is produced as the mollusk secretes layers of mother-of-pearl (calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite) and conchiolin (a horn-like substance) around an irritant such as a small parasite or a fish lodges in the flesh of an oyster, mussel, or clam, a protective substance called "nacre" is produced.

Over years, layer upon layer of shimmering nacre coats the intruder, creating a lustrous pearl. As a rule, the longer nacre is applied to the irritant, the brighter the luster of the pearl.  So pearls are made from a process of rejection. Natural pearls are relatively rare, so a process evolved in which a piece of shell or bead was placed inside a mollusk to stimulate the production of nacre.  In the trade, this is call the nucleus, and seeded pearls are called nucleated pearls.  The cultured pearl results, often in amazing sizes and shapes.  Cultured pearls account for over 90 per cent of the pearl industry. The layers (also called nacre) gradually build up over 3 to 7 years to form a spherical, oblong or irregularly-shaped pearl. Light reflecting from these overlapping layers near the surface of the pearl flash a subtle spectrum of color, called the "orient of pearl" or its "halo." Depending on the type of mollusk, natural pearls can be white, pinkish, brown or black.