The history of pearls: one of nature's greatest miracles Officially the world’s oldest gem, pearls have been revered since long before written history. Audrey Hepburn's name is also synonymous with pearls, be it a necklace or a pair of pearl earrings subtly accentuating her gamine features.3,500 articles, 150 videos with over 5 million views and a reach of over 2 million per month on social media later, we have offered unparalleled and highly respected coverage of our sector. Pearls in vibrant colours and unusual shapes are being incorporated into unique jewels by jewellers renowned for their creativity, such as Boghossian and Hemmerle, while YOKO London offers an incredibly broad palette of coloured pearls so vibrant it's difficult to believe they were formed naturally - far removed from the traditional discreet white pearl studs gracing the ear lobes of ladies who lunch.Couture 06.1 blue spinel and pearl cocktail ringBlossom rose gold South Sea, Akoya and freshwater pearl necklaceSign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news and views on the most beautiful jewellery and watches from around the world straight to your inbox.Entirely funded, owned and run by Christine and Maria in London, we are now looking to sell The Jewellery Editor so that it can continue to grow.
These non-nacreous pearls are formed by a substance composed mainly of calcite, and while they lack the iridescence of nacreous pearls, their beauty is no less spectacular.Despite her Scandinavian name, Åse has lived in the UK since the age of 10, save for a couple of years in the US and Ireland. The Romans and Egyptians prized pearls and used them as decorative items as far back as the 5th Century BC. Chinese records mention them earlier still. It is easy to see why natural pearls were so exclusive and highly priced. Pearls have the distinction of being the oldest gemstone known to humans and have been worn, valued and coveted since time immemorial. Before the discovery of oil in this region, pearls were a profitable natural resource for Persia.During the Middle Ages, pearls were carried into battlefield, as they were thought to provide protection to the wearer. In ancient China, pearl jewellery was said to symbolise the purity of the wearer while, in the Dark Ages, knights often wore pearls on the battlefield, believing that the precious gemstones would keep them safe. What we do know is that pearls have been prized around the world since before written records and held a prestigious position regardless of location. In the case of pearl necklaces, it is a good idea to take them to a jeweller every five years to check whether they need re-stringing.Unlike gemstones that are mined from the earth, a living organism produces a pearl and, in fact, their very existence is a freak of nature. The Quran states that pearls are a treasure that is given in heaven to believers along with gold. As you can imagine, the chances of their being a pearl in the oyster were very slim and tons of oysters would have to be brought up simply to find a few pearls. For the Chinese, pearls were the ideal gift for royalty. Cultured pearls are formed through the same process, the only difference being that the irritant is implanted in the oyster rather than entering it by chance.Pearls were presented as gifts to Chinese royalty as early as 2300 BC, while in ancient Rome, pearl jewellery was considered the ultimate status symbol. China has a long, rich history in both saltwater and freshwater pearls and today is the largest cultured pearl producer in the world.Before the process of culturing pearls was invented, the only way to obtain pearls was by skilled pearl divers diving into deep waters, sometimes over 30 meters in depth, to bring up the oysters.