The Meaning of Pearls

Freshwater pearl necklace with Crystal Pave Ball
Monsieur Pamplemousse

Pearls are considered timeless, elegant, and often a staple of the sophisticated.   They're unique in that they come straight from the sea and do not require polishing to reveal their natural beauty.  At weddings, pearls are often a gift passed down from grandmothers to mothers to daughters to wear as they walk down the aisle. But why?  Pearls are one of the oldest jewels, often gifted to brides because of they symbolize purity,  innocence, and some say pearls prevent crying.  So how was the tradition started?  According to PearlOasis.com...

In the Rigveda, an ancient Hindu book dating back to 1000 B.C. Krishna, the preserver, brought forth pearls from the depths of the sea to give to his daughter on her wedding day. Thus started the tradition of giving pearls to the bride.

We often see pearls adorning the necks of women and clothing of men in paintings throughout history - Queens of England are some of the most popular subjects.  We all remember Anne Boleyn's pearl necklace with a dangling "B" (left), especially after it was replicated on the hit show The Tudors.  In fact, the Tudor Era of the 1500s, The American Gem Society calls the "pearl age." 


Queen Elizabeth II's even donned strands of creamy pearls worn when she wed Prince Phillip in the world's first ever white wedding gown.  There's also the famous painting that inspired The Girl with the Pearl Earring.  Check out this great article on pearls throughout history for more info, it also sheds light on how pearls became as popular as they are now:

The invention of the technique used to create cultured pearls made them more widely available and more affordable in the 20^th Century. Until then, large natural pearls were outrageously expensive and were worn only by the upper classes (although delicate seed pearls were much loved by women in the middle class). 

10mm white glass pearl and grey pearl necklace

Monsieur Pamplemousse

The pearl's long association with royalty has given them an aura of good taste and sophistication, and their widespread availability has made them a popular choice for jewelry making and wearing.  I love the look of pearls whether wrapped around the neck, worn on the ears, wrists, or even pinned into the hair.  It's hard to go wrong with pearls, especially if your occasion calls for a touch of sophistication.


How many pearl jewelry pieces do you own?


~Kirsten
Adapted from a piece originally written for "Everything but the Dress"