Pearls are the oldest precious stones that have been discovered, originated by oysters and mollusks from a grain of sand. Its nature gives it a unique touch of rarity that for many centuries aroused the curiosity of more than one.
It is said that its discovery could have come from prehistoric times, being a stone obtained naturally and that does not need to be worked, being extracted from oysters or molluscs it already has a clean and elegant texture, and may have been used as decoration. .
Later civilizations adopted the pearl as a stone of bad omen, having the shape of a human tear, they were known as «moon tears». It is said that people who wore pearls were doomed to suffer loss, breakups and bouts of depression because they carried bad luck with them.
However, over the years the pearls were stripped of that myth, adopting symbols of purity, simplicity and chastity. A luxury that was reserved only for the nobility and extremely wealthy characters. That before its commercial exploitation began. Later they would become an accessory in wedding dresses, in necklaces and bracelets.
Even the pearls would have obtained a religious meaning for Saint Augustine, who argued that they represent Jesus Christ as they are not included among the 12 precious stones that symbolize the 12 apostles. For zodiac purposes, they are associated with the symbols of Gemini and Cancer. They are the traditional birthstones for the month of June.
Although today pearls have lost monetary value due to their high demand, it became an exploitation business through cultivation. There are still pearls that are very valuable because of their rarity. Some of them are:
The Hope Pearl it is the most famous saltwater pearl ever discovered to this day. This pearl weighs 450 carats, is drop-shaped and its color ranges from green to gold and white. Today it is in the British Museum and belonged to Phillip Hope, the same individual who was the sole owner of the famous Hope diamond (the one who starred in the movie Titanic).
The Gogibus Pearl pear-shaped was discovered in the seventeenth century in what was known as the West Indies, today the Antilles. This pearl weighing 126 carats was acquired by Philip IV from a merchant named Gogibus who wore it as an ornament on a hat.
The Pearl Valle de Arco 7.87 centimeters (3.1 inches) long and 575 carats, it is located in the royal palace of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It has belonged to Chinese emperors, Persian kings, Genghis Khan’s grandson and is believed to have belonged to Marco Polo.