An abundance of pearls

18 August 2021 12:00
People have probably been familiar with pearls for about 6000 years. Egyptians were familiar with it and pearls have also been found in Mexico that date back to several thousand years before Christ. On various continents pearls are used for different purposes; as a talisman, in medicine to draw strength from and as a symbol of power, wisdom and luck.

In the 19th century, pearl necklaces were a precious accessory, sometimes part of a parure. A parure is a set of jewelry that is specially made to wear together. Such as a necklace, brooch, earrings and one or two bracelets. A tiara can also be part of a parure. It was an important status symbol.

The birth of a pearl

Naturally formed pearls are extremely rare. An estimated 1 in 15,000 wild oysters contains a pearl. A pearl is formed when a foreign object enters the shell of mainly oysters. The mother-of-pearl encloses the object, creating a pearl. Because of their rarity, most pearls are cultured. The first cultivation process of freshwater pearls originated in China as early as the 13th century. It has only been since 1963 that black-valved pearl oysters have been bred to form black pearls.

Ornamental value

Pearls stand for valuable and sustainable. For example, a 30th wedding anniversary or anniversary is indicated with mother-of-pearl pearl. In honor of such an anniversary, a piece of jewelry can be given as a commemoration. At Antiekstijlwebwinkel you can discover various jewelry to wear during the day and in the evening. Where in bygone days there were still many rules for wearing jewelry, these days, fortunately, people decide for themselves.

Also watch The Girl with a Pearl Earring!