Pearls are timeless stones that mother nature has gifted us. In fact, they are the only gemstones that are made by living creatures! With such a long and fascinating history, Pearls have appeared in the sarcophagus of Persian princesses dating back to 420 BC and were gifts for Chinese royalty as early as 2300 BC. These sea gems were considered a status symbol during the Roman empire. They were so precious that Julius Cesar declared they can only be worn by the ruling class.

 Ancient myths surround the pearl. In the Dark Ages, knights wore pearls on the battlefield for good luck. Many in ancient China believe it symbolized purity of the wearer. Even today, the most widely held belief is that pearls symbolize purity and loyalty of it’s wearer. This is the main reason why pearls are the perfect bridal jewelry for any bride on their wedding day. Not only are they absolutely breathtaking, they have a significant meaning. Imagine a bride in her beautiful white gown with Stephanos Fine Natural Baroque Pearl Short Necklace gracing her neck!

Pearls come in various types – freshwater or saltwater and cultured or natural. Cultured pearls were introduced in 1893 by Kokichi Mikimoto in Japan. The process included introducing an irritant into an oyster stimulating it to form a pearl (The Jewellery Editor). Natural pearls are created in the same way, however the irritant finds its way in to the oyster naturally. Freshwater pearls are more natural and are composed purely of nacre. Nacre is strong, resilient, and is the organic composite material produced by the oyster.  Stephanos handcrafted unique pearl jewelry - pearl necklaces and pearl earrings - are made exclusively with hand-selected fresh water pearls. We believe these are the most strong and pure.

Pearls are a wonderful gift any time of year. Perfect for brides, bridesmaids, anniversaries and birthdays. In fact, June’s birthstone is Pearl! Is there a June birthday woman in your life? Tell us in the comments.