Tagged with 'History of pearls'

Is it bad luck a for a bride to be wearing wedding pearls on her big day?

The pearl, with its pure white colour and shining lustre, is a beautiful symbol of perfection. Across many cultures, it is very popular for brides to choose to wear pearl jewellery. Historically, this tradition can be traced as far back as the beginnings of Hindu civilization when Krishna's daughter Pandia was adorned with a saltwater pearl that was drawn from the ocean.

But there are many superstitions associated with getting married. In some countries today it is said that the wearing of wedding pearls is an ill omen, perhaps representing the tears that a bride may later shed in married life. Is this particular myth true or just another old tale?

Before we knew more about how pearls are formed, pearls were associated in Western culture with tears. The Romans thought pearls to be the physical tears of angels or gods and, in The Odyssey, Homer describes tears as being 'reborn as pearls'.

Following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas, substantial oyster beds were found off the coast of Venezuela. The subsequent fashion for wearing natural pearls created a 'pearl rush' during the 16th and 17th centuries. European women of high rank and royalty fell in love with wearing extravagant pearl ornaments and matching sets of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches. Queen Elizabeth I of England was said to own over 3,000 pearl embroidered dresses.

Keeping up with fashion, however, had a cost, and several small European royal houses bankrupted themselves over their new love for pearls. The cultural associations between pearls and tears inevitably continued, with Milton writing in 1645 in his Epitaph to the Marchioness of Winchester that the 'pearls of dew she wears prove to be presaging tears'.

By the middle of the 18th and 19th centuries, the wearing of pearls also began to be given another symbolic meaning, being officially reserved for wear during a specific period of time following a funeral. This period of royal half-mourning was largely fashion-led, with ladies at the court of Queen Victoria being only permitted to wear pearls, diamonds or plain ornaments.

There really is no bad luck in wearing pearls at your wedding. Today's superstitious association of pearls with bad luck simply comes from our rich ancient, medieval and modern cultural history. The beauty and simplicity of a white pearl is the perfect and traditional choice of jewellery for brides and bridesmaids.

The cultured pearl is closely associated with the name Mikimoto, a worldwide retailer and brand that is known for its Akoya pearls and luxury pearl jewellery.

Kokichi Mikimoto is often credited with the invention of the cultured pearl, but there are many other contributors to the beginnings of the story of the pearl industry. Going back to the 13th century, and further to around 100BC in the Canton area, it is thought that the Chinese were the first to produce small blister pearls formed in the shape of Buddha. The Swedish naturalist Carl von Linné also devised a method for culturing pearls in 1748, believed now to be similar to the Chinese method, examples of which can be still seen in London today.

But it was not until much later around 1900, that the English-born Australian William Saville-Kent is believed to have developed a method for culturing the first fully round pearls using a nucleus and a small piece of mantle tissue, which is essentially the technique still used today by pearl farmers. A few years later in 1907 two Japanese men Tatsuhei Mise and Tokishi Nishikawa introduced this technique to Japan, both filing their own patents before eventually collaborating.

Kokichi Mikimoto is still commonly regarded as the founding father of the cultured pearl industry. From humble beginnings, he proved to be an inspiring entrepreneur driving his business to become eventually an international success.

Mikimoto was born in 1858 in Toba, Mie Prefecture in Japan. The son of a noodle seller, in his teens he started trading in noodles and vegetables to help provide for his family. But at the age of 20 Mikimoto discovered pearls, which at the time were mainly sold at inflated prices in Japan's markets as Pearl Powder was believed to be a cure for eye disease, fever, measles, insomnia and other ailments.

Mikimoto decided to extend his noodle business to trade in marine products and pearls, leased a farm at Ago Bay, Japan and from 1888 started to carry out his first experiments on cultured blister pearls using the Chinese method. Mikimoto's initial harvests were however unsuccessful until in July 1893, when he was able to produce a small first harvest of semi-spherical mabe pearls in Japan. Over the years, he would continue to experiment to create a fully round cultured pearl, eventually adopting the technique of Mise and Nishikawa.

These cultured pearls, promoted as “Mikimoto Pearls”, took the UK and European jewellery market by storm with their shape, colour and lustre being offered to early buyers at a twenty-five percent discount to the prevailing price of natural pearls. In 1921, the London Star reported that Japanese pearls were so skilfully made that it was impossible to distinguish between them and natural pearls.

Mikimoto was a skilled marketer and Mikimoto jewellery was offered to royalty, celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and promoted at international exhibitions using beautiful architectural models made with pearls. Meeting the Meiji Emperor at Ise Shrine, he declared "I would like to adorn the necks of all women around the world with pearls." By the beginning of World War II, Mikimoto had built one of the first international Japanese corporations with its pearls being sold across the world.

In 1954 Kokichi Mikimoto died at the age of 96. Although there are others that may also claim to be the inventor of the cultured pearl, it is undisputable that Kokichi Mikimoto was instrumental in helping to build the cultured pearl industry and the brand that today still bears his name.

This beautiful piece of jewellery was made during the Ming Dynasty in China (1368-1644), using pearls, rubies and other precious gemstones.

Historically, pearls have been one of the most revered of gems, but is the pearl also regarded as a precious gem?

ANCIENT PRECIOUS GEMSTONES

The origin of the term "precious gemstone" is believed to date back to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. There were five Cardinal gems, including diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald and amethyst, which were revered for their rarity, value and religious significance.

Until the 18th century amethyst was considered a precious gemstone until vast natural deposits were discovered in Brazil and the value of this regally purple gem declined.

Today, only diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds tend to be regarded as precious gems. All other colourful gemstones are usually described as semi-precious.

BY DEFINITION TODAY

What factors today determines whether a gemstone is regarded as precious or semi precious? Is it the composition of the stone, how well it has been cut or its rarity?

CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, is the organisation responsible for creating a definitive set of standards for the grading, methodology and terminology of diamonds, coloured gemstones, pearls and precious metals.

CIBJO define a precious gemstone as a "natural inorganic material, with the exception of metals, used in jewellery". They also suggest that the term semi-precious, used widely to describe gems that are not a rare stone, is now "misleading".

THE QUEEN OF GEMS

What does this modern definition mean for the pearl?

Almost all gemstones can be defined as precious it seems, except perhaps the pearl for it is also formed with organic matter rather than inorganic material. An organic protein called conchiolin is an essential part of the substance that forms a pearls's nacre.

Natural and cultured pearls are then really quite unique in the world of gemmology.

Perhaps that is why the pearl is also known as "the queen of gems and the gem of queens".

If you are wondering how to choose between different types of pearls or their qualities, read our Buying Guide here.

2011 is the 50th anniversary of the first successful experiment to grow cultured pearls in French Polynesia.

 

Jean-Marie Domard, a Frenchman who had studied pearl grafting at the farm of Mikimoto, located the first Tahitian pearl farm at Hikueru, an atoll in the Tuamotu archipelago situated approximately 750km from the capital of French Polynesia. Hikueru, which was visited by the famed Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, was a perfect breeding ground for the black lipped oyster.

 

Despite their name Tahitian pearls are confusingly known as 'black pearls' as a result of taking on the colour of the black lipped Pinctada margaritifera cumingii oyster. These pearls are formed though in many exotic colours such as silver, grey, pistachio, peacock and aubergine.

 

Initially the industry believed these incredible colours to be the result of a post-culturing treatment.

 

Following confirmation by the laboratory of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) that the colour was indeed natural, the first production of cultured pearls from French Polynesia began to be marketed successfully in the US and Europe during the 1970s.

 

Amongst the most beautiful pearls in the world, Tahitian pearls are farmed today in warm saltwater lagoons, mainly throughout French Polynesia. No pearls are actually cultured in Tahiti itself, with the main farms being as far as 1500km away on remote atolls and islands. Their locations are chosen for their reefs that provide protection from tides, access to free flowing warm water and environmental purity.

 

Combined with classic round and baroque shapes, these colourful pearls have become highly fashionable and sought after. Whether made as a choker necklace, a unique multi-coloured pearl necklace or with the simplicity of a Tahitian pearl pendant or Tahitian pearl earrings, these pearls perfectly match the exotic surroundings of their source.

Christies have announced this week that jewellery from the estate of the late Elizabeth Taylor will be auctioned this Autumn. In honour of the celebrated film star and fashion icon, pieces from the collection will tour a series of special events, including stops in London, Paris and Geneva.

Elizabeth Taylor was a renowned collector of jewellery and a selection of her Legendary Jewels will go to auction on 13th December. Proceeds from the events and sales will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which has provided humanitarian funding and assistance to those living with AIDS and HIV since 1991.

One of the most famous pieces in the collection is La Peregrina, one of the most historic and remarkable natural tear drop shaped pearls ever found. Weighing in at a staggering 55 carats, this pearl was discovered in the 16th century and given as a wedding gift to Queen Mary I by Phillip II of Spain.

After a period of ownership in France by Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, it was sold by his exiled nephew to Lord Hamilton, Marquess of Abercorn in England.

It remained in the Hamilton family until 1969 until it was bought by Richard Burton as a Valentine Gift to Elizabeth Taylor. The pearl was reset by Cartier as a pendant to a stunning necklace of pearls, rubies and diamonds.

It is not known yet if La Peregrina will tour with other items from Elizabeth Taylor's collection. If so, this will be a unique opportunity to view one of the most celebrated pearls in history.

UPDATE

Dates for The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor Exhibition Taylor tour have now been announced, with the jewellery, fashion, art and memorabilia visiting Christie's, London 24-26th September 2011.

There are many ways to wear pearls and choosing the right length of necklace for your intended look is one of the first decisions to make.

The sautoir necklace, also known as a pearl rope necklace, is usually 95 cm in length or more. Worn as a single strand, the pearl sautoir can reach the waist and has a vintage style reminiscent of the 1920s, swinging round the necks of girls dancing the Charleston.

But the sautoir is also one of the most versatile rope pearl necklaces as it can be looped around the neck up to three times or can be worn knotted at the front. Recently the pearl sautoir has seen a revival with the trend for layering jewellery, perhaps worn with freshwater pearls of a different shape and colour, semi-precious stones or chains.

Certain clasp designs will also allow a sautoir to be twisted and worn like a short thicker necklace.

One of the most popular items at Winterson, the pearl rope necklace is a lasting addition to any jewellery box.

One of the earliest known pieces of pearl jewellery is the necklace of a Persian princess, found by a French archeologist at Susa and believed to date from around 350BC. The collier design, which was strung using a bronze wire and secured with gold, can be seen in the Persian Gallery at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The classic single strand necklace of pearls is still today the most popular piece of pearl jewellery. The process of stringing pearls is in itself quite an art as a skilful pearl stringer has to work with precision, delicacy and care.

The first step is to arrange the pearls according to their size, colour, surface quality and lustre so that they may visually produce the best possible effect for the wearer.

With luxury jewellery, pearls are threaded onto silk of the highest quality that is undyed and free of chemicals. Silk provides the strength, flexibility, and smoothness that is required, whilst knots between each pearl prevent them from rubbing against each other and to keep the pearls from falling if the jewellery breaks. For heavier jewellery such as a rope or opera necklaces, the knots between each pearl may be doubled, or a wire may be used with the silk, to provide additional strength.

Necklaces that have recently been strung are usually taut, and may show kinks, but these will relax as the jewellery is worn.

Restringing pearl necklaces and pearl bracelets is very important for taking care of your pearls. Check your pearls annually to see if the thread has become discoloured or stretched. With regular restringing, your jewellery should last a lifetime.

A truly stunning 19th century natural pearl and diamond tiara comes to auction next month at Christie's, in London, with an estimated price of £1-1.5 million. With the strength of interest in natural pearls in recent years, and of course the royal wedding, expectations are high for this unique sale.

The Rosebury Tiara is the centrepiece of an evening of rare, historical and opulent jewels. Being sold from a private collection, the tiara was originally created for the Countess of Rosebury, who upon her father's death in 1874 became the richest woman in Britain.

The bridal tiara itself boasts 13 natural saltwater button and drop-shaped pearls, ringed with diamond clusters and florettes. It is believed to have been acquired as a piece of bridal jewellery for the wedding of the Countess, perhaps making it the ultimate statement in bridal accessories. A matching pearl brooch and bracelet is also being sold as a separate lot, with an estimated price of £300-400,000.

The auction is being held at 2pm on 8th June at Christie's, King Street, London.

UPDATE

In June 2011, it was announced that the Rosebury Tiara had been sold for a dazzling £1,161,250 at auction at Christies.

Since 1912, the pearl has been recognised as the modern birthstone for June by the Jewelers of America, a celebration gift of pearl jewellery providing safety and fortune. By date, the pearl also happens to be the birthstone for the Cancer and Gemini zodiac signs.

Traditional birthstones were based on the months of the Gregorian Calendar and did not include the pearl at all.  The traditional birthstone for June is agate, a semi-precious stone. Why today do we celebrate the meaning of a pearl ?

From very ancient times, pearls were regarded as objects possessing mystical properties, associated with gods, lightning bolts and dragons.  In literature, pearls have also represented symbols of purity, happiness and tears. In both Europe and Asia, ground pearls have been used as medicine with special healing powers to help with eye disease, leprosy and even childbirth.

The beauty of a pearl, direct from nature, has captivated the world for centuries. If it is your birthday this June, why not celebrate with a pearl !

She chose not to wear a necklace yesterday but, with an iconic dress designed by Sarah Burton for the British House of Alexander McQueen that beautifully referenced the elegance of Grace Kelly, there was surely no need.

Instead Kate Middleton chose to wear the diamond Halo Tiara, given to the Queen on her 18th birthday by her father King George VI, and a pair of stunning bespoke oak leaf and acorn motif diamond drop earrings by Robinson Pelham in London.

 

With an event as symbolic as a Royal Wedding, family members and guests alike chose a selection of historic and contemporary jewellery and accessories. We loved Samantha Cameron's statement costume necklace by Erickson Beamon and even the couple's Aston Martin. But our clear favourite was the Queen with her choice of a beautiful pearl necklace, pearl drop earrings and the Queen Mary’s True Lovers Knot brooch that matched the occasion in royal fashion.

 

Many congratulations to the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!