Member of American Gem Society and
Jewelers of America

About MJ Harrington & Co.

Wedding and Gift Registry

Birth Stones | Armetale | Danforth | Howard Miller

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June - pearl

A  timeless gem, enjoyed equally in ancient Rome or modern America, pearl is a favorite jewel of women around the globe. So valued are they that on his third voyage to America, Columbus kept his discovery of pearls in the New World a secret. He fell out of favor with the King of Spain. In the Orient, pearl powders are sold as an aphrodisiac. Pearls are unique in that they are the only gem of the sea from living creatures requiring no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty. In the early 1900s the first successful commercial culturing of round pearls began. Since the 1920s cultured pearls have almost completely replaced natural pearls in the market. Cultured pearls are cultured and harvested in Japan, China, South Seas including Tahiti, Australia, Burma, the Philippines and the United States. 

Varieties, Qualities & Origins
For more information about cultured pearls click here...

Cultured Pearl Enhancements
Most cultured pearls are subject to bleaching as a normal part of the processing phase of the gem to whiten and brighten the nacre. Some cultured pearls are dyed to produce a number of dynamic fashion looks.