Happy Monday my friends, we are now into June which is amazing as the sun has not disappointed. One of the many reasons I love June is because it’s birthstone is my favourite…..pearls. I normally spend lots of time thinking up new pearl designs and going through my pearl stash (love it).
Why do we love pearls so much? I think it’s because they are classic and timeless…they have adapted well to our modern lifestyle and so can be worn with any outfit and on any occasion.
Pearls have been around for millennia and originally been associated with royalty. They became a symbol of privilege showing status of one’s place in society. They were popular due to their rarity, glamour and exquisite beauty (pearls are born with a natural sheen and do not require any further enhancements). However the price through the years fluctuated according to court fashions in the West and East. A great example of how sought after pearls were to the elite has been witnessed by the sale of a Cartier pearl necklace in the early 1900’s in exchange for the 5th Avenue building the Cartier shop now resides in, in New York City, both had a price tag of one million dollars (today the necklace would only be worth $150,000 and I can’t even imagine what price tag the building would have?).
Natural pearls became harder to find due to overfishing and this along with the introduction of cultured pearls, natural pearl fishing had mostly ceased by 1930’s. Although good quality pearls still reach a high price tag today, such as those from salt water pearl farms. You can buy cheaper cultured pearls that have been farmed by the Chinese in freshwater. Coco Chanel also made faux pearls very fashionable and unless you really examine the pearls you can’t tell if they are real or not. There are pearls available today for any budget and so anyone can adorn themselves and feel the glamour of pearls.
Through the history books (plus museums) you would see pearls appear in the elite may it be royalty such as Queen Elizabeth I, or politicians such as Jackie Kennedy and what about Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe? Today you see the same elite wear pearls like Queen Elizabeth II, Michelle Obama and Angelina Jolie. The only difference is that today it feels like a way in which we can be as glamorous as the elite, a way in which that bridge has been reduced and we are all the same.
Do tell….do you own pearls? Real or fake? I’d love to know and I’d also love to know overall what you think of pearls, please drop your comments down below.
Well, that is all for this week. I will be back next week with more jewellery chat but until then you can catch me on IG here or if you are in need for some jewellery fix then why not join me in my FB group ‘For the love of jewellery with Katrina Lucas’ here. If you are interested in being the first to know about any offers and new collections coming out then please sign up for my newsletter (bottom of the page), you get 10% off when you sign up as a thank you.
Until next week, stay safe, keep communicating and always sparkle!
Katrina xx