This is your month June babies!  Pearl is the traditional birthstone for those of you born in June, the deep, cream coloured gemstones are world renowned for their natural beauty and unique satin-textured look - read on to find out more!

There are two types of pearls - natural and cultured and they can be either grown in freshwater or saltwater.  Natural pearls are rare as most have been harvested but they are those found in their natural habitat. Cultured pearls are grown in pearl farms, mullusks are grown until they are big enough to accept a mother-of-pearl. A pearl technician implants the mother-of-pearl nucleus into the mollusk and it is then left to form the pearl.

Pearls are formed when a mollusk produces layers of a substance called nacre. The nacre (pronounced nay-ker) produces around a type of irritant inside the mollusk’s shell.

For natural pearls the irritant may be another organism from its surrounds but in cultured pearls a mother-of-pearl bead starts the process. For man-made pearls a piece of tissue is inserted to imitate the mother-of-pearl.

In all pearls, the quality of the nacre will change the quality of the shine of a pearl which is crucial to the beauty and value of a pearl.

Here at Indie and Harper, we love pearls because of their unique story and eye-capturing beauty.