For Vivamost Magazine by Liz Le Feuvre of Swiss Blue
In many cultures birthstones are a well established tradition whereby a gem is associated with a birth month. Each stone has a special meaning and it is believed by many that wearing your birthstone will bring good fortune.
The birthstone for June is the glorious pearl – the perfect summer-fresh gem! It’s also the gemstone traditionally given for thirtiethwedding anniversaries.
Pearls are one of the few organic gemstones (so not actually a stone!) and are the hard spherical object formed within the soft tissues of a living shelled mollusk. Whilst these can still occur naturally, these days most commercially available pearls are cultured, meaning there is a deliberate insertion of a bead or piece of tissue that the mollusk coats with nacre. Many of these pearl farms are in Asia, and it was Kokichi Mikimoto in Japan who first successfully created cultured pearls in the late 1800’s!
Pearls come in many hues, with creamy white being the most classic and popular, but silver, grey and pink are also fairly common. The stunning black Tahitian pearls are the rarest (and most expensive!).
Did you know there is a quick test you can do on your own pearls at home to see if they are authentic? Natural or cultured pearls have a slightly rough texture when rubbed against the edge of your teeth, whereas imitiation pearls are smooth.
Pearls have been the symbol of wealth, beauty and purity for thousands of years, and add that hint of elegance to any outfit!
The Swiss Blue birthstone collection for June consists of bracelets with freshwater pearls and sterling silver beads, and earrings created with Swarovski glass pearls and sterling silver or gold filled earhoops. Both these precious metals are hypo-allergenic and lightweight, so they are ideal for everyday wear.
Liz Le Feuvre
Liz set up Swiss Blue jewellery three years ago and is inspired by the colours and textures found by the lakes and mountains in Switzerland. She enjoys creating pieces that are attractive and enduring, using high quality materials and stones, and loves to make jewellery that makes YOU feel special everyday!
Free shipping is offered throughout Switzerland and all these items can be found online at the website www.swissblue.co on Facebookor Instagram