Marc Aronstam talks about pearls, June’s birthstone

June is an awesome month. Not quite the scorcher of a month we Midwesterners are known for. But pleasantly warm and beautiful.

Those of you that know me know that I am also a fan of June’s birthstone – the pearl. Pearls represent taste and refinement and are a natural symbol of purity. They are often given to celebrate a marriage, graduation or the birth of a child.

Isn’t it amazing that out of one of the humblest of life forms, the mollusk, comes the pearl – the most elegant of gems? Pearls have been a passion and even an obsession of people throughout the ages, myself included. Pearls fascinate me!

Ancient Greeks said that pearls were hardened tears of joy that the goddess of love as she was born from the sea. My favorite story is from Persian mythology, where oysters were lured from the ocean by the moon, swallowing moonlit dewdrops to form pearls.

The scientific explanation for how pearls are created is just as amazing, as far as I’m concerned. When an irritant gets trapped in the flesh of an oyster, mussel, or clam, the mollusk produces a protective substance called “nacre.” Over time, layer after layer of nacre coats the intruder, creating what we call a pearl.

Because naturally occuring pearls are rare and extremely expensive, humans created a process in which a small bead is placed inside a mollusk to artificially stimulate nacre production. This results in what we know as a cultured pearl, which accounts for about 90 per cent of the pearl industry.

You won’t be surprised to know that here at Aronstam Fine Jewelers, I have pearls in every size, shape and color imaginable, from white to pink, yellow, gray and black. My collection hails from the coastal waters of Japan to Australia. From single pearls, to ropes of pearls, stunning inter-changeable pearl clasps, to pearl and diamond pendants, rings and earrings.

Come take a look at my collection of nature’s perfect gift, the pearl. Suitable for all ages, and elegantly worn with everything from jeans to evening wear.