Happy Birthday Gemini!
Celebrate Your Birthstone: The Precious Pearl
GEMINIS are known as adaptable, curious and intelligent.
- Born: May 21 – June 20
- Zodiac Symbol: Twin
- Ruling Planet: Mercury
- Ruling Element: Air
DID YOU KNOW? 10 Pearl Fun Facts
- Pearls are the only gemstone formed within a living creature
- Pearls require no special cutting or polishing to maximize their lustrous beauty
- Popular as bridal jewelry, white pearls symbolize purity and new beginnings
- The rarest pearl color is blue, commanding a high price - especially if South Sea or Tahitian
- Pearls naturally occur in many colours including black, gold, chocolate, pink and lavender
- It can take anywhere from six months to four years for a natural pearl to form
- Measuring 2.5 – 4.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, pearls are relatively soft but can last a lifetime with proper care
- Freshwater pearls are nearly 100% nacre (the pearl layer). Saltwater pearls have a thinner nacre, giving them more luster
- The three most common types of saltwater pearls are Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea (the most valuable type)
- Most cultured freshwater pearls are Baroque pearls, which have an irregular, non-spherical shape
FEATURED PEARL JEWELRY
FAMOUS PEARLS
- The pear-shaped “La Peregrina” pearl, previously owned by several monarchs, was purchased for Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton in 1969 for $37,000. She had the pearl incorporated into a custom designed necklace by famed jeweler Cartier, which sold at auction in 2011 for ~$12M US
- The 800+ year old Arco Valley Pearl is the largest known natural saltwater baroque pearl. Weighing 575 carats, it's believed Mongolian emperor Khubilai Khan once gave it to Marco Polo
- Pearls have long been worn by women in politics. Jackie Kennedy’s legendary triple-strand necklace once set a style trend and US VP Kamala Harris's penchant for pearls has again elevated them as a modern favourite