Mother of pearl is the birthstone for June. Mother of pearl has been popular throughout history from Egypt to China. They were even documented to have been used in jewellery as early as 2206 BCE in China.
Mother of pearl is also known as nacre. Nacre is the substance the oyster mollusk secretes to protect the soft tissue in the shell from any outside pollutants. As this builds up over time it becomes mother of pearl.The amount of time it’s built up layers of nacre and therefore how thick the layer is determines its value.
It’s been used throughout history in jewellery, art and even furniture pieces. It’s incredibly durable and can last many years.
Oysters are found in salty coastal areas but the nicest quality of mother of pearl is said to come from china.
Properties of pearl:
- Good luck
- Prosperity
- Purity
- Calm
- Balance
- Emotional clarity
I use mother of pearl quite a lot in my designs. Many of my suncatchers have small pieces of it in as it catches the light beautifully. I also sell mother of pearl bracelets and earrings.
Come back July 1st for the next crystal of the month; moonstone!
Lauren x
