P
PEARL
Pearls are an organic gem. Natural pearls are extremely rare. Virtually all pearls today are saltwater or freshwater cultured. The longer the pearl remains within the mollusk, the larger it will become. Pearl shapes are round, near-round, oval, drop, button, baroque, and semi-baroque. The most valuable shape being a symmetrical round or drop pearl.
Color: The color of a pearl is dependent upon the variety of mollusk and its environment. Pearl colors are white, silver, cream, yellow, gold, orange, brown, pink, red, lavender, mauve, black, gray, blue, green, and multi-colored. A pearl’s body color is the main color of the pearl, and it can be modified by overtones (additional colors seen, typically pink, blue, green, purple) or orient (iridescence).
Treatments: Pearls are often bleached to lighten and enhance their color. Pearls are sometimes dyed.
Moh's Hardness: 2.5 to 4.5.
Locations Found: Omanto Qatar (Persian Gulf), India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Arafura Sea, the South Pacific Islands, French Polynesia, the Gulf of California, the Gulf of Mexico, Japan, and China. Freshwater Pearls can be found in the Mississippi River, several rivers in England and Ireland, and streams of Bavaria.
Cultivation: Historically, freshwater pearls were more accessible to early civilizations than saltwater pearls. The cultivation of freshwater pearls was thought to have begun in China in the 13th-century. In 1893 in Japan, Mikimoto Kokichi started pearl cultivation that successfully produced a perfect round pearl. In the 1920s cultured pearls became commercially important as natural pearl production was declining. Today cultured pearls are grown on freshwater or saltwater pearl farms around the world.
Birthstone: June (1912, American National Association of Jewelers; Hindu).
Wedding Anniversaries: 1st (freshwater), 3rd, 12th, and 30th.
Zodiac Signs: Cancer, Gemini.
Historical Associations: Moon; water; wisdom; protection; good luck; good health; wealth; prosperity; money; imagination; fertility; going with the flow; sincerity; integrity; enlightenment; honesty; memory recall; intuition; clarity; peace; love; affection; emotion; patience; elegance; loyalty; purity; innocence; modesty; chastity; to determine right from wrong; anchored in the present; lightning; dragons; daughter.
Historically Used To Treat: hysteria; eye troubles; tuberculosis; cardiac trouble; constipation; balance emotions and hormones; relieve digestive disorders; allergies.
CARE: Do not expose pearls to harsh chemicals. If you use hairspray or perfume, put the pearls on after applying the hairspray or perfume. Perspiration can dull your pearls. Gently wipe pearls with a soft cloth after wearing them to preserve the luster of your pearls. Only use mild soap and mineral water or distilled water to clean your pearls. Do not clean your pearls with brushes, ultrasonic cleaners, or steamers, as they can cause damage to your pearls. Storing pearls in direct sunlight can cause yellowing. Keep away from heat to avoid surface fractures in your pearl.
PERIDOT
Name: Peridot comes from the Arabic word “faridat,” meaning “gem,” or from the Greek word “peridona,” which means “give in abundance/something that provides richness.” It was known as the “evening emerald” by the ancient Greeks, and the “gem of the sun” by ancient Egyptians.
Family Group: olivine.
Color: It gets its color from iron and has a color range from greenish-yellow to yellowish-green to brown-green, lime green, and olive green. Today, the most sought-after color of peridot is a pure, grass-green without any hint of yellow or brown. Peridot may have inclusions of biotite, chromite, spinel, pyrope garnet, and liquid or gas-filled inclusions. Peridot is not normally treated. Occasionally, if fractures are present within the stone, it may be fracture-filled. Peridot’s Moh’s hardness is 6.5 to 7.
Location Found: Pakistan, Myanmar (Burma), Tanzania, Vietnam, China, Brazil, Kenya, Africa, Australia, Finland, Norway, and the United States of America (Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico). The oldest source of Peridot is in the Red Sea on the Egyptian island Zabargad (St. John’s Island) which had been given names like “Island of Death” and “Snake Island”.
Birthstone: August (1912, National Association of Jeweler’s).
Wedding Anniversaries: 16th.
Zodiac Signs: Libra, Capricorn, Leo, and Virgo.
Chakra Associations: Heart.
Historical Associations: power; influence; happiness; nobility; generosity; prosperity; good fortune; wealth; love; appreciation; enlightenment; wisdom; secrecy; Pele; protection from evil spirits, enchantments, and night terrors.
Historically Used To Treat: asthma; stomach ulcer pain; stimulate contractions; heart; spleen; lungs; digestive tract.
Care: Avoid abrupt temperature changes, steamers, and acids. Ultrasonics are risky. Warm, mild soapy water and a soft brush is safest to use. Long-term exposure to acidic perspiration can damage the stone.