Pearl

The pearl is the only gemstone created by a living organism.

When a tiny irritant slips into an oyster, it coats it, year after year, in delicate layers of nacre.

A fine pearl can take several years to form; it's made of calcium carbonate, which is why it's also very delicate.

Natural pearls were once more expensive than diamonds; today, most are cultured, carefully grown on marine farms.

There's just one difference between them: a natural pearl forms without any human intervention and is so rare that almost all existing examples come from historical sources. A cultured pearl also grows in a living oyster, through exactly the same process, except the nucleus is introduced by people.

Both are genuine pearls. Imitations are something else entirely: glass or plastic beads coated with a glossy layer, with no connection to the oyster.

One of the most famous pearls, La Peregrina, belonged to Queen Mary I of England in the 16th century, and in 1969 Richard Burton bought it for Elizabeth Taylor; it later sold at auction for nearly 12 million dollars.

Coco Chanel made pearls chic in the 1920s, wearing mixed strands, real and faux, in broad daylight.

Jackie Kennedy's famous pearls were, in fact, faux (glass), by Kenneth Jay Lane — proof that elegance isn't about price.

Colors range from white and cream to pink, golden, or gray, each pearl with a unique luster and shape.

The most coveted cultured pearls come from Japan (Akoya), the South Seas, Tahiti, and China (freshwater pearls).

At Indira, we work exclusively with genuine cultured pearls, hand-selected one by one and set in 925 silver and 14K gold. No imitations, in any collection.

A symbol of purity, elegance, and femininity, the pearl is one of June's birthstones.

With a hardness of just 2,5–4,5, it's highly sensitive to perfume, sweat, and chemicals.

Golden rule: put it on last, after makeup and perfume, and wipe it gently with a soft cloth after wearing. It looks beautiful in 925 silver and gold.