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From our both flattering and extensive section of Sterling silver and especially within our Purity Range, it is evident that the Mother of Pearl gemstone radiates a complementary glow to the lush and luminous shine of Sterling silver. Reflecting the rainbows of the ocean beds, this stone brings colour to modern jewellery design and is in direct correlation with today’s most contemporary feminine fashions.
This semi-precious gemstone represents the antique, whitish substance that forms an iridescent layer on the inner shell of some fresh-water and salt-water mollusks. The nature of the material, are crystals of calcium carbonate and conchiolin, which are secreted by the mantle, or living organism, within the mollusk. The respective mollusks are found globally, from the Gulfs of Mexico to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, as well as India, Venezuala and Panama. Consequently, the colour of the stone / shell depends on the type of mollusk and its surrounding environment. The range of possibilities is both impressive and inspirational. It can be found in black or white or rose or in other more delicate shades of cream, gray, blue, yellow, violet or green. When polished, the Mother of Pearl is similar in appearance to pearls. Likewise, it is purely organic and technically is not a gemstone. In fact, the material is often called, “Nacre” from the Arabic word, “Naqqarah”, which means ‘shell’. Despite this, the Mother of Pearl is used in all types of jewellery. At Yellobox, it can be found and glowing from many of our Sterling silver pieces and some watch faces.
Shells are the oldest material used in jewellery and numerous ancient ornaments have been excavated to find them decorated with Mother of Pearl. Several of these discoveries date as far back as 3000 B.C. Glorious wooden ornaments have been found inlaid with Mother of Pearl during the excavation of an array of tombs in the 1920’s at a site in the Middle East. To illustrate, an ancient version of the modern harp, was found in a grave in the Royal Cemetery. The ‘Silver Lyre of Ur’ dates as far back as between 2600 and 2400 B.C. yet was extraordinarily well preserved. Layered with sheet silver, the majestic piece is clearly inlaid with decorative Mother of Pearl on the edges, borders and plaques of the sound box. On a similar timescale, the Chinese discovered that beads found in living mollusks became coated in Mother of Pearl. Centuries before the birth of Christ, the shell became incorporated into stories of gods and mythical creatures and was a symbol of high status amongst Asian society. Consequently, many took these beads of Mother of Pearl to the temples and offered them to the gods in the hope that they would receive good luck as a result for their efforts. In later centuries, Mother of Pearl became used in jewellery, ornaments such as vanity mirrors and brushes, and as the inlay for Chinese and Korean furniture. Interestingly, for over a thousand years the Chinese prescribed Mother of Pearl as medicine to aid reduction in high blood pressure and dizziness. In modern day, the Chinese culture and oriental tradition teaches that the Mother of Pearl gemstone attracts wealth to the person who wears it. Furthermore, a number of Chinese and Feng Shui items that symbolize money and wealth, usually feature this stone with the belief that its presence shall improve the object’s powers. In addition to the attraction of wealth and money, it is widely thought that wearing Mother of Pearl brings forth good luck and prosperity. Consequently, a Sterling silver pendant, chain, bracelet or pair of earrings, containing a Mother of Pearl (such as within our Purity Range) would make the perfect gift for someone special. Even if this person is yourself, by wearing the Mother of Pearl, your luck and prosperity would become enhanced.
With a little care, your pearls or Mother of Pearl will retain their mysterious and attractive glow for longer. As they are organic gemstones, their brilliance is slightly more vulnerable than other gemstones and precious metals. They are both softer and more reactive in comparison. Therefore, we offer the following tips so that you may preserve the ‘Yellobox-fresh’ look that was revealed when you received your piece of Pearl jewellery.
