THE PEARL

It is impossible to assess the relative beauty, rarity, and value of the different precious stones, but a perfect pearl of some size (about ten grains and over) is certainly one of the rarest of gems. This is despite the fact that it cannot be classified as a stone, since it is the product of a certain class of shell fish. A beautiful rosee iridescence, spherical shape, complete absence of surface blem¬ishes—these are the qualities that make for perfection, and this is what the connoisseur seeks yet seldom finds in pearls of appreciable size. Hence the value of this gem lies in its genuine rarity of perfect specimens.

The pearl does not, like the precious stones, require cutting and polishing before its beauty is revealed; its beauty is completely natural and obvious. Perhaps this is the reason for its early use as an ornament and its universal and continuous appeal to man, for throughout the centuries this gem has been held in the highest esteem. It is interesting to note that the Old Testament refers to pearls only once, in the Book of Job (Chap. 28), but in the New Testament, there are many references. It is perhaps to die Far East that we must turn to find that both fresh water and sea water pearls were in use and treasured as valuable ornaments long before the Christian era. They are mentioned in the book of the Brahmans (about 550 B.B.), and Chinese records, of which there are a great many, go back farther, although their pearls were probably taken in the first place from fresh water molluscs. The Singhalese, Persians, Egyptians and Greeks all recognized the pearl as a rare gem of great beauty and value, while with the Romans it was by far the most popular. Indeed, its value became so extravagant that a law was made forbidding the wearing of pearls :v all except those who had attained to a certain rank. Many Roman writers mention the pearl, among these being Pliny, Caius Julius, Solinus, Tacitus, Aelian, and Origen.