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Pearls had been worn in Middle Eastern and Asian societies at least as early as 3500 B. C. The oldest surviving pearl
necklace has been found in the sarcophagus of a Persian Princess. It is almost 2000 years old.
During
the time of the Great Roman Empire, pearls had been so valued as a symbol of status and wealth that the “unworthy”
had been prohibited to wear them.
Certainly, one significant factor for the high value of pearls during the past was their scarcity. Pearls, at the time
were created solely by chance. It is said that thousands of oysters had to be search to find even one pearl, regardless of
its quality. A pearl of high quality was then truly a pearl without price. Because of their uniqueness in the past, pearls
were such important financial assets that often they were comparable in price to real estate. In fact, one Roman General
is said to have financed his entire political campaign with the sale of a single pearl earring.
Further, during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in Europe, dense beds of European Pearl Mussels in Scotland, Germany,
Scandinavia and Russia were sources of “river pearls” for the nobility and for the church. You can see many portraits
of European royalty adorned from head to toe with pearls. In fact, European royalty
of the time valued their pearls so much that some enacted legislation restricting the use of pearls among the commoners.
Pearls were in style in the past, pearls are in style today, pearls will always be in style. Pearls are truly timeless
gems. writt
LINK - The main pearl page.
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