PEARLS

Fascinating folklore and legend about the pearl add to their mystical qualities. Perhaps the most famous story about pearls was about Cleopatra who is said to have bet Marc Anthony that she could host the most expensive party.
As a testament to her boundless extravagance she swallowed a pearl.
Aphrodite, the Goddess of love and beauty, rose from the sea on a scallop shell dripping with pearls.
In ancient Hindu culture, it is said that Krishna found the first pearl and gave it to his daughter on her wedding day and it still is a symbol of love and purity on wedding days.

They have been tears of angels and mermaids or drops of rain collected by the oyster . They have been the meeting of rainbow and earth. They have been guarded in the teeth of dragons. It was the most precious gem. Kings and Queens married and sought empires to have them.

Pearls have been incorporated into the mythology of every culture that has encountered them. We have our iconic images and legendary stories...Coco Chanel dancing the Charleston and her two meter long pearl necklace breaks .
A dozen men in smoking jackets scrambled to gather up the scattering pearls. La Peregrina , the huge pear shaped pearl discovered by a slave in the 1500s. It ended up as part of the Spanish royal jewels. Richard Burton gave La Peregrina to Elizabeth Taylor for Valentines Day.

And then there are the endearing images of icons ...Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's with her now famous simple black sleeveless dress a perfect backdrop for 6 strands of pearls and a tiara.

Jackie O and her much photographed triple strands of graduated lengths of round white pearls or Grace Kelley with her quiet repose wore a single strand that presented the soft glow of modest splendor . And our modern day style icons like Sarah Jessica Parker who made layered oversize pearl necklaces so chic in her Gap ads. Keira Knightly with her black baroque pearl choker made with different shades of Tahiti pearls at the opening of Pirates of the Caribbean. And Kate Moss with her long strands.

The lore and legend surrounding pearls is fascinating adding to their mysterious luminous allure.