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Himmeli Earrings with Garnet

Garnets are often named after the location where they are found. Umba River garnet is from the Umba Valley of Tanzania. They are a mixture of pyrope and spessartite and display a gorgeous orange-red garnet. It is also known as Umbalite garnet and is a relatively new gemstone to the market.

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Tahitian Black Drops with Umba River Garnets

Tahitian pearl (black pearl) is an organic gem formed from the black lip oyster, Pinctada margartifera. They are primarily cultivated around the islands of French Polynesia, around Tahiti. 

These lustrous black Tahitians drop from rich colored Umba River garnets, hand made in 18K yellow gold.

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Pearl, June Birthstone

Pearl – a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. Its hardness is only 2.5 – 4.5 on the Moh’s scale so we don’t recommend it for an everyday ring, but earrings, pendants, necklaces, and bracelets are just wonderful to wear.

Pearls come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They are irridescent and can be white, pink, silver, cream, brown, green, blue, black, yellow, orange, gold, and purple.

Freshwater pearls form in various species of freshwater mussels, which live in lakes, rivers, ponds, and other bodies of fresh water.

Saltwater pearls grow within pearl oysters, which live in oceans. Saltwater pearl oysters are usually cultivated in protected lagoons or volcanic atolls. These are called Akoya pearls.

Tahitian pearl (black pearl) is an organic gem formed from the black lip oyster, Pinctada margartifera. They are primarily cultivated around the islands of French Polynesia, around Tahiti. 

South Sea Pearls are produced in the Philippines, Australia, and Indonesia. It’s the largest of all pearls and ranges in size from 9 – 20 mm. They can be cream, white, or golden, and they are harvested from the oyster pinktada maxima.

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Rhodolite Garnet with Fancy Pink Fresh Water Pearl Drops

Earrings with Rhodolite Garnet from Tanzania, 6mm Round Fancy Cut 2.11ctw. Articulating Fancy Pink Fresh Water Pearl drops. Set in 14KP double wire baskets with posts and backs. Hand made in our workshop in Lenox.

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New Earrings from Our Workshop

This month we feature these easy to wear pearl hoops. They’re so easy to slip on and they stay in place on the ear. The flawless 12 mm Tahitian black pearls fall sweetly just below the ear lobe. Very flattering from every direction. Also available in 18K yellow gold with white pearls.

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Pearl Show

Saturday, August 11, 10-8 and Sunday, August 12, 11-5.

Come in to our new gallery and see unique pearl pieces recently created in our workshop. Also on display will be strands of pearls of many colors, shapes, and sizes. Our jewelry features Black Tahitian, Peach Coin, White Baroque, White Fresh Water Drops and more. Be sure to come in and talk with our pearl expert on Saturday.

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Pearl, June Birthstone

A pearl is a hard glistening object produced within the soft tissue (the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes, known as baroque pearls, can occur.

Natural Pearls occur spontaneously in the wild and are extremely rare. Cultured or farmed pearls from pearl oysters and freshwater mussels make up the majority of those currently sold.

Whether natural or cultured, gem quality perals are almost always nacreous and iridescent, like the interior of the shell that produces them.

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Shop Pearl, June Birthstone

Pearl and Alexandrite are June’s birthstones. Through June, our Lenox, MA Gallery will showcase pearls in their myriad of colors and shapes. If you have a June celebration such as a graduation, birthday, anniversary, or wedding to attend, then pearls will make the perfect, classic gift.

So what exactly is a pearl? What is the ideal pearl? What are the most valuable pearls?

A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue (mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. Gem quality pearls are almost always nacreous and iridescent, like the interior of the shell that produces them. Pearls have a hardness of 2.5 – 4.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.

The ideal pearl is perfectly round, smooth, and lustrous. Other shapes are known as “baroque pearls” and they often create jewelry of compelling beauty.

Pearls that occur spontaneously in the wild are extremely rare and this rarity makes them the most valuable pearl. Wild pearls are referred to as “natural” pearls as opposed to cultured pearls or “farmed” pearls that can come from both pearl oysters and freshwater mussels.

For more information on pearls, click here. For information on June’s other birthstone, Alexandrite, click here.