Pearl Birthstone, Pearl Pins and Daniel Low

With June fast approaching, I have been thinking about the pearl birthstone.

I have never given much thought to the origin of birthstones which is why I found this little nugget of info very interesting! In the early 1900s one of the largest U.S. dealers of sterling silver and gold was a mail order catalog and jeweler based in Salem, Massachusetts. Daniel Low and Co. was established in 1867 and began selling through a mail order catalog in 1892. The store occupied a historic church erected in 1634 and they maintained their location along with their booming mail order catalog business until 1995. Here was their location that was sold, along with the business..

The catalog was extensive and eventually was up to 200 pages long! Daniel Low really gained popularity by maximizing the name recognition of Salem, Massachusetts and they sold a "witch spoon" through magazines.

I discovered this historic catalog while searching for old seed pearl pins such as the ones listed in their 1901 catalog.

Anyway, a page in this catalog states, "History and mythology tell us of the deep seated belief in early centuries regarding the powerful influence exerted by gems and precious stones over the destinies of persons born in the month which each governs. The pleasing custom of giving birthstones is the outcome of this tradition."

So, pearls. What influence do these gems have over those born in June?

Pearls are closely associated with the moon both in appearance and influence. Considered a feminine gem, pearls symbolize love and the connection of a man to a woman. They are also considered to be symbolic of good outcomes especially out of seemingly negative circumstances. Pearls are the ultimate "grace under pressure" gem. They are a symbol of love, abundance, purity and strength. Mother-of-pearl offers protection to children.

To all you June babies, may your destiny be filled with love and abundance! Happy pearl birthday!