Why are there 2 June birthstones? All about pearl and moonstone jewellery
As well as having a zodiac sign based on your date of birth, every month has a birth flower and a birthstone too. And luckily for you, if you or someone close to you celebrates their birthday in June, you’ve got the luxury of choice. That’s because there are two June birthstones, both equally gorgeous: pearl and moonstone.
Why are there two June birthstones?
Traditionally, June’s birthstone has always been a pearl. But as pearls have historically been incredibly expensive (the most expensive pearl ever, the Giga Pearl, is estimated at $140 million Canadian dollars), people decided to use moonstone instead.
I offer June birthstone jewellery in both pearl and moonstone options, so that you can choose your favourite – but to be honest, I don’t think you can go wrong with either.
The traditional June birthstone: pearl
Pearls come in many colours. The most common one that you probably think of when you think of pearls is white or cream, but they also come in pink, grey, blue, gold, green, and more, depending on where they’re grown.
On the MOHS scale, pearls are on the softer end of the scale, at around a 3: similar to silver and gold. So we don't recommend them in staying in water for too long - choose our lab-grown pearl Huggies if you want to wear pearls at the beach and in the shower.
What meaning does pearl have?
There’s a reason that pearl is often referred to as “queen of the gemstones”...
Pearls are generally thought of as a feminine gem, with loads of different connotations: in ancient Vedism, pearl was considered to be the daughter of the moon, and in Western cultures pearls are connected with the planet Venus (both coming from the sea). One ancient myth even suggests that the tears Eve sheds in the Garden of Eden became pearls.
Nowadays, it’s also connected with wisdom (think “pearls of wisdom”), purity, and wealth. As well as being a June birthstone, it’s the gift for 3rd and 30th anniversaries and is also commonly associated with weddings, making it a really romantic gem.
The history of pearl
Throughout history, people have loved pearls for their stunning, unique shine: the earliest recorded mention of natural pearls is from a Chinese historian in 2206 BC.
From Julius Caesar decreeing that only the ruling class could wear pearls and Cleopatra eating one to win a bet (she bet Marc Antony that she could serve the most expensive dinner in the world, before crushing a pearl into her wine and drinking it), to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, to Coco Chanel popularising strings of pearls and Elizabeth Taylor’s famous La Peregrina Pearl, the pearl has always been a mainstay of style.
Cultured pearl vs natural pearl: what’s the difference?
So if pearls used to be so expensive, how can they now be available as June birthstone jewellery?
Historically, pearls were exclusive because they were so rare. Natural pearls are formed as part of a mollusc’s defense mechanism: if an irritant gets into its shell, the mollusc releases nacre (or mother-of-pearl) to protect itself, and these layers eventually harden to become a pearl. As this only happens if an irritant gets in, you’d have to open hundreds of oysters, mussels or clams to find one wild pearl. Add this to serious overharvesting in the last couple of centuries, and you can see why natural pearls are now pretty hard to come by – and very expensive when you do!
In the late 1800s, Mikimoto Kokichi found a way to encourage pearls along, leading to the creation of cultured pearls. These pearls can be created by adding an irritant in, and then cultivating the pearl that grows. As well as increasing the accessibility of pearls, this version of oyster farming has huge positive environmental implications, restoring the oyster beds and providing much safer work for locals in the region. My commitment to sustainability means that all of the pearls in my June birthstone jewellery are cultured pearls.
Want to shop June birthstone jewellery with pearls? Check that out here.
The alternative June birthstone: moonstone
You’ll probably know moonstone for its distinctive shimmer (hence the name) which is officially called “adularescence”. This happens because the stone features alternate layers of different compositions, and when the light hits each layer it diffracts, producing a gorgeous, almost other-worldly glow.
Though harder than pearls, moonstones are still fairly delicate at around a 6 on the MOHS scale. They’re generally white (though their adularescence is often blue) but can also range from tinted with brown to red to green.
What meaning does moonstone have?
As well as being a June birthstone, moonstone has other symbolism too. In ancient Eastern cultures, “lighted” gems such as moonstone were seen to bring good fortune, as the luminescence looked like a good spirit living inside it. It became popular as a gem for travellers, with the idea that the light would guide people on their way. It’s also believed to be useful for bringing calm, using the ever-changing light as a focus for meditation.
Because of its connection to the moon – hence the name – it is also associated with fertility and good sleep, as well as romance, as people would often use the gem under a full moon to cast a spell to find their true love.
The history of moonstone
Moonstone was sacred in ancient Hindu times, because they believed that it was created from trapped moonbeams (the ancient Romans also thought that’s where it got its light from). It was often given as a wedding gift.
In the 1800s Queen Victoria was a famous fan, and Carl Fabergé used a lot of moonstone in his designs for the Russian court, but it became even more widely acclaimed in the Art Nouveau period thanks to a heavy emphasis of mysticism and magic.
June birthstone jewellery
Which is your favourite: pearl or moonstone? Whether you prefer a classic pearl or a more mysterious moonstone, my lichen collection has June birthstone jewellery for both.
Inspired by one of nature’s most resilient yet overlooked creations, the birthstone collection celebrates hidden beauty. With textured metal carved to pay homage to lichen, the birthstones nestle inside like colourful raindrops. The collection was inspired to remind you to stay true to your path and keep going, even in the harshest of conditions.
