June, Pearls and the Gemini Me

I think I was just ten when I first learned about sun signs and birth stones. There used to be a
column in the Sunday newspaper about weekly sun sign horoscopes and there once was a
post below that read,
‘Lucky Birthstones for Sun signs’.
I hurriedly looked up for mine.
Gemini – Pearl.
Honestly, I was a little disappointed back then, and it stayed for quite some time. The reason
being, other people got Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds and Sapphires. Delicate and colourful.
And here I was, stuck with the round, fat, white and colourless Pearl.
I have to mention here, at a later stage, when my family began groom hunting and jewellery
shopping for me, I mentioned the lucky stone thing to my Mom.
She casually waved it off.
“No stone is lucky, unlucky, or worth the money. It’s only Gold that will stay with you
forever.”
Spoken like a true Malayali. And my wedding jewellery didn’t include an ounce of anything
else, but gold.

My First Pearl and How I Fell In Love

My first tryst with Pearls was soon after marriage, I was gifted a set by one of my husband’s
colleagues. Fresh Water Pearls from Kolkata.
The moment I tried it on, I was hooked. And the rest is history.
The neckpiece fitted tight like a choker and the locket matched with the earrings. All of them
sat perfectly well on me, and the best part, I could wear the set with any dress, given the
white colour. The classy look and feel was beyond words, I was in love with who I saw in the
mirror.

Fresh Water vs Sea Water Pearls

The label read Fresh Water, so my curiosity lead me to hunt for Sea Water pearls. I purchased
a set in Mumbai, these were shinier, compared to the softer and more natural looking fresh
water ones. My new set was white, with a blue turquoise pendant and matching pearl and
turquoise studs, so I could pair it with blue outfits as well.
Could be an unpopular opinion, I prefer fresh water pearls more.

A Pearl for My Geminian Personality

Like a June born true blue Gemini, I believe I am very talkative. And child-like. I speak with my eyes wide, fast and excitedly with numerous hand gestures.

Now what does it have to do with the Pearl, you might wonder. I will tell you.

For someone who is more vocal and very down to earth, I guess a small and delicate diamond, or any gentle sophisticated stone wouldn’t help. I need something stronger, bolder. To hold the attention of my audience, to get them to hear me.

Pearls are more noticeable on my small frame, and they have worked wonders. I have always won many a compliment for my choice of pearl sets, they are so ME.

The Pearls of Hyderabad

I had always heard about Hyderabad being the Land of Pearls. I was told that a trip to the city is incomplete without exploring it’s pearls. So, on a short trip to Hyderabad, I visited one of the authentic pearl jewellery shops.

And I was awestruck to discover pearls of so many hues here, this was my first encounter with the Black Pearl, rare and exquisite, honestly I hadn’t seen anything like that before. There were some with a touch of pink, off whites, beiges, pure whites, sets strewn with other stones… Chokers, jhumkas, studs, long necklaces, oh, pearls I realized could be your style statement for any kind of outfit you wish to drape. Saris, kurtas, or western.

Preserving your Pearls

I purchased a whopping lot of jewellery, and mind you, each piece was cased separately. In a soft, velvet box. To shield them from moisture, sunlight and chemicals. They aren’t supposed to be kept carelessly with oxidised or artificial jewellery and shouldn’t be exposed to soap and chemicals. Make sure you purchase your pearls from reliable vendors, with proper certification and packaging.

June and Pearls- Symbols of Sincerity

As the theory goes, people born in June are pure and true at heart. Kind souls, not afraid to speak the truth, blessed with empathy and inner strength. I don’t intend to blow my own trumpet, but I take pride in the fact that I don’t lie, I often put others before me and I am kind, especially to animals. The fact that my life has been difficult thanks to these traits, but then I prefer to stick with honesty.

Incidentally, Pearls are called ‘Stones of Sincerity’. They represent faith, trust and innocence. Pearls epitomize the purity and kindness of June Borns and I have somehow, forever felt and experienced the healing and soothing power of Pearls.

The popular Netflix series, The Crown, with the queen wearing pearls in almost every frame, stands proof to the fact that Pearls spell simplicity and elegance. I guess, even for the Non-June Born, Pearls are a timeless style statement.

By Preethi Warrier