Pearl meaning & facts
Pearl is a birthstone for June. Pearl is associated with purity, loyalty, wisdom and calm. It is the only gem made by a living creature.
- Birth month
- June
- Colour
- Creamy white (also pink, silver, gold and black)
- Mineral
- Organic gem made of nacre
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2.5–4.5
- Main sources
- Oysters and freshwater mussels, farmed in Japan, China, Australia and French Polynesia
Pearl facts
- Natural pearls form when a mollusc coats an irritant with layers of nacre.
- Almost all pearls sold today are cultured, a technique developed in Japan in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
- Pearl is the traditional gem for a 30th wedding anniversary.
June also has other birthstones: Alexandrite and Moonstone.
Birthstones by month
Frequently asked questions
What does pearl mean?
Pearl is associated with purity, loyalty, wisdom and calm. It is the only gem made by a living creature.
What month is pearl the birthstone for?
Pearl is a birthstone for June. The other June birthstones are Alexandrite and Moonstone.
How hard is pearl?
Pearl rates 2.5–4.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which runs from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond).
Gemstone meanings are traditional beliefs, shared for interest rather than as proven properties.