No one is really sure where the first pearls were discovered. Perhaps our earliest civilizations, centered in Persia, India, or China were among the first to notice the magical beauty of pearls thousands of years ago. From the start, pearls have been highly prized by gem collectors, revered by artists and mythologists and appreciated by fashionable women throughout the course of history.

In varying cultures, pearls have symbolized power, romance, fertility and even good health---ancient Egyptian, Chinese and Japanese medicines often contained ground up pearls in their medicines. The world's great religions have all used pearls to adorn temples, artifacts and clothing in an attempt to harness the supernatural powers believed to exist in these special gems.