| The pleasures of black pearl jewelry are as never | | | | fascination of these dark jewels stems in part |
| ending as these intriguing pearls are mysterious | | | | from the fact that the black-lipped oyster that |
| and exotic. The effect is always enchanting. The | | | | produces a pearl that is black is far more rare |
| pleasure an alluring woman receives from wearing | | | | than the oyster that produces the "ordinary" |
| bewitching black pearls cannot be matched by any | | | | white pearl. Of course, white pearls have their |
| other jewelry. | | | | own delicate charm and beauty, and have been |
| For much of human history, the pearl was the | | | | the foundation of the historical focus on pearls |
| most valuable and sought-after treasure from | | | | noted in the paragraphs above. |
| nature. It is believed that in prehistoric times | | | | But as the awareness of black pearls grew, so did |
| coastal tribes in India were the first to discover | | | | their allure, and they became objects of great |
| these treasures as they pried opened oysters | | | | desire. In the 1700s, Catherine of Great of Russia |
| they gathered from the ocean. Imagine their | | | | wore a necklace composed of thirty pearls that |
| amazement when they found these mysterious | | | | were black, which at that time would have been a |
| and beautiful objects during their search for food! | | | | necklace of almost incalculable value. In 1850, the |
| During the opulent days of the Roman Empire, | | | | Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, acquired |
| the desire for pearls was like a high fever that | | | | her fist black pearl, and thereafter became very |
| could not be lowered. Their monetary value was | | | | enamored of these dark gems from the sea. Her |
| enormous, to the point where it is recorded that | | | | influence among wealthy European women was |
| a Roman general financed an entire military | | | | great, and soon pearl jewelry designed with black |
| campaign by selling one pair of pearl earrings. | | | | instead of white pearls became the mark of true |
| They had belonged his mother; no doubt she | | | | sophistication. |
| suffered from the loss of her precious pearl | | | | While the cultured, or cultivated, pearl industry has |
| earrings, even if her son won his battles! | | | | made all pearls accessible to all women of elegant |
| As the centuries went by, pearls never lost their | | | | taste, the black pearl will always be in a class of |
| allure or value. In European society, due to the | | | | its own, owing to the special oyster which is |
| expense and exclusivity of pearls, pearl jewelry | | | | required for its creation. These pearls may |
| was only worn by the higher ranks of society, | | | | actually be of a beautiful dark green or grey color; |
| such as members of the nobility or royalty. In | | | | a pearl that is truly black is extremely rare. |
| some places, it was even against the law for | | | | Besides the darkness of color, another important |
| anyone below these ranks to wear pearls in any | | | | aspect of black pearls that contribute to their |
| manner, whether as jewelry as as adornment | | | | beauty is their iridescence, that quality which |
| sewn onto clothing. Presumably, such display by a | | | | creates different colors depending of the angles |
| lower member of society could only reveal that | | | | of light. |
| the pearls had been stolen, as no one but the | | | | There is no end to the fascinating and sensual |
| very rich could conceive of buying them. | | | | qualities of black pearls. Add an exotic pleasure to |
| Ah, but what about the black pearls? The | | | | your life; the pleasure of black pearl jewelry. |