Perfectly Pretty Precious Pearl Quiz

Answer: Gemini and Cancer

The pearl is the birthstone for June. If your birthday is in June your zodiac is either a Gemini (May 21 to June 20) or a Cancer (June 21 to July 22).

Answer: It is the only gemstone that is produced from living mollusks/oysters.

A pearl is one hundred percent natural. It is harvested from the insides of a living organism (mollusks/oysters), not mined from the earth. Not all pearls are kept, some are discarded for various reasons, but the pearls that are kept are often ready to be worn.

Answer: A natural pearl is made without the help of man and a cultured pearl requires help.

A pearl begins forming when an irritant enters the shell (a grain of sand), the irritant is covered in layers and over time becomes a pearl. When the irritant is introduced by man into the shell the resulting pearl is a cultured pearl.

Answer: La Peregrina

La Peregrina is also known as "The Wanderer" and it has over a 400 year history. The pearl was originally found by a slave, and by finding the pearl the slave earned his freedom. In 1570, the pearl was sent to King Philip II of Spain, and after him it was given to Mary I of England.

After her, it exchanged hands and became the possession of Prince Louis Napoleon of France. Prince Louis then sold it to a British Marquis. After the Marquis, the pearl disappeared and didn't resurface until 1969.

The next person to purchase this pearl was Richard Burton.

Answer: Seed pearl

There are many names for the pearls that are marketed, a seed pearl is just one of them and as the name implies a seed pearl is a tiny pearl. Some of the other names for pearls are a blister pearl (the pearl was attached to the shell), biwa pearl (often an irregular shaped pearl found in Lake Biwa, Japan) and a freshwater pearl. These examples are not the only pearls available.

Answer: Bright green

Pearls are a variety of colors, generally depending on where they were harvested. There is a pale mint green pearl; it is rare and is an Indonesian sea pearl.

Answer: Minnie Pearl

Minnie Pearl passed away on March 4, 1996. During her lifetime she became a famous comedian appearing on the Grand Ole Opry as well as on the television show "Hee Haw". Her famous tag line, which she always screamed at the audience, was "Howdeeee! I'm jest so proud to be here."

Answer: Kokichi Mikimoto

In the early 1900s, Kokichi Mikimoto, Tasuhei Mise and Tokichi Nishikawa each independently discovered the secret to making cultured pearls. Mise and Nishikawa developed a "grafting needle" for introducing the irritant into the shell. Mikimoto patented the cultured pearl itself. Mikimoto bought out the rights of the other two and his company (Mikomoto and Company) was established.

After Mikimoto's death, he was awarded the "Order of the Sacred Treasure".

Answer: Inferior pearls that are discarded are ground into a powder and used as an ingredient for calcium supplements.

Pearls are calcium carbonate, which is why the powdered pearl can be used in high quality calcium supplements. Most of the ancient cultures used to routinely use pearls for medication. Pearls were swallowed whole, ground up so that they could be added to potions or salves and they were even tucked into the belly button to cure stomach problems.

Answer: the substance the oyster/mollusk uses to coat the irritant

When an irritant enters the shell, the oyster/mollusks begins to secrete a substance around the irritant as a means of protecting itself. As the nacre is secreted in layers, it forms a pearl. The nacre makes the pearl, and pearls are very fragile gems. Whenever you are purchasing a strand of pearls, you should always get a list of do's and don'ts for caring for your pearls.