PEARL
Myth/Legend | In Sailor Moon | Science & Culture




Myth and Legend


There are many myths regarding the origin of pearls. One of the earliest myths is from the Hindu culture. In the Hindu book of the Rigveda, Krishna descended into the ocean and discovered the first pearl, which he gave to his daughter on her wedding day. In the Hindu culture, pearls are associated with the Moon, and symbolize purity and love. Many legends relate the pearl to the Moon. In one myth, the Moon bathes in the ocean, and its light attracts oysters to the surface, so that it might impregnate them with dew. Old Arabian, Greek, and Roman legends tell us that the pearl is formed when dewdrops filled with Moonlight fall to the ocean and are swallowed by oysters. The Persians believed the same thing, but they also believed that imperfections found in pearls were due to thunder in the sky. Chinese myths tell of pearls falling from the sky when dragons fight, and of pearls conceived within the brains of dragons.

Pearls have always been associated with love. The Greeks and Romans believed that wearing pearls promoted marital bliss, and the bond between Psyche and Cupid was often depicted by a strand of pearls. Venus (Aprodite) was believed to have been born from an oyster in the sea, like a pearl. In one Polynesian legend, Oro, the god of peace and fertility, offered a pearl to the princess of Bora Bora as a token of his love. Pearls are also often associated with tears. Many legends say that pearls are the tears of gods, and the Greeks believed that wearing pearls would prevent a newlywed woman from crying. One legend says that the tears of Adam and Eve created a lake that bore pearls.

The pearl is almost always associated with the moon, and is usually considered to be feminine in nature. It is said to strengthen the astrological effects of the moon. It is often associated with brides and with weddings, which may date all the way back to the legend about Krishna and his daughter's wedding. Pearls protect brides from widowhood, and ensure faithfulness and a happpy conjugal life. They are also thought to quicken the laws of karma, to strengthen love relationships.

Pearls are also said to bring about wealth, good fortune, and wisdom through experience. They are said to enhance the beauty of women and keep them forever young. They help wearers see themselves more clearly, so that they might improve themselves. They are also said to calm the emotions of wearers, so that they might maintain mental stability. Pearls are often assosicated with purity and innocence, and therefore protect the innocent. They are often said to protect children. Many authorities say that pearls should never be worn with diamonds.

Pearls in Sailor Moon


In the artbooks, Usagi Tsukino is almost always covered with pearls, or pearl-like ornaments. In several different forms, such as Princess Serenity, she wears pearl-like ornaments in her hair in and on her clothing. As Princess Sailor Moon in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, her uniform is entirely covered by pearls. This makes sense, as the pearl is said to protect the innocent and the pure, which Sailor Moon represents. Of course, as pearls are so closely related to the moon, it is only natural. The relationship between tears and pearls is only strengthened by Usagi's character, and she does need their emotionally calming effects. Particularly in Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, when she becomes Princess Sailor Moon in her grief over losing Mamoru. Their psychological properties, such as helping the wearer maintain mental stability, and helping the wearer see herself more clearly certainly apply to Usagi. And by the end of the series, she has gained an incredible amount of wisdom through her experiences. As a bride in the end of the manga, she wears many, many pearls. This is appropriate, of course, considering the long relationship between pearls and weddings. It should be noted that pearls are also the birthstone of June and of Cancer, Usagi's birth month and astrological sign.

Pearls also come into play with the character of Perle, the fairy from the Sailor Moon SuperS movie. The French word perle (from which Perle gets his name) means "pearl." Pearls are a main part of his character... the Materials Collection tells us that the idea behind his character is "pearl, liquer, and bonbons," that he wears many pearl ornaments such as pearl earrings, and that there are pearls inside of his flute. Pearls fit his character quite well, as he is himself innocent and pure. Pearls are said to protect children, and that is Perle's duty - while his older brother and two other fairies kidnap children to steal their Sugar Energy, Perle fights along side Sailor Moon to protect them.

Science, History, and Culture


Pearls are made when an external irritant becomes trapped within an oyster. This irritant can be anything from a grain of sand to a small bead. The oyster then secretes a substance called "nacre" to cover the irritant, which protects the soft inside of the oyter. Dozens of thin layers are applied over and over, through many years, to produce a pearl. A natural pearl is made with an extremely small irritant enters an oyster by accident, and can take up to ten years to produce. It is almost 100% nacre, and it is very rare. The odds of a perfectly round, flawless natural pearl are 1 in a million. A "cultured" pearl is created when an irritant is inserted into an oyster by man. These pearls are made up of the same nacre as natural pearls, but there is much less of it. Cultured pearls contain much larger irritants, and thus take less time to be covered with nacre and produced as gems. A natural pearl can be distinguished from a real pearl through x-ray examination - the cultured pearl will reveal the larger irritant, whereas the natural pearl will not. Pearls come in a variety of shapes in colors. They can be round, oval, or have small protrusions at one end (called "Baroque" pearls). They come in many different colors, including white, pink, gold, light blue, grey, and even the rarer black.

Before a method of creating pearls was invented in the early 1900s, pearls were extremely rare and valuable. The only method of retrieving them was through diving, which was incredibly dangerous in earlier times. In ancient Rome, only people above a certain rank were allowed to wear pearl jewelry.

Pealrs are unique among gemstones, as they are the only ones found within a living creature, and they are the only ones that can be work with no polishing or cutting before use. However, they are very delicate. They are sensitive to chemicals and abrasions. They should always be stored in their own box, away from other jewelry. Chemicals in hairspray, make up, and perfume can damage them, so they should only be put on AFTER applying all beauty products. They can occasionally be cleaned with mild soapy water (NO ammonia), but should never be placed in an ultrasonic cleaner. To determine if pearls are real or fake, one should gently rub the pearls against the edge of a tooth. A real pearl with feel "grainy" or "gritty," while an imitation pearl will feel smooth.

In 1912, pearl was adopted as the official birthstone for the month of June by the American National Association of Jewelers. It is also the birthstone for the astrological signs Gemini and Cancer. Pearls have become almost a staple for new brides, and are traditionally given on the 1st, 3rd, 12th, and 30th anniversaries. Pearls are used almost exclusively by women, and are often called the "Queen of Gemstones."