Perla

Pearl is an English vocabulary word for a small lustrous gemstone known as the pearl. The English borrowed the word “pearl” from the Late Latin “perla” (meaning the same). In its natural state, a pearl is really an accident of nature. It is shaped by a mollusk (such as an oyster) through the secretion of calcium carbonate which forms around some irritant that gains access inside its shell (such as a parasite or grain of sand). The mollusk produces a pearl as a way of protecting itself from the foreign substance. Natural pearls occur spontaneously (and rarely) in the wild, while cultured pearls require human intervention and stimulation. It is for this reason that natural pearls are far less common and thus much more valuable. Since pearls are borne from the sea, they are often associated with the water and moon (lunar tides) and are said to balance emotions. Ancient Arabs believed pearls were created by moonlight-filled dewdrops which fell from the heavens into the sea and swallowed by oysters. Pearls are often associated with debutants and brides and are therefore symbols of innocence and purity. A strand of pearls is one of the most elegant pieces of jewelry (not flashy like the diamond), and it’s the traditional birthstone for June. Some believe the pearl attracts wealth and prosperity as well as love. Naming girls after precious gemstones became fashionable in the late 19th century and Pearl, Ruby and Opal were at the top of the list (names like Diamond, Jade and Amber would come much later in the 20th century). The Latin/Spanish Perla has not shown similar historic usage as Pearl.