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Pearls have been desirable since people discovered them while eating shellfish. Indian, Chinese, Greek, and Roman societies of antiquity frequently saw pearls as tears of the gods, morning dew, or the result of lightning hitting the sea. During the Roman Empire, pearl trading in the West reached its first recorded peak as the conquest of Eastern regions brought large volumes of pearls to Rome.

In the 16th century, ships laden with pearls from the Americas spurred piracy between the Spanish and British. The Great Pearl Age of the English Renaissance continued through the 17th century, with pearls featured as a major indicator of power and wealth for royal and noble men and women. Later, Victorian jewelry pieces used dainty seed pearls to create popular wedding sets and act as accents for colored gemstones.

Pearls became popular in the United States after the Civil War, especially freshwater pearls from the Mississippi River and its branches. At the turn of the 20th century, pearls were the top gemstones of society, with the newly created millionaires of industry buying extravagant pearl pieces for their wives.

Cultured pearls took the United States by storm after World War II, when soldiers brought home strands of saltwater pearls for the women in their lives. They became an enduring classic of polished attire, and over time, they鈥檝e made their mark at every level from casual to haute couture. Harvesting natural pearls is slowly re-emerging, but most designers and manufacturers continue to use cultured pearls in their creations.