An ancient Persian legend describes pearls being formed when moonlight-filled dew drops descended from the sky and fell into the sea. Cleopatra was said to have crushed one to powder and drank it in a glass of wine to illustrate to Marc Anthony that she could consume the wealth of an entire country in one meal. Pearls are prized and described in the legends of many cultures and have frequently been linked to magical powers and to love.
In past decades a string of pearls may have represented the ultimate accessory for classical dressing and perfect tailoring, but these fascinating and seductive gemstones have been braided into hair or woven into fabrics for centuries. Roman women embroidered so many into their gowns that they actually walked on their pearl encrusted hems. They even wore them to bed so that they could be reminded of their wealth when they woke up. Over the centuries and in almost all cultures, pearls, with their smoky velvet textures, have been a favored form of adornment, a trend that continued with the rebellions in fashion and art that marked the beginning of the 20th century.