There are a lot of tattoo designs that look simple but have great meanings and symbolism. Such tattoos always have a good place among tattoo lovers. Regardless of their simplicity, they can have many 
symbolic meanings in different traditions and cultures. In this article, we are going to talk about pearl tattoos and their meanings in the tattoo world. Below, we will talk about what are pearls. Also, we are going to talk about their use of tattoos.
- What is a pearl?
A pearl is actually a hard and glistening object, which is produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk or another animal. Just like the mollusk’s shell, a pearl is composed of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form. This form was deposited in concentric layers.
The ideal pearl has a perfectly round form, but many other shapes may also happen. The finest quality of natural pearls was highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty. This happened for a lot of centuries in the past. As a result of this, the word “pearl” became a metaphor for something rare, admirable, valuable, and fine.
The most valuable types of pearls probably happen spontaneously in the wild. However, they are extremely rare. These wild pearls are called natural pearls. Farmed or cultured pearls from pearl oysters and freshwater mussels compose most of those currently sold.
Moreover, imitation pearls are widely sold in inexpensive jewelry. However, their quality is often very poor and is even easily distinguished from one of the genuine pearls. The primary use of the cultivation and harvest of pearls was in jewelry. However, in the past, people used them to adorn clothing. They were also present in cosmetics, paint formulations, and medicines.
Regardless of the fact if they are cultivated or wild, gem-quality pearls are almost always iridescent and nacreous. They are like the interior of the shell which produces them. But, almost all of the species of shelled mollusks have the capacity to produce pearls of lesser shine or spherical shape.
Even though gemological labs and U.S. Federal Trade Commission rules legitimately call them “pearls,” most of them don’t have value except as curiosities. The unique luster of the pearls also depends upon the refraction, reflection, and diffraction of light from the translucent layers.
When the layers in the pearl are thinner and more numerous, the luster is finer. The overlapping of successive layers usually causes the iridescence which pearls display. This usually breaks up light falling on the surface. Additionally to this, pearls can have these colors: yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black, or purple. The best pearls have a metallic mirror-like luster.
- Pearl tattoos, meaning, and symbolism.
In the West, just like in the East, the pearl finds its association with wisdom. For Gnostic Christians, the pearl was particularly a symbol of hidden knowledge. The natural beauty and form of the pearl have long made it the symbol of something precious. Moreover, the Gospels used the pearl as the symbol of the sacred word of God.
However, the most universal association of the pearl is with the water from which it actually comes. The shine that it has, which is connected to that of the moonlight, is another symbolic meaning. Moreover, it symbolizes the feminine from the shape of the shell.
Just like we already mentioned, pearl tattoos can symbolize wisdom acquired through experience. People believe that pearls attract luck and wealth and offer protection. They are best known for their calming effects. They can balance the karma of a person, and strengthen relationships. Moreover, they can keep children safe.
Pearl tattoos can also symbolize some of the following things:
- Loyalty;
- Integrity;
- Purity;
- Generosity;
- Light;
- Prosperity;
- Wealth;
- Beauty;
- Innocence;
- Harmony;
- Good fortune, etc.
According to a Persian legend, the pearls were created when a rainbow met the earth after a storm. Imperfections in the appearance in a pearl were believed to be the result of the lightning and thunder.
Moreover, the ancient Egyptians prized pearls a lot, and that is why they were even buried with them. For instance, Cleopatra reportedly dissolved a pearl from one of the earrings in a glass of wine or vinegar and drank it. She did that to show Mark Anthony that she could actually devour the wealth of an entire nation in only one gulp.
The meaning of pearl tattoos will also depend on the meaning of the color of the pearl itself. Here are the different meanings of the different colors of pearls:
- Gold or black: Prosperity and wealth;
- Blue: The wearer will find love;
- Pink: Good fortune, fame, and success;
- White: Beauty, purity, innocence, humility and new beginnings;
- Brown: Masculinity, dependability, harmony, and practicality.
The rarity of pearls, together with their beauty, made their great fame. For a long time, men like offering pearls to ladies, symbolizing fullness and love. Their universal recognition and their value make them connected with the meaning of gratitude. On a spiritual, dream, and religious interpretation, pearls are the mystical center or the soul.
