June's Birthstones: The Quiet Elegance of the Pearl and the Astonishing Color Shift of Alexandrite
Two of the most singular gemstones in the world share a birth month. One is grown by a living creature in the depths of the sea. The other transforms color before your eyes. Here's everything you need to know — and the pieces from our Incline Village showroom worth giving this June.
One Month, Two of the Rarest Gemstones on Earth
Most months get one birthstone. June got greedy — and for good reason. Pearl and alexandrite could not be more different from one another, yet both represent something the modern jewelry world is increasingly obsessed with: gemstones that cannot be mass-produced, cannot be faked convincingly, and carry a story with them the moment they're set into a ring.
The pearl is the only gemstone on earth created entirely by a living organism — no cutting, no faceting, just centuries of cultural reverence for something an oyster builds in self-defense. Alexandrite, on the other hand, is a geological accident so rare that fine natural stones routinely outprice diamonds of the same size. It shifts from green in daylight to red under incandescent light, a transformation so dramatic that 19th-century Russian jewelers named it after a Tsar.
If you have a June birthday in your life — or you're simply drawn to gemstones with genuine rarity behind them — this guide covers what actually makes each stone valuable, how to evaluate quality, and which pieces from our pearl and alexandrite collections are worth a closer look this season.
The Pearl: Nature's Only Gemstone Born From a Living Creature
Every other gemstone in this guide began as a mineral — crystallized underground over millions of years, then cut and polished by human hands. The pearl is the exception. A pearl forms when an oyster or mollusk responds to an irritant by slowly coating it, layer upon layer, with nacre — the same iridescent substance that lines the inside of its shell. Over years, those microscopic layers build into the lustrous sphere we recognize instantly.
That process — slow, organic, and impossible to rush — is exactly why pearls have held a place at the top of fine jewelry for thousands of years, from Cleopatra's legendary pearl earrings to the strands worn by royal families today. And in 2026, the market for fine pearls is proving that reverence hasn't faded one bit.
Luster is everything. The sharper the reflection on a pearl's surface, the higher its quality — and the more it's worth.Why Natural Pearls Are Having a Moment Right Now
Earlier this year, the Abernethy Pearl — a freshwater pearl pulled from a Scottish river decades ago — sold at auction in Edinburgh for £75,000 against an estimate that it comfortably exceeded, with the total sale (including buyer's premium) landing around £93,591 (about $122,705 USD). For a single river pearl with no setting, no cutting, and no further enhancement, that result turned heads across the jewelry trade.
It wasn't an isolated moment. Sotheby's Paris Fine Jewelry auction in March 2026 featured a run of important natural pearl jewels, and the house has been vocal about a broader trend: collectors are actively seeking out natural, untreated pearls with strong luster, generous size, and provenance — while a pair of diamond and natural pearl earrings once owned by Maria Amalia, the last Queen of France, came to market through MS Rau Antiques at a reported $8 million.
"Natural pearls are increasingly rare, with many of the natural saltwater pearls on the market harvested more than a century ago, before modern pearl culturing techniques became widespread."
Here's the throughline for anyone shopping for a June birthday this year: fine pearls — whether antique natural pearls or top-grade cultured South Sea, Tahitian, and Akoya pearls — are gemstones the market is actively re-rating upward. A beautifully matched strand or a pair of well-chosen pearl studs isn't just a classic gift. It's a piece that holds its place in a jewelry box for generations.
South Sea, Tahitian, Akoya, and Freshwater: What's the Difference?
"Pearl" is not one product — it's a category, and the differences between types of pearls are dramatic enough to shift a price from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. Here's how the major types compare.
| Pearl Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| South Sea | The largest and rarest cultured pearls, grown primarily in Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Known for thick nacre, a soft satiny luster, and colors ranging from white to golden. Often considered the most luxurious pearl category. |
| Tahitian | Grown in French Polynesia's black-lipped oyster, these are the famous "black pearls" — though their natural overtones range from silver and green to peacock and aubergine. Prized for their exotic, dramatic coloring. |
| Akoya | The classic "Japanese pearl" — smaller, with the sharpest, most mirror-like luster of any cultured pearl. The traditional choice for a refined strand or stud earrings. |
| Freshwater | Grown in mussels rather than oysters, often in China. More affordable and available in a wider range of shapes and colors, though typically with a softer luster than saltwater varieties. |
| Natural Pearls | Formed entirely without human intervention — exceptionally rare today, and almost always antique or estate pieces. The category driving the highest-profile auction results in 2026. |
What Actually Determines a Pearl's Quality
When evaluating a pearl — whether you're buying a strand, studs, or a statement ring — five factors matter most:
Luster
The single most important factor. High luster means a sharp, bright, almost mirror-like reflection on the pearl's surface. Low luster looks chalky or dull. This is the first thing a trained eye checks.
Surface
Pearls form in nature, so minor surface characteristics are normal. The cleaner and smoother the surface, the higher the value — but a few natural marks are part of a pearl's authenticity.
Color & Overtone
Beyond the body color (white, cream, gold, black, gray), many fine pearls show an "overtone" — a secondary sheen of pink, green, or blue that adds depth and is highly prized.
Shape & Size
Perfectly round pearls are the rarest and most valuable, though baroque (irregular) shapes have their own following. Larger pearls of equal quality command a significant premium.
From the warm gold of South Sea pearls to the iridescent peacock tones of Tahitian pearls — no two pearl types look alike.Pearl Pieces Worth Giving This June
Our Incline Village showroom carries one of the most complete pearl selections in the Lake Tahoe region — from everyday studs to statement South Sea strands. Here are a few of our current favorites for June birthdays.
South Sea Pearl Necklace
A full strand of lustrous South Sea pearls — the gold standard of pearl jewelry, and an heirloom-quality gift for a milestone birthday or anniversary.
South Seas Pearl Necklace Strand
A classic strand silhouette with the soft, satiny luster South Sea pearls are known for — timeless, versatile, and built to be worn for decades.
Tiffany & Co. Paloma Picasso Multi Pearl Strand Necklace
A designer estate piece from Tiffany & Co.'s Paloma Picasso line — multiple pearl strands in a refined, collectible design with built-in provenance.
7.5–8mm Akoya Pearl Studs
Classic Akoya pearls with that signature sharp, mirror-bright luster — the quintessential go-anywhere stud earring and a perennial June birthday favorite.
Tahitian Pearl Studs
Bold, dark Tahitian pearls with iridescent peacock and silver overtones — a striking alternative to the classic white pearl stud.
Custom Tahitian Pearl Ring with Marquise & Round Cut Diamonds
A one-of-a-kind custom design pairing a Tahitian pearl with marquise and round brilliant diamonds — proof that pearls aren't just for necklaces and earrings.
Want something completely your own? Pearls are an exceptional starting point for a custom design — we regularly set South Sea and Tahitian pearls into pendants, cocktail rings, and redesigned heirloom pieces in our Incline Village workshop.
For a deeper dive into pearl formation, types, and grading, read our Complete Pearl Guide on the Forever Rox blog.
Alexandrite: The Gemstone That Changes Color Before Your Eyes
If the pearl is June's quiet, classic side, alexandrite is its showstopper. Alexandrite is a variety of the mineral chrysoberyl that does something almost no other gemstone can do convincingly: it shifts color depending on the light source. In daylight, fine alexandrite reads green to bluish-green. Under incandescent light — a candle, a lamp, a warm restaurant bulb — that same stone shifts to red or purplish-red. The change isn't subtle. In a high-quality stone, it looks like two completely different gems.
Alexandrite was first discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in the 1830s, reportedly on the same day as the coming-of-age of the future Tsar Alexander II — hence the name. Russian alexandrite remains the historic benchmark for the stone, though it's almost never seen on the market today. Modern supply comes primarily from Brazil, Sri Lanka, and East Africa, with Brazilian material in particular known for producing a strong, clean color shift.
Same stone, two lighting environments. This is the color change collectors pay a premium for.Alexandrite's Auction Surge Continues Into 2026
Alexandrite has spent the last two years quietly becoming one of the most talked-about gemstones in the auction world. In December 2024, a ring set with a 16.53-carat oval alexandrite sold at Sotheby's for $1.9 million — a record for any alexandrite ever sold at auction, and a number that sent collectors and dealers scrambling to reassess what fine alexandrite is actually worth.
That momentum hasn't slowed. Sotheby's Hong Kong jewelry sale in April 2026 featured a 4.37-carat color-changing Brazilian alexandrite ring — described as shifting between greenish-blue in daylight and purple under incandescent light — with an estimate reaching roughly HKD 1.5 million (about $191,000 USD). Industry analysts covering the 2025–2026 auction season have specifically called out stones above 4 carats as the segment performing exceptionally well, with non-Brazilian material (Russian, Sri Lankan, and East African) still considered "under the radar" and likely to climb further.
"The 2025 auction season reaffirmed alexandrite's position as one of the most investable and supply-constrained gemstones in the world, with stones above four carats performing exceptionally well."
The takeaway for anyone shopping for June: this is not a stone that's becoming more available. Natural alexandrite deposits are limited, and the supply of fine, strongly color-changing material has been effectively static for decades while demand — and prices — keep climbing.
What Makes a Fine Alexandrite: The Full Breakdown
Evaluating alexandrite is unlike evaluating almost any other gemstone — you're essentially judging two stones, and the quality of the transition between them.
| Factor | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Color Change Cause | Chromium replacing aluminum within the chrysoberyl crystal structure — an extremely rare substitution that creates the dual-color effect. |
| Daylight Color | A clean, saturated green to bluish-green — not gray or muddy. Weak or grayish green significantly reduces value. |
| Incandescent Color | A clear red to purplish-red, free of brown or dull undertones. |
| Strength of Change | The most valuable stones show a "complete" color change — the two appearances feel like entirely different gemstones, not a partial shift. |
| Pleochroism | Alexandrite shows different colors depending on viewing direction. A skilled cutter orients the rough to maximize both colors — a poorly cut stone can waste excellent rough material. |
| Clarity | Minor inclusions are normal and expected, even in fine stones. Completely eye-clean alexandrite, especially over 1 carat, is exceptionally rare. |
| Origin | Russian (historic, almost unobtainable), Brazilian (strong color change, primary modern source), Sri Lankan and East African (often lighter, still attractive). |
| Natural vs. Lab-Created | Lab-created alexandrite is widely available and can show dramatic color change — but it lacks the geological rarity that drives natural alexandrite's value. |
Alexandrite Pieces Worth Giving This June
Fine natural alexandrite rarely sits on a showroom floor for long — and right now, our Incline Village collection includes one piece that belongs in a category of its own.
A square step-cut natural alexandrite with documented provenance from the Smithsonian Institution, set with two baguette diamonds. This is the kind of stone collectors search years for — a fine natural alexandrite with an institutional history, not a lab-grown substitute or an undocumented stone of uncertain origin.
A square step-cut natural alexandrite with Smithsonian Institution provenance, set with two baguette diamonds — currently available at Forever Rox Fine Jewelry.Square Step Cut Fine Alexandrite From The Smithsonian Institute with Two Baguette Diamonds Ring
A documented natural alexandrite with Smithsonian Institution provenance, set in a refined step-cut design with baguette diamond accents. One of the rarest pieces in our collection.
Alexandrite & Diamond Dangles
Natural alexandrite paired with diamonds in a dangle earring design — color change that moves and catches light from every angle.
Cats Eye Alexandrite Ring With Diamonds
A double rarity: alexandrite displaying chatoyancy (the "cat's eye" effect) in addition to its natural color change, set with diamond accents.
Cats Eye Alexandrite & Diamond Studs
Cat's-eye alexandrite studs with diamond accents — a refined way to wear one of the rarest optical effects in the gem world every day.
Pear Cut Alexandrite & Diamond Dangle Earrings
Pear-shaped natural alexandrite set with diamonds in a graceful dangle design — elegant movement paired with a dramatic color shift.
Design Your Own Alexandrite Piece
Have a vision for an alexandrite ring, pendant, or redesign? Our in-house jeweler, John Roxburgh, can source natural alexandrite and bring a custom design to life.
To go deeper on alexandrite's chemistry, color science, and what drives its value, read our Complete Alexandrite Guide on the Forever Rox blog.
June Birthstones at Incline Village Since 1984
Forever Rox Fine Jewelry has been sourcing rare natural gemstones — including alexandrite from Brazil and Russia, and pearls from the South Seas, Tahiti, and Japan — for the Lake Tahoe area since 1984. With well over 1,000 pieces in stock and GIA-trained staff on the floor, our Incline Village showroom is one of the few places in the Reno-Tahoe region where you can see a Smithsonian-provenance alexandrite and a South Sea pearl strand in the same case.
If you don't see exactly what you're picturing, that's where we're at our best. We complete more than 15 custom design projects every month — from sourcing a specific pearl type or alexandrite origin to building a one-of-a-kind setting around it. Whether you're shopping for a June birthday in Incline Village, Reno, Carson City, Truckee, or anywhere else in the country, the conversation starts with a call to (775) 831-4544 or a visit to foreverrox.com.
Celebrate a June Birthday in Style
Explore our pearl and alexandrite collections, or start a custom design with our in-house jeweler — Forever Rox Fine Jewelry, Incline Village, Lake Tahoe.
Shop Pearl & Alexandrite(775) 831-4544 · foreverrox.com · Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, NV
Common Questions About June's Birthstones
Why does June have two birthstones?
Many months have more than one recognized birthstone, often because of historical traditions from different cultures and gem trade associations. Pearl has been associated with June for centuries due to its long history in fine jewelry, while alexandrite was added more recently as a modern birthstone, recognizing its rarity and unique color-changing properties. Tanzanite is sometimes listed as a third option as well, though pearl and alexandrite remain the two most widely recognized.
What is the difference between natural and cultured pearls?
Natural pearls form entirely without human intervention — an irritant enters a wild oyster or mollusk by chance, and the creature coats it with nacre over years. These are exceptionally rare today and almost always found in antique or estate jewelry, which is why pieces like the Abernethy Pearl make headlines at auction. Cultured pearls form through the same biological process, but a technician introduces the irritant intentionally, allowing the oyster to do the rest. The vast majority of fine pearl jewelry today — South Sea, Tahitian, Akoya, and freshwater — is cultured, and quality is judged by luster, surface, color, and shape regardless of origin.
Why does alexandrite change color?
Alexandrite's color change is caused by chromium replacing aluminum within its chrysoberyl crystal structure — a substitution that is geologically rare. Chromium absorbs light in a narrow band of the visible spectrum, so the stone effectively filters light differently depending on the source. Daylight contains strong blue and green wavelengths, so the stone reads green to bluish-green. Incandescent light is rich in red wavelengths, shifting the same stone toward red or purplish-red. The stone isn't changing — it's revealing a different part of its optical response depending on the light around it.
Is alexandrite more valuable than diamond?
Per carat, fine natural alexandrite with a strong, clean color change can exceed the price of a diamond of similar size and clarity — and significantly so in larger sizes. The December 2024 sale of a 16.53-carat alexandrite for $1.9 million at Sotheby's set a record for the gemstone, and the 2025–2026 auction season has continued to show strong results for stones above four carats. Smaller, well-cut natural alexandrite — like the Smithsonian-provenance piece in our Incline Village showroom — remains significantly rarer than a comparably sized diamond, simply because so little fine material exists.
How should I care for pearl and alexandrite jewelry?
Pearls are softer than most gemstones and should be put on after applying perfume, lotion, or hairspray — not before — and wiped gently with a soft cloth after wear. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on pearls. Alexandrite, as a variety of chrysoberyl, is quite durable (8.5 on the Mohs scale) and can generally be cleaned with warm water and a soft brush, though stones with cat's-eye chatoyancy or significant inclusions should be treated more gently. Our team at Forever Rox offers free cleaning and check-ups for both — bring your pieces by our Incline Village showroom anytime.
Can Forever Rox source a specific type of pearl or alexandrite for me?
Yes. Forever Rox Fine Jewelry has sourced natural gemstones — including alexandrite from Brazil and Russia, and South Sea, Tahitian, and Akoya pearls — for clients across Lake Tahoe, Reno, Carson City, Truckee, and beyond since 1984. If you have a specific type, size, or origin in mind, or want to build a custom piece around it, call (775) 831-4544 or visit foreverrox.com. We complete more than 15 custom design projects each month in our Incline Village workshop.
Sources
- National Jeweler — "Alexandrite Ring Sells for Record-Setting $1.9M at Sotheby's"
- Rapaport — "Alexandrite Ring to Hit Auction Block at Sotheby's Hong Kong" (2026)
- Rare Gem Collection — "Top 10 Rarest Alexandrites Sold at Auction in 2025"
- Sotheby's — "Why Collectors Are Clamoring for Pearl Jewelry"
- Sotheby's — "Why Natural Pearls Are On Trend"
- National Jeweler — "Abernethy Pearl Tops Estimates at Auction" (2026)
- Forever Rox Fine Jewelry — The Complete Pearl Guide
- Forever Rox Fine Jewelry — The Complete Alexandrite Guide