Pearls, whether saltwater or freshwater, come in a range of colours, the most common being white, cream or gray. But they also can be purple, black, pink, green, champagne, chocolate, blue and lavender. It is their iridescence and lustre that indicate their quality.
The colour “pearl” itself is usually considered a pale tint of off-white, representing the average colour of a natural pearl.
In ancient Vedic texts, the pearl is born of the Earth’s waters and the heaven’s powers, fertilized by a flash of lightning. It is considered to be the daughter of the Moon. In Western cultures, the pearl has astrological associations with the planet Venus. Like pearls, the goddess of love came from the sea.
The Birth of Venus - Sandro Botticelli, Uffizi, Florence - Public Domain
Pearls have another watery association, due to their shape. Some stories say white pearls are tears shed by the gods. One legend says the tears Eve cried when she was banished from Eden turned to pearls.
Girl with a Pearl Earring - Johannes Vermeer, Mauritshuis, The Hague - Public Domain