It’s interesting to note the implications here: it’s a pearl, rather than a gem – this has all the implications of pearl formation: a beautiful thing coming from a small, irritating seed, which has had to grow over time to become valuable. Whether these are actually part of the etymology of the phrase is unknown to me, but I find this interesting.

It’s interesting to note the implications here: it’s a pearl, rather than a gem – this has all the implications of pearl formation: a beautiful thing coming from a small, irritating seed, which has had to grow over time to become valuable. Whether these are actually part of the etymology of the phrase is unknown to me, but I find this interesting.

It’s interesting to note the implications here: it’s a pearl, rather than a gem – this has all the implications of pearl formation: a beautiful thing coming from a small, irritating seed, which has had to grow over time to become valuable. Whether these are actually part of the etymology of the phrase is unknown to me, but I find this interesting.