I can understand the bean being associated with pregnancy, in fact it seems like a very sweet gift for an expenctant mom, but I remember it from back in my late 70's- early 80's college days and there was NO WAY it meant pregnant back then! It was just a stunning, organic, beautifully made, instantly recognizable, high-quality piece from Tiffany & Co. (Which back then was far more exclusive a brand than it is now! Not every 13-year old had a collection of Tiffany sterling in 1980.) One of my very well-to-do roommates from NYC had a sterling Peretti bean pendant that was a gift from her parents. I thought it was the most exquisite piece of jewelry ever!
Forward many years... I've bought (and sold) a number of Tiffany sterling pieces, given then as gifts (including to my now 18-yo DD) but never owned a bean pendant until just a few months ago, when I purchased the large (?) bean pendant in 18K yellow gold on an 18" chain. I wear it almost every single day and the only people who have asked me about what it means are my 2nd grade students -- all of whom thought it was a lima bean, because we had just planted bean seeds for a science project!
Forward many years... I've bought (and sold) a number of Tiffany sterling pieces, given then as gifts (including to my now 18-yo DD) but never owned a bean pendant until just a few months ago, when I purchased the large (?) bean pendant in 18K yellow gold on an 18" chain. I wear it almost every single day and the only people who have asked me about what it means are my 2nd grade students -- all of whom thought it was a lima bean, because we had just planted bean seeds for a science project!
I have wanted one for ages in yellow gold but when I saw it in the rose on my neck I had to have it! 
Funnily enough I also always wanted it on an 18" chain as well as in yellow but it sits so prettily on the neck on the 16" that I'm definitely going to keep it at this length. Photos to follow once I sort my camera out!
