Pearls are formed by oysters or mussels secreting layers of nacre as a natural defense against an irritant entering into their body. Regardless of how it is formed, naturally or cultivated, a natural pearl and a cultured pearl can look the same from the outside to the untrained eyes. Cultured pearls, which make up the majority of pearls on the market today, are much more affordable compare to natural pearls thanks to advancements in pearl farming technology which have made pearl cultivation more efficient.
Pearls cultivation involves human intervention to stimulate pearl growth inside oysters or mollusks. Farmers carefully select healthy oysters or mollusks that are suitable for pearl cultivation. A small bead or piece of mantle tissue, known as a nucleus, is inserted into the mollusk's tissue. This irritates the mollusk, triggering its natural defense mechanism. The mollusk secretes layers of nacre (a combination of calcium carbonate and protein) around the inserted nucleus to protect itself from the irritant. Over time, these layers accumulate, forming a pearl. The mollusks are placed in underwater beds or farms, where they are regularly monitored for several years while the pearls develop. Once the pearls have reached the desired size and quality, the mollusks are harvested. The pearls are carefully removed, and the mollusks may be used again for future pearl cultivation. The harvested pearls undergo cleaning, sorting, and sometimes treatment to enhance their appearance before being sold in the market.
This process allows for the controlled production of pearls with consistent quality, making cultured pearls more accessible and affordable compared to natural pearls, which form without human intervention. The abundance of high quality cultured pearls in the market today has allow more pearl lovers to enjoy and cherish their beauty and radiance.