Pearl Formation

Pearls are beautiful, natural gemstones created by shellfish like oysters and mussels. When a tiny object, like a grain of sand, enters the shell, the mollusk coats it with a smooth substance called nacre. Over time, layers of nacre build up, forming a pearl. Unlike other gemstones that are mined from the earth, pearls grow inside living creatures, making them truly special and unique!

Natural Pearls are found in the deep sea and it’s rare. Divers embark on a dangerous pursuit risking their lives diving deep into the ocean to collect oyster, which carried less chance of success because not all oysters formed pearls. This process takes many years in the wild and pearl-producing mollusks were over-harvested leading to near extinction by the early 20th century, which is the reason why natural pearls are scarce today and carry a high price tag.

Cultured Pearls

Now you may wonder about the expansion of the pearl jewellery industry and how it is possible given the rarity of the natural pearls. All thanks to Kokichi Mikimoto, also known as “The Pearl King”, for creating the world’s first cultured pearls. Today, there is an abundance of magnificent pearl jewels in the market Cultured pearls are still naturally forming like the wild pearls, however, the irritant is carefully inserted into the oyster or mussel by human to kick off the process.

When evaluating the quality of a pearl, pearl grading is essential. Many grading systems exist, but most of them consider the following factors:

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However, the worth of a pearl is also affected by its rarity. The rarest pearls are those that are large, round, have a pure colour, and have a high luster. These pearls can be worth thousands or even millions of dollars.