Behind the Mystery of the Pearl

Behind the Mystery of the Pearl

A Deeper Look at the Mystery of the Pearl

There are many different types of gemstones that can be used to make jewelry. However, one of the most sought after is the pearl. Beautiful pearl jewelry can be found online at places like, but where does this lustrous gem actually come from? Better yet, what is this mass actually made out of.

What Is a Pearl?

A pearl is a bluish or white spherical mass that is formed from the soft tissue of a living oyster. Just like the shell of most shellfish, the pearl inside an oyster is made from calcium carbonate, just in a crystallized form. Although natural pearls can come in all different shapes and sizes, the ideal pearl is smooth and round. Since there are saltwater and freshwater oysters, pearls can be formed in saltwater or freshwater.

Rare Pearls

There are two types of pearls: those found naturally and those created artificially. The rarest and most expensive pearls are found in the ocean, and they are worth a lot more than those pulled from freshwater. The very finest pearls in the world come from the Persian Gulf, but they can also be found in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, ocean pearls are becoming extremely hard to find, and they are quickly sold on international markets. The reason for this increase in rarity is because they are used in the making of a lot more items than just jewelry. Over the years, pearls have been used in paint, cosmetics and medicine.

Cultured Pearls

A cultured pearl is artificially created by placing a nucleus or core inside an oyster. Nearly all of the pearls used in jewelry are cultured, but they still take years to grow. Companies can typically harvest pearls three years after they are planted. In some cases, however, it can take up to six years. The process of making pearls was created by Kokichi Mikimoto in Japan, and it was first patented in 1896. Although Japan used to be the pearl capital of the world, China has become the main supplier since the early 2000s. Still, Japan is considered one of the finest pearl makers on the market.

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Comment on this post

Naomi Jane 06/16/2015 12:38

Pearls are definitely one of the most intriguing gemstones. Alone or combined with other gemstones, they create remarkable jewelry that is loved by masses. In fact, the other day I was reading about seven must have gemstones and it also included pearls. These mysterious gems have a classic appeal and timeless luster that every woman desires.


anne-marie 06/09/2015 21:20

beautiful gift for a woman

Karen Farber 06/05/2015 18:49

I love pearls, they are so classy! I knew natural ones were becoming very scarce, didn't realize it took up to 6 years to cultivate artificial ones!