Pearls

An organic gem, pearls are formed inside mollusks such as oysters and mussels. They are formed when an irritant such as a tiny stone or bit of sand gets inside the mollusk's shell. A lustrous substance, called nacre, is secreted around the object to protect the soft internal surface of the mollusk.

Cultured freshwater pearls are pearls that are farmed and created using freshwatermussels. These pearls are produced in Japan and the United States on a limited scale, but are now almost exclusively produced in China.

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