Natural and Cultivated Pearls

Not all oysters produced pearls and that is one of the reasons why pearls are considered precious as well. In a haul of three tons, only three or four oysters will have perfect pearls. Diving of pearls is one source of living in the countries near the Pacific and Indian Ocean .

There are two types of pearls used for jewelleries and these types are categorized according to the process of its harvest.

The first type is the natural pearls where pearls are harvested from oysters that were produced naturally. These pearls are very rare so jewelleries with natural pearls are very rare as well.

The second type of pearl is called “cultured” pearls. This is a process known as “mariculture” and was first patented by Kokichi Mikimoto of Japan . Cultured or cultivated pearls are created by inserting a core or nucleus, a polished bead made from the mussel shell, near the oyster's genitals. From this process, pearls are harvested after three to six years.

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