Pearls

Introduction
Throughout time, people have admired pearls for their simple beauty. Today, a string of pearls can give business attire a feminine touch, or add elegance to a classic dress. Pearls are the only gems to "grow" inside of a living organism. Natural pearls are created when a particle enters mollusks such as oysters. Irritated by the particle, these mollusks begin to coat the particle as a defense mechanism. These layers, or nacre, eventually form the gemstones that people prize so much. Today, pearls occur naturally and are cultivated off the coast of Australia, China, and Japan. In addition, some pearls are even farmed in the United States.

Cultured Pearls
Cultured Pearls are formed when humans intervene in the pearl making process. To be more specific, pearl farmers insert a bead into oysters, and the pearl forms around this bead. Both natural pearls and cultured pearls can be found in both salty and fresh water.

Imitation Pearls
Imitation pearls often appear to be quite similar to natural and cultured pearls. However, these types of pearls do lack the luster that both the natural and cultured pearls have.