Natural pearls are formed when deposits of nacre around an irritant accidentally settle within the flesh of an oyster. Pearls that are produced with the help of man are called cultured pearls. These pearls are created in an oyster and are “composed of concentric layers of a crystalline substance called nacre that is deposited around an irritant placed in the oyster’s body by man” (Kelley Jewelers). Cultured pearls are produced on “oyster farms,” where the mollusks are grown to the age of three. At this age, they are removed from the sea and have pegs placed in their shells to keep them open. The nucleus and a small portion of the nacre-secreting cells are then placed in a tiny incision made in the body of the mollusks. Finally, the pegs are removed and the oysters are returned to their cages in warm waters. The oysters will grow in the cages for two to four years before the pearls are ready for harvesting. Size, weight, and color assort the harvest (Pick a Pearl).There are many different colors, sizes, and types of pearls on the market today. White, cream, pink, green, blue, and black are recognized as the seven acceptable colors by the pearl industry (Pick a Pearl). The industry also acknowledges several different types of these precious stones. One type is the Akoya, which is the most common cultured pearl. It is grown off the coasts of Japan in pearl oysters. It rarely grows beyond nine millimeters in size. Another pearl that is cultivated in Japan is the Biwa. It is only grown in the fresh water of Japan’s Lake Biwa in mollusks, not oysters (Kelley Jewelers). Some larger cultured pearls are the South Sea and Burmese. South Sea pearls are very rare and expensive. They are found of the coasts of Australia and have a metallic bluish-black color. They are much larger in size compared to the Akoya. “South Sea pearls are normally ten to twenty millimeters in diameter, with a h...
