The Formation of a Pearl

Since my two previous posts about opening my own oysters with pearls inside, I thought it might be time to ask “What is a pearl?”


A pearl is considered by most people to be a gemstone but scientifically its classified as a mineral. The pearls that are used in jewelry and decorations generally come from oysters but most species of shelled mollusks, like oysters, clams, and mussels, can produce a pearl. For the sake of this blog, I'll focus on the oyster.

A pearl is formed when a microscopic object gets stuck in the soft tissue, or mantle, of an oyster. This object could be a particle of sand, a bit of debris, or a parasite. Once this object gets stuck inside the oyster, it starts irritating the surrounding tissue. This irritation causes the oyster to go into defensive mode.


The oyster will start secreting calcium carbonate (the same substance that makes up eggshells) around the object to prevent it from damaging the oyster's delicate tissues. This initial secretion is called the 'pearl sack' and its the first step in forming the pearl.
 Once the pearl sack is formed, the oyster's body starts piling a substance called 'nacre' on to the sack. Nacre is also called 'mother of pearl'. Its a strong, iridescent matter that functions as the oyster's immune system. (If you've ever seen the shiny inside lip of a clam or oyster shell, that its nacre).

The nacre works much like a scab does on a cut. It covers up the irritant and forms a smooth, round body that no longer bothers the oyster's mantle. Thus, a pearl is born.

Originally, pearls could only be found in the wild. These wild, or 'natural' pearls were very rare and highly sought after. Only the very, very rich (such as royalty) could afford these wild pearls. The world's largest natural pearl is the 'Pearl of Lao Tzu', found in the Philippines. This pearl was owned by  tribal chieftain, it was brought to the world's attention in 1939 by the American Wilburn Cobb. The Pearl of Lao Tzu is 9.45 inches long and weighs a whopping 14.1 lbs. Although it is not considered a gemstone (it was formed inside a giant clam, not an oyster, so is lacks a nacre covering) the pearl is valued at $53,000,000 USD.



Today, most pearls are 'cultured pearls' or pearls that have been created by humans placing irritants into an oyster. These pearls are cheaper and more readily available than natural pearls but they are arguably just as beautiful.

To create a cultured pearl, a pearl farmer places either a small bead or a piece of tissues from a donor oyster into the mantle of a new oyster. These artificial irritants cause the oyster to start forming a pearl. This pearl may grow from 6 months to several years before the farmer harvests the fully formed pearl.

Inserting the bead to form a pearl


The oyster used in making cultured pearls usually fall into two categories – freshwater and saltwater.

Freshwater pearls tend to be smaller than saltwater pearls and are cheaper to buy, despite the fact that they look almost identical to saltwater pearls. China is the main exporter of freshwater pearls.

Meanwhile, saltwater pearls are the most coveted of cultured pearls. Pearl buyers insist that saltwater pearls are finer, thicker, larger, and more luminescent than their freshwater cousins.
Saltwater pearls also fall into three categories or 'brand names' – the Akoya (popularized by the Japanese), the white or gold South Seas, and the rarest, the black Tahitian.




Saltwater cultured pearls are grown in shelter lagoons and volcanic atolls along the Pacific Ocean. The major manufacturers of pearls today are China (freshwater pearls), Japan (Akoya), Indonesia/Australia (South Seas pearls), and Tahiti (black pearls).

A Tahitian pearl farm


The cultured pearl originated in Japan. The Mitsubishi Company placed the first technology patent on culturing pearls in 1916. These original cultured pearls were frowned upon by most jewelers and gemstone enthusiasts at first but the pearls gained popularity with many middle-classed women, especially in America. Now most women could own a pearl necklace or earrings without being mega rich.

A 1920's woman wearing pearls


Obviously sales dropped off on pearls during the Depression and WWII, but with the end of the war, consumers were eager to start buying inexpensive cultured pearls.

Since then the stigma against 'cultured' pearls has lifted. Today, companies all around the globe strive to bring consumers more and more colorful pearls. Up until 2010, Japan led the world in pearl exporting. Today though, Japan has ceased almost all culturing of pearls under 8mm in size. Instead, they import their pearls from China, presently the main exporter of pearls today.



Pearls remain in high demand today. No longer the gemstone of royalty alone, pearls have become a wedding tradition, the marker of a significant achievement, and heirlooms passed down from generation to generation. I hope someday that you too can enjoy your own pearl and the simple elegance it brings.

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