Natural versus cultured. Natural pearls are hard to find. They're rare, and this makes them worth more money. But let's rewind for a second. What is a natural pearl, and how are they formed?

South Sea pearls are the largest cultured-pearl variety ... A single South Sea pearl can cost $1,500, and a necklace can reach over $200,000. So, how are these pearls grown?

A great irony of pearl history is that the least expensive cultured pearl product in the market today rivals the quality of the most expensive natural pearls ever found. The price-value anomaly is ...

This is due to their remarkable range of sizes, shapes and colors, plus their commercial availability at lower price points. They are usually cultured in freshwater lakes and ponds, often with many ...

Figure 1. These four atypical freshwater cultured pearls with damaged nacre reveal one or more distinct nacreous layers underneath. Left to right: samples 1–4. Photo by Chunhui Zhou. Recently the East ...

Oysters are the primary producers of pearls, clams and mussels can also ... Cutting the mantle: Stimulates nacre secretion. Cost Generally, less expensive due to controlled production processes.