Introduction
This guide is intended to be a simple introduction to pearls and pearl farming. I hope you find it useful
About Pearls
Pearls are an organic gem so called because they are created by living creatures. Each pearl begins its existence when a foreign object (like a piece of shell or coral) makes its way into the shell of a marine or freshwater mollusc - oysters, mussels and clams. A defence mechanism kicks-in and coats the particle with layer after layer of a substance called nacre until a pearl is formed. Nacre gives the pearl its unique lustre and sheen, and as the nacre becomes thicker, so does the quality of the pearl.
Sadly, the romantic image of the pearl fisherman diving off the side of a small boat to harvest pearls from the ocean floor is gone. Natural pearls are now very rare and most pearls these days are cultured. These are grown mostly in freshwater and are initiated by man, by the process of inserting a bead or other object into the mollusc. They are known as
Orignal From: A Beginner's Guide to Pearls
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