CS Book 4_AS- 16 Pearls.pdf

Colored Stones 16 KEY CONCEPTS Natural pearl formation starts when a foreign object gets inside a pearl-bearing mollusk’s shell and irritates its soft tissue. People have coveted natural pearls as symbols of wealth and status for thousands of years. Pearl culturing, plastic buttons, and oil drilling...

Colored Stones 16 KEY CONCEPTS Natural pearl formation starts when a foreign object gets inside a pearl-bearing mollusk’s shell and irritates its soft tissue. People have coveted natural pearls as symbols of wealth and status for thousands of years. Pearl culturing, plastic buttons, and oil drilling all contributed to the decline of the natural pearl industry. Pearl culturing is an adaptation of the natural pearl formation process. A saltwater cultured whole pearl grows from a mantle-tissue piece and a bead nucleus implanted in a host mollusk’s gonad. 58 Most freshwater cultured whole pearls are grown from mantletissue pieces implanted in a host mollusk’s mantle. The four major types of cultured whole pearls are akoya, South Sea, Tahitian, and freshwater. Most Chinese freshwater cultured pearls are mantle nucleated (non-beaded). China produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s freshwater cultured pearls. Most retailers prefer to buy cultured pearls from dealers. Versatility and timeless appeal are two important selling points for cultured pearls.