Both
natural and cultured pearls are formed as a result of very
similar processes. When an irritant such as a parasite (natural)
or mantle tissue/mother-of-pearl nucleus insert (man-made)
becomes lodged or implanted within the tissue of a saltwater
oyster or freshwater mollusk, a natural substance known as
nacre is secreted to soothe the irritant. It is this gradual
build up of nacre encapsulating the irritant that eventually
takes shape as a natural or cultured pearl.
The primary difference between natural and cultured pearls
is whether the irritant that causes the creation process
is insterted naturally or by human hands. While natural
pearls grow in a completely uncontrolled environment, cultured
pearls are planned and nurtured by pearl farmers who carefully
monitor the environment of the oysters and mollusks.
Cultured Akoya pearls were made famous by Kokichi Mikimoto
and are primarily harvested off the coasts of Japan and
China. While Japan still dominates the market for saltwater
akoya pearls of 8.5mm in diameter and above, China now
produces more than 80% of all Akoya below 8.5mm in diameter
with quality that rivals Japan and at much lower prices.
Cultured black Tahitian
Pearls are produced by the “black-lipped” oyster
(pinctada maxima family) among the islands of French Polynesia.
Because of the extremely large size of the black-lipped
oyster (up to 1 ft. long), they produce some of the world’s
largest pearls in primarily blackish body colors (charcoal/metallic/gray
etc...) and are often accentuated with a beautiful array
of colorful overtones.
Because pearl quality and frequency can be controlled
and better predicted within the pearl culturing process,
almost 100% of today’s pearl market consists of cultured
pearls. While natural pearls are still reported to be harvested
on a very limited basis within the Persian Gulf region,
most natural pearl beds have long since been exhausted
either through over-harvesting or destroyed by pollution.
As a result, most existing natural pearls are typically
only available at auctions or estate sales.
National Pearl’s pearl products consist of cultured
pearls primarily harvested from dedicated pearl farmers
in East and South East Asia.
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