The Pearl Oyster - Creator of Saltwater Beauties

The Pearl Oyster - Creator of Saltwater Beauties

The pearl oyster is responsible for some of the most beautiful specimens of pearls available. Freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls can appear similar, but come from different mollusk sources. Natural freshwater pearls form in freshwater mussels; cultured pearls are cultivated in 'pearl farms', many located off the Chinese coast. Saltwater pearls , however, are created in real saltwater pearl oysters. These live in the oceans, and for cultivation are generally gathered in lagoons or volcanic atolls.

Nonetheless, 'pearl oyster' has become synonymous with both true oysters and their freshwater cousins in many cases, with pearl 'oysters' (actually live mussels) being sold with a freshwater pearl still embedded as a novelty item. These 'wish pearls' are often sold in a sealed can, with a chart signifying the meaning of each pearl's color - kind of like a horoscope for the lucky recipient.

A true saltwater pearl oyster creates pearls in the same way as a freshwater mussel. an irritant is introduced (whether naturally or artificially, as in the case of cultured pearls). The mollusk then proceeds to build layer upon layer of nacre on top of the minute grain at the heart of the pearl (which can be a manufactured tiny bead, a grain of sand, a speck of organic material, a parasite or even a wound.

Natural pearls are nearly 100% nacre (mother of pearl) produced by the pearl oyster or mussel. Perfectly round natural pearls are extremely rare. Cultured pearls were formerly all begun with a bead introduced into the mantle freshwater mussel or pearl oyster; now, a small graft of donor shell is more commonly used. Most saltwater cultured pearls are grown in pearl oysters with a spherical bead as a nucleus. Most freshwater pearls are grown without beads in the mantle of freshwater mussels (again, mainly in farms offshore China.)

Cultured and natural pearls are not able to be differentiated between without an X ray to show aberrations in the nucleus. Even then, in the case of freshwater beadless cultured pearls, identification requires and expert eye. Cultured pearls grown in a pearl oyster are easier to spot with an X ray, as the manufactured bead in the center is clearly visible. Both cultured and natural pearls are eagerly sought after by enthusiasts.

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