Origin of Pearls

Pearls were created when a foreign body of some sort, such as a grain of sand or a parasite, found its way into a pearl oyster. The oyster reacted by coating the irritant with layer upon layer of the pearly substance known as "nacre" that gives the pearl its unique appearance and iridescent beauty. This unique relationship gave birth to the natural pearl. Our Pearl Education Guide has a much more detailed information about formation of pearls.