Pearls
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A pearl is a hard, rounded object produced by certain animals, primarily mollusks such as oysters. Pearls can be used in jewellery and also crushed in makeup and paint formulas. They are considered to be gemstones and cultivated or harvested.
Pearls grow organically and are formed when a foreign object, like a tiny stone gets into the mollusk's shell. This foreign body irritates the mollusk which then secretes a lustrous substance called nacre, that coats the intruding object and prevents the irritation.
As thousands of layers of nacre build up, a pearl is formed. This takes up to seven or eight years.
The most valuable pearls are perfectly symmetrical, large, naturally produced and have a shimmering iridescence, called orient luster.
Less valuable are cultured pearls which are man made by putting tiny beads into oysters, which then secrete a few layers of nacre around the outside surface of the bead. After six months or more this is removed as another "pearl".
Look for the link in our competition section!
Pearls grow organically and are formed when a foreign object, like a tiny stone gets into the mollusk's shell. This foreign body irritates the mollusk which then secretes a lustrous substance called nacre, that coats the intruding object and prevents the irritation.
As thousands of layers of nacre build up, a pearl is formed. This takes up to seven or eight years.
The most valuable pearls are perfectly symmetrical, large, naturally produced and have a shimmering iridescence, called orient luster.
Less valuable are cultured pearls which are man made by putting tiny beads into oysters, which then secrete a few layers of nacre around the outside surface of the bead. After six months or more this is removed as another "pearl".
Look for the link in our competition section!