A guide to the different types of pearls and where they come from: Natural versus cultured pearls: The life of the natural pearl begins when a foreign object such as a parasite or piece of shell ...

Though Koji Kawamoto lectures throughout the world about the origins and different types of pearls, an impressive selection of his extraordinary creations can always be seen at Karats Vail. He will be ...

Among the world's 8,000 species of mollusk, only about 20 produce pearls. Found in rivers and seas from Scotland to French Polynesia, these shell fish yield gems in more flavors than you'll find in a ...

• Natural pearls: Formed without human interference, these are incredibly rare. • Cultured pearls: The process is natural, but guided by farmers who carefully place a nucleus inside the mollusc to ...

There are three types of pearls: natural, cultured and imitation. Natural pearls are created as a spontaneous response to a naturally occurring irritant in a mollusk. The mollusk makes the pearl by ...