7. The oyster or mussel slowly secretes layers of aragonite and conchiolin, materials that also make up its shell. Each shell features a protective layer that covers the mollusk's organs. Mollusks such as oysters and mussels create pearls. Akoya pearls are currently being harvested in sizes from as small as 1 … But, how does nacre affect pearl color? Not all types of oysters make pearls Despite any hopes you have of popping open an oyster and finding a gleaming pearl, the oysters we eat don’t actually make these precious gemstones. In culture, it is possible to implant 4 beads & get 4 pearls in 6 months time. Pearls that form naturally inside of oysters are called natural pearls. Oysters have a very interesting reproduction system, mostly because some types have multiple sex organs. The pearl could have an oval shape or may not be only one colour. The pearl oyster shell has two parts, or valves, which are held together by an elastic muscle. An average akoya pearl is only 7 mm, while an average South Sea pearl is in the 12 mm range. Cultured or farmed pearls from pearl oysters and freshwater mussels make up the majority of those currently sold. Where do Pearls Come From? An oyster is a shellfish that lives in the ocean. They have a very hard shell that protects them, but sometimes something like a small grain of sand can get inside the shell and it causes a lot of pain and discomfort for the oyster. While some pearls have strong overtones, other pearls have none. They come from oysters. Source https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.livescience.com/32289-how-do-oysters-make-pearls.html How Do Oysters Make Pearls? Thank you for the A2A! How Do Oysters Make Pearls? In order to understand how oysters make pearls, you must understand an oyster's body composition. These people open oysters, cut small slits in the mantle and insert small irritants under the mantle . Where Do Pearls Really Get Their Colors From? All nacre pearls may one day be limited to natural found pearls. * Oysters are bivalves, which means that its shell is made of two parts or valves. Imitation pearls are also widely sold in inexpensive jewelry, but the quality of their iridescence is usually very poor and is easily distinguished from that of genuine pearls. In freshwater rivers and ponds, mussels produce pearls, while in saltwater they are produced by oysters. Do you know where pearls come from? The pearl’s mantle is responsible for producing the nacre, which actually forms the gem inside the oyster (see How Do Oysters Make Pearls section below). The term “orient” refers to shimmering colors, which can look like glitter. God has given the oyster a way to ease that pain. How Do Mollusks Make Pearls? In the early days of the cultured pearl industry, oysters were simply collected from the sea. The pearl’s mantle is responsible for producing the nacre, which actually forms the gem inside the oyster (see How Do Oysters Make Pearls section below). To do this, the pearl farmer collects oyster sperm and eggs from high-quality oysters already on the farm. Cells from the mantle of the oyster form a pearl sac around the irritation. Pearls are truly one-of-a-kind, especially when you consider that they are the only gemstones to come from a living creature. Many forms of bivalve mollusks can create pearls including clams, abalone and mussels, but the majority are produced by oysters.