The Pearl Cultivation Process

Posted on Oct 29, 2011 in About Pearls

The Cultivation Process

Generally speaking, all cultured pearls are cultivated in the same manner. Either two or three molluscs are needed for the culturing of one pearl.

With seawater pearls, three oysters are needed:

• Tissue is taken from an oyster of the same species

• The tissue is finely sliced and inserted into a mother oyster

• The nucleus which is a small mother of pearl bead usually around 4mm is cut from another mollusc and inserted carefully along with the tissue

• The oyster is returned to its growth environment where it is checked and cleaned regularly until it is time to harvest the pearl.

• Skilled technicians and a lot of luck are also essential.

 

To culture freshwater pearls, the shells of the mussels are slightly opened, small slits are cut into the mantle tissue and a small piece of live tissue from another mussel is inserted into those slits. The shape of the nucleus and its position in the mussel determines the shape of the cultured pearl. The shapes recovered include rounds, pears, eggs, drops, buttons, domes, and baroques. Most cultured freshwater pearls are composed entirely of nacre which builds up for as much as three years and creates a pearl of high lustre and quality.