A live mollusk, generally an oyster or a mussel, produces the soft tissues of a pearl, an extremely alluring gemstone. When an irritant, such as a parasite or a particle of sand, penetrates a mollusk's shell, pearls are created. The mollusk reacts by secreting layers of nacre, which is made up of calcium carbonate and conchiolin. Over time, these layers accumulate around the irritant to produce pearls. There are primarily two kinds of pearls: natural pearls and cultured pearls.
Recent Comments