About Cultured Pearls

Cultured pearls are real pearls, but unlike natural pearls (which form entirely by chance in the wild), they are created with human assistance.

Natural pearls form when an irritant (like a grain of sand or parasite) gets inside a mollusk, and the animal coats it with layers of nacre (the same substance that makes up its shell).
Cultured pearls form the same way, but a pearl farmer intentionally implants a nucleus (often a bead or small piece of mantle tissue) into the mollusk to trigger nacre production. Over time, the mollusk secretes nacre around the implant, creating a pearl.

Akoya Pearls – Classic white, round pearls from Japan and China, known for high luster.
Freshwater Pearls – Grown in rivers and lakes (mainly China), they come in many shapes and colors, often more affordable.
Tahitian Pearls – Cultured in French Polynesia, naturally dark with overtones of green, blue, or purple.
South Sea Pearls – From Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, they are the largest cultured pearls, usually golden or silvery-white.

Luster – How sharp and bright the reflection appears.
Surface – Fewer blemishes mean higher value.
Shape – Perfectly round pearls are rare and prized, but baroque (irregular) shapes are popular too.
Color – Ranges from classic white to black, gold, pink, lavender, and multicolored overtones.
Size – Larger pearls are rarer and more valuable.

Nearly all pearls sold today are cultured—natural pearls are extremely rare and costly.
Culturing pearls makes fine jewelry more accessible and sustainable.
Pearls have a timeless, elegant reputation, associated with sophistication (think Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, or royals).

You may ask - what is the difference between natural pearls and cultured pearls?

Both are “real” pearls.
The only difference is how the irritant gets inside the mollusk:
- Natural: Happens by accident in the wild.
- Cultured: Humans insert the nucleus on purpose.
Visually, they look the same—you usually can’t tell with the naked eye.
To confirm, jewelers use X-rays:
- Natural: Shows concentric rings of solid nacre.
- Cultured: Shows a solid center (the bead nucleus) with layers of nacre around it.

👉 Since natural pearls are so rare, most pearls you’ll see in shops are cultured.

Here’s where you can usually spot the difference:

The Tooth Test:
- Rub the pearl lightly against the edge of your tooth.
- Real (cultured/natural): Feels slightly gritty or sandy (tiny layers of nacre).
- Fake: Feels smooth, glassy, or plastic-like.
Surface & Luster:
- Real: Glow looks deep, with subtle color overtones; may have tiny natural blemishes.
- Fake: Shine is flat and uniform, almost like paint.
Weight:
- Real: Heavier for their size.
- Fake: Often too light (plastic) or too heavy (glass beads).
Drill Holes:
- Real: You can usually see nacre layers around the hole.
- Fake: May show peeling, paint, or glass underneath.