Pendant – Oval – Pearl

Pearls are shiny, hard spheres that form in the insides of oysters and mussels. They are made of calcium carbonate, just like the shell. It is a mix of Aragonite and Calcite. For centuries pearls have been dug up from the seafloor to wear as a jewel. The most pearls that are sold are freshwater pearls that are farmed in freshwater oysters and mussels. Saltwater pearls are extremely rare and valuable. They are often imitated, but these imitations can be discovered fairly quickly. People also dye pearls to give them a special or nicer colour. Pearls are often round, but can exist in other colour as well. It is often the goal in pearl strands to gather as much round pearls in the same size as possible.