|
|
|
|
 |
Pearls are different from other gems
because they are made in some oysters and mussels, when a
small bit of sand gets inside the shell and the shellfish
covers it with something called nacre. This makes the pearl.
Pearls come in many colors ranging from the most common
white pearls to black, pink, yellow, and cream. American Indians found pearls in the
Mississippi River and strung them on to necklaces, put them
on their headdresses, and set them into copper ornaments.
Today they are a traditional gift for brides. People have learned to make them by
putting little grains into an oyster so that it will grow a
pearl. These kinds of pearls are called cultured
pearls. There are now very few natural pearls, many more
cultured pearls, and many many fake
pearls produced and sold to the public. The difference
between a natural pearl and a cultured pearl is the
thickness of the pearl layer. It is much thicker in a
natural pearl, because it took much longer to grow. The only
way to tell them apart is to x-ray them. Pearls of different colours Find out more
about cultured pearls