Types of cultured pearls

Cultured pearls are genuine, natural pearls grown in oysters on pearl farms. Unlike natural pearls, the pearl’s nucleus is inserted into the oyster by humans (in nature, this happens by chance). From that point on, the process is entirely natural – the oyster coats the nucleus with layers of nacre. Cultured pearls offer the same beauty and quality as natural ones but are far more affordable.

Pearl cultivation was first recorded in China during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD), when foreign objects were inserted into oysters to initiate pearl formation. However, the pearl industry truly took off after 1893, when Mikimoto Kōkichi developed the technique still used today.

There are many types of pearls grown in various oyster species in both freshwater and saltwater – each with unique traits like color, size, luster, and growth speed.

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