Natural and Cultured Pearls Guide | KAY

Natural vs. Cultured Pearls Guide

Strung on necklaces and bracelets to adorning earrings, pearls are classic in traditional to contemporary jewelry styles. Natural or cultured, jewelers obtain pearls through a completely unique process compared to gemstones. How are natural pearls and cultured pearls different? Learn about these different pearls and how they are used by jewelers today.

What are natural pearls?

Natural pearls come from freshwater or marine mollusks. They are called natural pearls because humans have no part in their growing process. Natural pearls are very rare today, with the majority of existing natural pearl jewelry being vintage.

What are cultured pearls?

Cultured pearls are also produced by freshwater or marine mollusks. They are just as real as a natural pearl, but instead they are farmed in process that is facilitated by humans. Because they are more reliable to produce, most jewelers today work with cultured pearls.

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