Pearls, like many other items out there, have their own jargon. Have you ever walked into a jewelry store (or looked online) and seen/heard the seller say, “These pearls are genuine, not cultured”? That statement is actually a little misleading. You may think that you are paying more for natural pearls because they are real, not fake, and maybe you even think that cultured pearls are not real! This is simply not true, and in this article I will tell you what the real differences between the two are.

First of all, both natural and cultured pearls are real, as opposed to artificial pearls. They share the same qualities in that they are made of nacre, possess luster, shine, and the other qualities we know and love. The differences come from the method of formation. Natural pearls form when some sort of irritant makes its way into an oyster’s (or other mollusk’s) mantle (their fleshy tissue). The oyster then attempts to isolate the irritant by covering it in nacre, or mother of pearl. The pearl may or may not be round, big, or lustrous. Thus, the value of natural pearls comes from their rarity – really, only one in ten thousand oysters will produce a natural pearl that can be used in jewelry.

Cultured pearls, on the other hand, control the process by inserting a bead nucleus or a piece of tissue into the oyster. That’s the only ‘artificial’ part of the process! Saltwater pearls are cultivated with a bead nucleus while the freshwater variety are formed using a piece of mantle tissue, giving them a slightly thicker nacre. Because the process can be controlled so easily, most pearls on the market are actually cultured. This allows for a more uniform shape and quality control. In fact, Akoya pearls, generally considered to be the gold standard, are all cultured saltwater pearls and they are absolutely beautiful.

If you happen to obtain a necklace made completely with natural pearls, expect to pay the price, and have it examined by a gemologist just to be certain of its authenticity. Don’t let anyone make you think cultured pearls are of lesser quality though – they are formed by accelerating and controlling the same process that occurs in nature, have nearly the same amount of nacre (especially freshwater and south sea pearls), and are just as beautiful.