During the European expansion into the New World, the discovery of pearls in Central American waters added to the wealth of Europe. Unfortunately, greed and lust for the sea grown gems resulted in the depletion of virtually all the American pearl oyster populations by the 17th Century. Until the early 1900 s, natural pearls were accessible to only the rich and famous. In 1916, famed French jeweler Jacques Cartier bought his landmark store on New York s famous Fifth Avenue by trading two pearl necklaces for the valuable property. Today, with the advent of pearl cultivation, pearls are affordable and available to all.
Cultured pearls share the same properties as natural pearls and are grown by live oysters.
The only difference is a little bit of encouragement by man.