To protect itself, the animal secretes nacreous layers around the grain of sand. In cultured pearls, a bead nucleus is inserted between the mantle and the shell, and the natural nacre-forming process produces a pearl. Pearl quality is determined by surface quality, luster, nacre thickness, color, size, and shape. Most pearls are color enhanced to become a specific color. First they are bleached, then dyed.
Freshwater pearls are either natural color, or dyed.
To find out about of selection of pearls, as well as How To Care For Pearls , visit our Pearl Shelves .