Beautiful ALCJR registered trademark .999 Fine Silver Teddy Bear Pendant with Black Culture Pearl and 20" Sterling Silver Chain.
Size: 32mm x 27mm
Material: .999 Fine Silver Pendant w/Sterling Silver Chain
Pearl Type: Black A-Grade Cultured Pearl
Inventory Number: 1005
Cultured Pearls Versus Natural Pearls
A Natural Pearl is formed when an irritant enters the soft tissue of an oyster (mollusk). As a defense mechanism, the animal produces secretions to coat the irritant. Layers of coatings referred to as nacre, produced from this secretion are deposited on the irritant making the irritant smooth, and thus forming a natural pearl.
A Cultured Pearl is formed in the same process as a natural pearl. The only difference is that the process begins with human intervention. An irritant is purposely inserted inside the oyster causing it to produce the layers of nacre that forms the cultured pearl. Natural pearls are a rarity and extremely costly! To make a single well-matched pearl strand, it may take many thousands of oysters (mollusks) to get a reasonable match in color, luster, nacre thickness, size, and roundness. Almost all pearls found in the market today are cultured.