Yes, pearls can be found in clams, as well as oysters and mussels, which are all bivalve mollusks; they form as a defense mechanism when an irritant, like a parasite or grain of sand, gets inside the shell, causing the mollusk to secrete layers of nacre (mother-of-pearl) around it until it forms a pearl. While natural pearls from clams are rare and often less gem-quality than oysters', pearls, they are indeed possible.
Well, clams are capable of producing pearls, but the phenomenon is not as common as one would hope. It is possible to naturally produce a pearl in one out of every 10,000 clams.
But their value can range dramatically—from under $100 to well over $100,000, with fine quality pearls exhibiting high lustre and brilliance, significantly impacting their pricing and desirability in the market.
Once the irritant has been planted, how long does it take for a pearl to form? Some pearls can develop in a period of six months. Larger pearls can take up to four years to develop. This is one of several reasons why larger pearls can yield higher values.
Natural pearls are created without human intervention, however, each and every pearl, whether cultured or natural, represents hundreds and thousands of oyster shells being opened up and discarded, resulting in their death.
31 SOUTH SEA OYSTERS WITH 100 REAL PEARLS.. EVER DONE ON FUN HOUSE TV
How rare is finding a pearl in an oyster?
Only about one in 10,000 wild oysters produce a pearl. According to research institute Texas Sea Grant, Pearls are formed when an irritant, like a grain of sand, enters the oyster shell. The oyster then coats it with layers of nacre.
The value of a pearl can vary dramatically depending on many factors, such as pearl type, size, color, surface quality, and more. A wild pearl will be worth more than a cultured pearl. So, how much are pearls worth? To keep it short, on average, a pearl's value ranges from $300 to $1500.
Pearls come from oysters(animal derived) 🦪 . A pearl is essentially an ulcer that forms on the oyster in response to an irritant. Oysters are actively killed in pearl extraction and are cruel. But don't worry, if you love pearls - go for faux options (made from crystal, glass and plastic).
It was Jackie Kennedy who said 'pearls are always appropriate,' meaning that they suit all occasions and all outfits. Indeed pearls are still worn by many brides on their wedding days and feature in most jewellers' windows today.
The value of a pearl can vary dramatically depending on many factors, such as its type, size, color, surface quality, and more. A wild pearl will be worth more than a cultured pearl. However, on average, a pearl's value ranges from $300 to $1500.
Fun fact: Not every oyster creates a round pearl! Find out more about it in our article: Different Types of Pearls And Their Shapes. Nacre is what gives the pearls their luster. The unique crystalline structure of the nacre makes it quite reflective, one feature that determines the value of a pearl.
1 in 10,000 – The odds of actually finding a natural pearl in an oyster. 1 in 1 million – The odds of one of those above-mentioned mollusks producing a pearl of gemstone quality.
After the pearls are extracted from the oysters, one-third of oysters are “recycled” and put through the culturing process again. The others are killed and discarded. For those concerned about the environment, there is another reason to avoid pearls.
The pearl, found off the coast of Palawan Island in the Philippines, was later valued at around $100 million, making it one of the largest natural pearls ever discovered. The fisherman reportedly discovered the pearl when his anchor got stuck on a giant clam, and when he retrieved the anchor, he found the pearl inside.
A real pearl's value in the UK varies dramatically, from under £100 for common freshwater pearls to thousands or even millions for rare natural or large, high-quality cultured pearls (like South Sea or Tahitian), depending on size, shape (rounder is better), high lustre, surface quality, colour, origin (natural vs cultured), and matching in a piece like a necklace, with natural pearls being exceptionally rare and expensive.
The pearl colours that are rarest in natural pearls are gold and black. Pink, light blue, and lavender coloured natural pearls can also be rarely found. Cultured pearls can come in a range of different, rarely-found colours. These range from pale blue, pale pink, pistachio green through to deep purples.
A single oyster can form multiple pearls at one time. An oyster found in Galveston Bay contained 356 pearls. One oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. That's about the amount you would use in a 10-minute shower.
