| Since pearls are so rare and possess such a high | | | | real pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks. |
| degree of natural beauty, they have been considered | | | | Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with |
| to be among the most splendid of gems for many | | | | human intervention; that is, an irritant introduced into the |
| centuries.The people of India and Persia (Iraq) were | | | | shells causes a pearl to grow. Imitation pearls are |
| among the earliest to collect pearls, because of the | | | | man-made with glass, plastic, or organic |
| rich fisheries of Ceylon and the Persian Gulf, the Indian | | | | materials.Because natural pearls are very rare, most |
| and Persian princes in the last century, acquired huge | | | | pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation |
| collections of pearls that have never been equaled, | | | | pearls. Cultured pearls, because they are made by |
| these collections would be worth hundreds of millions | | | | oysters or mollusks, usually are more expensive than |
| of dollars today.Pearls A Natural WonderNatural or | | | | imitation pears. |