You would have bought cultured pearls for yourself or for a family member or friends, but do you know what exactly a cultured pearl is? There is also a wrong notion that a cultured pearl is an artificial pearl.

When something like a parasite or some organic matter gets implanted in an oyster or mollusk, a pearl is formed. These are called natural pearls as they are formed by nature. A cultured pearl is something that has the intervention of humans. A pearl farmer inserts a similar object into the oyster or mollusk and the pearl that is thus formed is called a cultured pearl. The rest of the process remains the same. The only difference being implanting the organic matter into the oyster.

The size of the pearl, either natural or cultured depends on the length of time it remains in the oyster. The larger the size, the more valuable is the pearl. All these cultured pearls are grown on pearl farms.

Cultured pearls are very valuable jewels in today's world. No jewelry box looks complete without cultured pearl jewelry. Just like natural pearls, each cultured pearl is different from one another.

The value of the cultured pearl depends on the color, size, shape, and luster. The brightness and luster of the cultured pearl speaks volumes about the quality. A cultured pearl should be flawless without any marks on it. It should be round without any dents. The roundness of the cultured pearl determines the price.

Cultured pearls are found in various colors, white, black, rose, cream, blue, yellow, green, mauve, gray, and lavender. The Indian rose-colored pearl is very famous and most-liked. The color of the pearl is determined by the oyster or mollusk and their environment. Think of the rainbow and you will find all those colors in cultured pearls.

Did you know that pearl is the birthstone of people born under the Gemini star sign. Mystical powers and healing ability is associated with pearls.

There are several types of cultured pears, like Oriental pearls that are saltwater pearls and freshwater pearls that come from freshwater mollusks or oysters. Freshwater cultured pearls are less expensive and are more affordable for people on a budget.

Cultured pearls are not as durable as gemstones. They need to be handled and stored with a lot of care. You should keep them away from humidity or dryness. Do not spray perfumes or let your cultured pearls come in touch with your makeup. That is the reason why they say, cultured pearls should be the last jewelry to be worn when dressing up. After removing them, it would do them good to wipe clean with a clean and soft cloth before storing the cultured pearls in a soft velvet pouch.

Cultured pearls make perfect gifts for loved ones. All sorts of jewelry is made with cultured pearls, from plain pearl strands to pearls set in gold or other precious metals, or in combination with other precious gemstones. Cultured pearls give beauty to any jewelry they are set in. Pearls look extremely elegant on elderly women too and give them a dignified and sophisticated look, more than any other metal can. A plain strand of expensive pearls can be a lovely and thoughtful gift.