Finding a pearl, especially in the wild, is a rarity. However, it can be done, though it's best if you visit an area known for its commercial pearls. If you want to up your odds a little bit, consider taking a guided diving tour to find a pearl.
Go to a restaurant, seafood market, or oyster farm and get lots of oysters. The more you have, the better your chances will be for finding a pearl. To shuck them, insert a knife into the slit and push downward. Look for a pearl on the inside. Pearls from edible oysters can be many colors, like orange, purple, blue, white, or pink, and are typically shaped irregularly instead of a sphere.
If there is no pearl in the oyster, eat it or throw the shell away and move onto the next one. If you are determined to find a pearl and have the resources to do so, read on to learn about how to go pearl diving! Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy.
Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Order oysters. One way to find pearls is to eat oysters in restaurants. It is unusual to find a pearl in a restaurant oyster, especially one of high value. The odds are definitely stacked against you with this method, though it can be done.
You don't just have to order oysters on the half shell. Any dish with oysters in it is fair game. You can also try buying oysters to eat at home from a fish market.
To shuck an oyster at home, place the slit face up. Insert a table knife in one end of the slit, pushing downward slightly and moving across the opening. Pull the oyster open to look for a pearl. If it doesn't have one, you can still enjoy the oyster. Know what to look for. Most pearls found in edible oysters aren't worth much or anything.
They are usually misshapen and especially hard. However, be on the lookout for round pearls. This is the reason importance is placed on not crowding pearl oysters on the farm and for keeping the shells clean from organisms that compete for food.
Pearl oysters are protandric hemaphrodites which means that most are first male, then female. The male phase usually occurs during the first 2 to 3 years of life, with the change to the female phase in later years. Pearl oysters have been reported to live as long as 25 years. Pearl oysters reproduce by releasing millions of eggs or sperm into the water column where fertilisation occurs randomly. In less than 24 hours, the fertilised egg develops into a trocophore larva, a free-swimming organism.
The larvae remain suspended in the water column for 2 to 3 weeks before undergoing metamorphosis, changing into an attached juvenile "spat". Shortly before metamorphosis, the larva develops an enlarged foot and an eye-spot. The foot remains after metamorphosis and the young spat retains the ability to move about for several months even after it attaches itself to a hard substrate.
Pearl oysters can attach and reattach themselves using the byssus. Sometimes a natural pearl forms when an irritant, such as a fragment of shell becomes lodged inside the mollusk when it is feeding, or a parasite drills through the shell. To protect itself, the mollusk forms a sac around any irritant or invader that managers to get caught up inside its body. This sac secretes nacre to cover the irritant and, over time, the growing pearls are completely covered with the beautiful iridescent substance we call nacre, or mother-of-pearl.
The nacre and sac materials are made by the mollusk's mantle, the layer of tissue cells that surround the body of the mollusk and lines the shell. The mantle tissue cells that make up the pearl sac are called epithelial ep-uh-THEE-lee-yuhl cells.
One commonality all cultured pearls share is the nucleus. Every pearl produced commercially today except naturally forming keshi pearls and pearls from Bahrain will have been nucleated. The nucleus used in all pearls farmed in saltwater today is a mother-of-pearl bead made from freshwater mussel shells found in North America.
This bead is made from an oyster shell that has been cut, rounded, and polished. A nucleus is surgically implanted in the oyster's gonads or mantle lobe together with a small section of mantle tissue.
Implanting a bead alone will not stimulate pearl formation. The epithelial cells - mantle tissue- play a vital role in the pearl formation process. As the oyster recognises the nucleus as an irritant, it forms a sac around the irritant before coating it with smooth layers of nacre. Pearl farms now produce all the cultured pearls used in the jewellery industry today, and, while they are real, genuine pearls formed inside a living oyster, they are produced with a little human intervention.
Saltwater oysters are nucleated by opening the shell a mere 2 to 3 centimetres and making a minute incision in the gonad - the oyster's reproductive organ. Sorry for the confusion! No, not every oyster will have a pearl. This occurs only occasionally, and the reason why is mentioned in this Wonder:.
To protect itself, an oyster 's natural reaction will be to cover up the irritant. Hi, Donna! It may be a good idea to confirm with the specific department store if the oysters have pearls in them.
We're glad you're our Wonder Friend!! Let us know if you get a pearl!! We like your question about pearls. Just like a diamond, we think that the worth of a pearl all depends on the size and quality of it. You may want to check out this Wonder about diamonds. Enjoy, Wonder Friend!
We think that sounds like quite a treasure! We're so glad to know that you learned all about the inside of an oyster, Annabella! Not all pearls cost the same amount of money, sometimes it depends on the size, weight, and look of the pearl itself.
Usually larger pearls are more expensive, as are pearls of different colors. Some pearls are produced by oysters, as we learned today. Other times, pearls are made in factories. Great Wonders, Annabella! We Wonder if you can do some research of your to find out how long it takes to form a pearl. We're very proud of you, Talia!
Hey Wonder Friends Haylei and Remington! You did a great job of summarizing what you learned from our oyster Wonder!
Nice work! We're so glad you liked our pearl Wonder! Thank you for sharing your comment with us! We hope you will explore other Wonders and learn some cool new facts with us today!
Thanks for spreading the Wonder about pearls, Cherry! We're glad you learned something new with us-- it's like a pearl of wisdom when we Wonder together!
Hi there, Wonder Friend Arleth! We're thrilled to hear that you learned something new today with us! Thanks for sharing your comment, Wondergirl11! Hooray, we're so happy that you liked today's Wonder, Berkleigh! You're a pearl of a Friend! Hi there, Wonder Friend Camdyn! Hi there, Grace! We have lots of Wonder Friends who take turns responding to Wonder comments!
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Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. Does every oyster have a pearl? What are cultured pearls? What are baroque pearls? Tags: See All Tags animals , baroque , clam , cultured , jewelry , mantle , mussel , nacre , natural , Oceans , oyster , pearl.
Wonder What's Next? Go ahead and blink! Try It Out Are you ready to learn more about pearls? Be sure to check out the following activities with a friend or family member: Ask an adult friend or family member to take you on a field trip to a local jewelry store. What are you looking for? Pearls, of course! Ask to see a variety of different types of pearls. What quality are they?
How expensive are they? Would you ever wear pearl jewelry? Why or why not? Are pearls always white? You might think so, if you've ever heard your teeth referred to as your "pearly whites.
Visit National Geographic online to learn more about Black Pearls. Wouldn't it be nice if things that got under your skin and irritated you turned into pearls? Would you believe they can? Irritations in your life won't turn into actual pearls that you could make a necklace out of. However, the things that get on our nerves can eventually turn into pearls…of wisdom!
This is why large pearls tend to be very expensive and yield a higher value. Obviously, patience is a virtue when for pearl harvesters waiting for that big pearl or for those simply looking to test their luck in natural waters. If you are lucky enough to find an oyster with a pearl, it is important to note that harvesting a pearl from an oyster will not kill the oyster or mollusk, especially when done carefully.
This is why pearl harvesting is not frowned upon because it is a sustainable and rather moral practice. Pearl farmers and harvesters always take great strides not to kill the oyster that produced the pearl.
In fact, most will use surgical type instruments to carefully remove the pearls without harming the oysters themselves. The only way that oysters are harmed are when those with no experience or little tact open an oyster in a rather unsustainable manner. If you live in the US, strive to find seawater pearls in the coastal waters of Hawaii.
However you may choose to find oysters with pearls, know that the experience will be just as valuable as the pearl itself! Log in to leave a comment. Friday, November 12, Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. Privacy Policy. Password recovery. Catch and Fillet. Contents hide.
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