Where do pearls come from? We know pearls come from mollusks, either freshwater mussels, saltwater oysters or more. But pearls are formed in different areas INSIDE these mollusks.
We asked James Peach to explain these different parts of the mollusk to us and show us where natural American freshwater pearls are formed. The pretty round pearls form in the beak of the mussel. A beak is the raised portion of the back side of the shell. The beak is also called the umbo. The beak is the oldest portion of a mussel shell, formed when the animal was very young. It is a deep area and, again, pretty round pearls are formed here.
The hinge is responsible for producing feather pearls (also called spikes). These pearls resemble sharks teeth in shape although they are much prettier. Their shape is formed in the narrow channel of the hinge. And nugget pearls, the beautiful baroque shaped pearls, come from the pseudo cardinal teeth area to the side of the shell.
Click on this video to learn more:
I am a modern day treasure hunter who travels the world for gorgeous pearls and amazing adventures. I own a pearl jewelry and jewelry repair business, ThePearlGirls.com, with a cute retail store in Athens, GA. I also have a Pearl Travel business and travel blog at TheWorldofPearl.com.
