What is a pearl? A pearl is a pellet of calcium carbonate. Of all the gems in the world, it is the only one created by a living creature. A pearl is found in an oyster or other mollusk. They are grown in limited areas of the world’s oceans and come in wide range of shapes and colors. The value of a particular pearl is determined by a number of factors. The prices of these precious stones are widely varied depending on the perfection of the stone. A pearl is a very unique, valuable gem. Pearls were first introduced in the 1850s when they were discovered in Western Australia’s Shark Bay. Here the gems were found in the salt water albina oyster, known as Pinctada. In the 1880s the pearl industry rapidly spread along the north west coast of Australia. By 1910, “nearly 400 luggers and more than 3500 people were fishing for shell in the waters around Broome, then the biggest pearling centre in the world”(Western Fisheries Australia). During this time, the luggers were powered by sail and only equipped to carry the apparatus for one diver. The divers wore vulcanized canvas suits, lead-weighted boots, and enormous helmets made of bronze while they collected shell underwater for hours at a time. The 1930s improved upon the vessels. They were now motorized and had mechanical air pumps that could support two divers per boat. The early pearl industry had an alarming death toll of approximately 300 men. Cyclones and sharks mostly caused the deaths. Between the 1920s and 1940s the pearl industry nearly crashed due to the increasing use of new plastics for buttons, buckles, and other shell products (Western Fisheries Australia). The introduction of cultured pearls revived the pearl industry in more recent years. Pearls are the product of several mollusks. They are usually found in the salt-water species known as Pinctada. There are two ways that pearls are formed. They can be man made or naturally made. ...
