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What's at the heart of any wholesale or retail freshwater or saltwater pearl bead? Well, it used to be an irritant – like a grain of sand – that told the oyster it was time to begin secreting nacre around the offending object. Today, most pearl farmers use a bit of mother of pearl from the shell of an oyster or other mollusk. They insert this tiny treasure inside the animal's tissue to urge it to begin the process that will ultimately create a pearl. So, a tiny bit of mother of pearl is at the heart of just about every wholesale and retail mother of pearl bead you can buy!
Guru Spotlight |
Susan Sayour |