Too Many Pearls, Too Little Time
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Too Many Pearls, Too Little Time
Too many types of pearls to choose from? Not to worry! Pearls can be broken down into various categories: cultured and natural types, and those oddities in between, like keishi, mabe, and mother-of-pearl. Mabe is another form of cultured pearl, and the mother-of-pearl that lines shells is actually made up of nacre, which also forms pearls. It creates the lustrous surface you see inside an oyster or abalone shell. This mother-of-pearl is necessary for the mollusk to actually produce a pearl, no matter what type it is. Only shells with mother-of-pearl inside have the ability to ultimately create a fine pearl.
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