There is only about a 1 in 10,000 chance of finding a natural pearl in an oyster.
I still have a little hope every time I shuck one.
How are pearls formed?
An internal organ in the oyster called the mantle uses minerals from the oyster's food to produce a substance called nacre (the material that forms the oyster's shell). If a foreign substance such as a grain of sand finds its way into the oyster and gets stuck between the mantle and the shell, it irritates the mantle. To protect itself, the oyster covers up the foreign object by covering it with layers of nacre. This substance will form a pearl. Natural pearls are those formed naturally inside oysters. Cultured pearls are more common. Pearl harvesters open oysters, cut small slits in the mantle and insert small irritants under the mantle to set the pearl growing process in motion.
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