1. Caitlin Marsh

3.  Genus: Pinctada  Includes most of the pearls found in fashion.  Pinctada maxima  South Sea pearls  Pinctada fucata  Akoya pearls (classic)  Pinctada margartifera  Tahitian peals (black)

5.  Billion dollar retail industry  Sold all over the world  Price depends on rarity and quality  $50 Pair of freshwater pearl earings to $100,000 strand of South Sea pearls.

7.  Thermal stimulation induces spawning.  Breeded from healthiest looking oysters.  Larvae are allowed to float freely in the water under controlled conditions until they are a few weeks old.  Once the larvae develop into baby oysters they are moved to a “nursery” area.  Remain in nursery for about 1-2 years, until they are large enough to be grafted.

8.  A nucleus/grain (usually mother of pearl) is inserted with a piece of donor mantle tissue into the pearl pocket.  If it is rejected then can create deformed “Keshis”  Number of times an oyster can be seeded depends on species.

9.  Raft Culturing  Appropriate for sheltered bays  Long-line culture method  Cages are hung from horizontal ropes or chains connected to floats.  Oysters are threaded at onto a small thread or rope that is hung from a raft.  Good for open ocean environments  On-bottom culture  Can only be used in areas of granite or coral sand composition of the sea bottom.

11.  Akoya pearls are harvested after 8 months – 2 years.  All other pearls are harvested after 2 – 6 years.  Harvesting is done in the winter months, when the pearl luster is highest.  An x-ray can be used to determine pearl size before harvest.  Harvested pearls are then cleaned, polished, and treated.

12.  Most food is supplied by filtering water wherever they’re located.  In larval and nursery stage, fed with microalgae and algae.  Most labor is devoted to grafting and insuring good pearl growth.

13.  Temperature  20 – 25C  Salinity  Prefer higher salinities, but tolerate wide range.  Bottom  Gravelly  Avoid sandy or muddy bottoms, reduce pearl quality.  Depth  Optimum depth at ~ 15m

14.  Almost 100% of new pearls come from aquaculture  Almost any size, color, luminosity, shape, etc.  Largely extensive.  Limited production of more expensive pearls.  Time consuming  In competition with imitation pearls.  Can be effected by weather or natural disasters.