Pearl
pearl | ˈpər(-ə)l
noun
An organic gem grown within oysters and other mollusks which is most valued and sought after when it is are perfectly round and lustrous
A pearl is an organically formed precious stone. They are formed within the shell of a mollusk or oyster when a foreign body enters the shell and irritates the lining. When this happens, the mollusk releases a material called nacre to respond to the irritation. Because this is a thin layer of organic material, it can take as long as eight years, which is as long as a mollusk or oyster lives, to form a pearl from the nacre. For this reason, naturally occurring pearls were incredibly rare and highly sought after for centuries. Today, we have the technology to culture pearls through human intervention and farming techniques. Naturally occurring pearls are still highly sought after, but a large percentage of pearls are cultured.