Twelve Pearls gives everyone the opportunity to own and enjoy these stunning underwater gems. Our collection consists of Freshwater, Saltwater Akoya, Tahitian & South Sea Pearls. Whichever you choose, we're sure they will take pride of place in your jewellery collection and treasured forever.

Cultured Pearls

Naturally occurring pearls are very rare and very expensive. That is why nearly all of the pearls sold today are cultured.

Pearls are formed inside living molluscs, either oysters or mussels. A pearl is created when a small irritant is lodged inside the mantle tissue of a mollusc and then a substance called nacre is secreted around the irritant to form a pearl.

Cultured pearls are pearls that have been helped along by a pearl farmer. This is when the pearl farmer, instead of relying on chance, inserts the small irritant into the oyster or mussel. The only way to tell the difference between a naturally occurring pearl and a cultured pearl is with an x-ray.