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A natural pearl begins its life inside an oyster's shell when an intruder, such as a grain of sand or bit of floating food, slips in between one of the two shells of the oyster, a type of mollusk, and the protective layer that covers the mollusk's organs, called the mantle.

In order to protect itself from irritation, the oyster will quickly begin covering the uninvited visitor with layers of nacre--the mineral substance that fashions the mollusk's shells. Layer upon layer of nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, coat the grain of sand until the iridescent gem is formed.

Cultured pearls are made in the same way. The only difference is that instead of accidental circumstances, a "pearl farmer" embeds a grain of sand into the mollusk. But It Takes 6-8 Years to make the pearl
it can take up to 35 years for a clam to make a pearl because its lazy
It can take as little as a few months to form a seed pearl (natural). Cultured pearls vary by species and take as little as six months (short-cultured akoya) to six years (large, tissue-grafted freshwater).
Well, it depends on the type of pearl, what color and how big you would like the pearl. I'm assuming you are talking about cultured pearls, since you asked how long. Akoya pearls can take up to one to two years to culture and Black Tahitian pearls can take up to seven years to be cultured. As for natural pearls, you never know because they are natural, but the smaller ones can grow within a year.

More information and pearls here: http://www.pinnaclepearls.com

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8y ago
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15y ago

How long does it take a clam to make a pearl?

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13y ago

Anywhere from a couple months to many years depending on the type of oyster and the size of the pearl.

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13y ago

Forever.

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Anonymous

Lvl 1
3y ago

20 years

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Q: How often is a pearl found in a oyster?
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