How many different kinds of pearls are there?

Answer 1

Natural pearls come in many shapes, however perfectly round ones are very rare. They are made up of calcium carbonate and conchiolin and are formed when a microscopic intruder or parasite enters a mollusk and settles inside the shell. The mollusk is irritated by the intruder and secrets the conchiolin/calcium carbonate repeatedly until a pearl is formed. Cultured pearls are formed when a tiny of mantle tissue from a donar shell is transplanted into a recipient shell, which causes a pearl sac to form. Such pearls can be produced using freshwater or seawater shells. They also go by the following names: Akoya, white or golden South sea, and black Tahitian. Imitation pearls, however, man made with glass and coated with a solution. They may look like pearls but do not have the same smoothness or luster as real pearls

Answer 2

There are 4 different types of pearls. Akoya pearls from Japan and China, freshwater pearls from china, Tahitian pearls from Tahiti, and south sea pearls from Australia.