Where do you find pearls?

Pearls are generally found naturally in mollusks from the fourth class of the Mollusca phylum, bivalvia. These pearl-producing mollusks are often called "pearl oysters," even though they aren't oysters in the strictest sense.

Cultured pearls are grown in a variety of different mollusks and mussels.

akoya - Pinctada fucata martensii

Tahitian (black South Sea) - Pinctada margaritafera

South Sea - Pinctada maxima

Rainbow lip - Pteria sterna

Freshwater - Hyriopsis cumingi, Hyriopsis schlegeli, a hybrid of the two and Cristaria plicata mussels.