Historically, most black pearls came from Tahiti, and they are therefore known as Tahitian black pearls. Saltwater pearls, on the other hand, are found off the coast of Japan, French Polynesia, and Australia. N early all high-quality pearls come from oysters. I know that these pearls come from Tahiti but they come from other places as well but I can't remember where. Pearls are gemstones, but unlike diamonds or rubies which form in the ground, they form inside of the shell of mollusks like clams or oysters. Pearls come in a rainbow of natural color from classic white to black to blue and even violet! Where do natural pearls come from? Today, freshwater pearls available on the market come primarily from China. The cultured pearls on the market today can be divided into two categories. Where Do Pearls Come From? Pearls tend to be like the shells that produce them in luster and iridescence. Where do Pearls Come From? They can form in both saltwater and freshwater mollusk varieties. Mollusks such as oysters and mussels create pearls. Further Reading: Pearl Colors - ULTIMA Pearl color is a key factor to understand when buying pearls. How Do Mollusks Make Pearls? Pearls are truly one-of-a-kind, especially when you consider that they are the only gemstones to come from a living creature. Mollusks such as oysters and mussels create pearls. We asked James Peach to explain these different parts of the mollusk to us and show us where natural American freshwater pearls are formed. Natural Pearls form when an irritant - usually a parasite and not the proverbial grain of sand - works its way into an oyster, mussel, or clam. Nowadays, most freshwater pearls are cultivated overseas, especially in China. But pearls are formed in different areas INSIDE these mollusks. Answer. Because of how rare they are, people have developed pearl farms to aid the natural process of producing more pearls than … Although pearl clams and mussels exist, they are incredibly rare . Peals come in many shapes, sizes and colors and each of these factors affect how much they are worth. Pearls are formed by saltwater or freshwater mollusks —a diverse group of animals that includes oysters, mussels, clams, conchs, and gastropods. Back in the 1800’s many freshwater pearls were discovered in US Rivers. ... Pearls come from oyster shells, They are a growth that develop on the inside of some shells due to some irritation. These pearls are gonad-grown, and usually one pearl is grown at a time. Perhaps the best-loved gems of all time, pearls—both natural and modern cultured pearls—occur in a wide variety of colors. In freshwater rivers and ponds, mussels produce pearls, while in saltwater they are produced by oysters. The first category covers the beaded cultured pearls, including Akoya, South Sea, Tahiti and the large, modern freshwater pearl, the Edison pearl. The Raganighantu of Narahari, a Kashmir physician of about 1240 A.D., reported pearls as coming form bamboos, coconuts, heads of elephants, bears, serpents, whales, fish, etc.