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  Pearls: A Natural ProductUnlike gemstones produced deep inside the earth, pearls are created by living creatures called mollusks. Mollusks live in marine or freshwater environments, and even on land. They have soft, fleshy bodies protected by shells, and we know them by their common names—such as clams, oysters, scallops, mussels, and snails. Any mollusk that produces a shell can produce a pearl. Nevertheless, while there are more than 100,000 kinds of mollusks, only a few types—usually those with two shells (called bivalves)—commonly produce pearls. Pearls from snails and other single-shelled animals are quite rare, indeed. continue to Making a Pearl |
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