For centuries pearls have been a symbol of beauty and purity. Today they are regarded as both classic and contemporary coming in many more fashionable styles than your mother s traditional strand of pearls. Cultured pearls are grown in special pearl farms. The mollusks are raised until they are old enough to accept the mother-of-pearl bead nucleus. Through a delicate surgical procedure the technician implants the bead then the mollusks are returned to the water and cared for while the pearl forms. Not all produce a pearl and not all pearls produced are high quality. Over 10 000 pearls may be sorted before a 18-inch single strand of beautifully matched pearls is assembled.