Natural versus cultured. Natural pearls are hard to find. They're rare, and this makes them worth more money. But let's rewind for a second. What is a natural pearl, and how are they formed?

Before the creation of cultured pearls in the early 1900s, natural pearls were so rare and expensive that they were reserved almost exclusively for the noble and very rich. A jewelry item that ...

and a necklace can reach over $200,000. So, how are these pearls grown? And what makes them so expensive? More from Retail South Sea pearls are the largest cultured-pearl variety, sometimes ...