Many types of pearls exist for the collector, the jewelry professional, and the novice alike. One can never tire of studying this field. Pearls come in various shapes and sizes and there is a large selection of pearl available on the market at varying prices. One of the most expensive and valuable pearl is the natural variety that is formed without any human interference. Because they are so rare, they are considered antique jewels when discovered.

Cultured pearls are formed the same way as natural pearls; the only difference is that man implants an irritant in the oyster and the oysters are raised in a controlled environment. The majority of pearls available in the market are cultured pearls.

Freshwater cultured pearls are cultivated in freshwater and grown in mussels. The irritant and the oyster used in making freshwater pearls is smaller; therefore, freshwater pearls are generally smaller in size as compared to other artificially grown pearls.

Saltwater cultured pearls are grown in saltwater oysters. These pearls require a lot of time for harvesting, and it may take over two years to get a quality pearls. They are available in a variety of colors such as white, cream, yellow, gold, silver, rose and black.

Keshi pearls are tiny pearls of uneven sizes and are usually formed out of debris that enters the oyster when it is opened during the harvesting process. Australian sea pearl are considered the rarest and finest cultured pearl in the world. Other varieties include South sea pearls, Chinese freshwater pearls, Akoya pearls, Mabe pearls and Tahitian pearls.