Once collected, the oysters are transferred to an advanced pearling vessel where the process known as seeding takes place. Aboard ship, oysters are maintained in tanks of continuously circulating seawater, replicating natural conditions and allowing the shells to open naturally and with minimal stress.
Implanting the nucleus from which each pearl grows is a meticulous and specialised operation. On board the pearling ships, a polished sphere of shell is delicately inserted by a skilled technician. This material is used because it has an almost identical chemical composition and density as a natural pearl.
In addition, a small piece of mantle tissue is taken from a donor oyster of high quality. The mantle tissue contains nacre‑secreting epithelial cells. Once implanted, these cells migrate around the nucleus and form what is known as a pearl sac—the biological structure responsible for producing nacre.
This process requires surgical precision. The oyster must survive the procedure, accept the graft, and resume normal biological function. The success of the pearl is therefore dependent on both technical skill and the oyster’s physiological response. Once seeded, the oysters are returned to the sea to allow nature to take its course.
Jewellery
