Natural pearls are formed in the wild without any human intervention. The journey of natural pearl formation begins when a tiny object, like a grain of sand, accidentally enters the mollusk. Natural pearls are extremely rare—it's highly likely that a diver may go deep into the ocean and check many oysters without finding a single natural pearl that meets the jewelry grade. Since natural pearls grow in the uncontrolled wild environment, their shapes, sizes, and colors are usually inconsistent.

Cultured pearls, on the other hand, are formed by placing a small irritant into the mollusk through human effort. Modern culturing techniques can control the shape, size, and color of pearls, making their quality more predictable. Cultured pearls are more accessible than natural pearls, and thus, their prices are more affordable. Despite the differences in formation, both natural and cultured pearls are genuine and valuable gems, perfectly showcasing the wonderful combination of nature and human ingenuity.

An interesting phenomenon is that natural pearls usually have a thicker layer of nacre because they grow for a longer time in the wild. Cultured pearls also have a thick layer of nacre, but it's thinner than that of natural pearls. For saltwater pearls like Akoya, South Sea, and Tahitian, you can conduct professional tests to measure the thickness of their nacre.

When it comes to price, natural pearls are much more expensive than cultured pearls, with a price difference of up to a hundred times, given the same size and quality. Ultimately, this is due to the extreme rarity of natural pearls, which are almost non-existent in today's market.