Pearls are formed by pearl oysters in response to irritants in their mantle. In 1893, Mikimoto created the first cultured pearl by manually introducing an irritant into an oyster. The optimal conditions for pearl culture include water temperatures between 20-25°C, a salinity above 30 ppt, gravelly bottoms, and moderate water currents. Common pearl oyster species farmed include Pinctada maxima, P. margaritifera, and P. fucata. Major pearl producing countries are Japan, China, Vietnam, Australia, and Indonesia. The global cultured pearl trade is worth over $3 billion annually, with China as the largest freshwater pearl producer