Is it true that pearls are opened in scenic spots?

Mytilus pearl is a kind of natural gem, which is formed in the pearl sac inside the mussel. Some scenic spots do have activities of opening mussels and making pearls. These activities are generally to let tourists experience the process of making pearls and help them understand the process of pearl formation. Usually, participants will use special tools to open the shell of live mussels, then put special pearl cores in the shell, close the shell again, wait for a while, and finally take out the pearls.

However, the pearls produced by these scenic spots are not really natural pearls. They are usually artificial pearls made by artificial methods. The process of making artificial pearls is to put the pearl core into the mussel shell and inject certain hormones or irritants to accelerate the formation of pearls and increase the size of pearls. These artificial pearls use similar production techniques, but their value and quality are usually lower than those of natural pearls.

Therefore, if you see the activities of opening mussels and making pearls in scenic spots, the pearls they make are probably artificial pearls. If you are interested in natural pearls, I suggest you buy natural pearls from reputable pearl shops to ensure their quality and authenticity.