Pearl
The chief origins of pearl are Persian Gulf (Iran), Sri Lanka, coastal areas of Australia, Venezuela, Japan, Red Sea, Panama, and Pacific Ocean islands. Venezuelan pearls are mostly of black colour. Some rare pearls have green lustre with black colour. Some pearls have green lustre with dark colour. Such pearls are considered rare and are precious. Pearls found in the Bay of Mexico are beautiful of black colour.

The coastal belt of Sri Lanka has not much importance as far as production of pearls are concerned, for the pearls found here are small in size, however , their quality is good. The pearls found in Australian coastal lines has bright lustre which is in great demand in America and England. Though the pearls found in Australian coastal line are not asprecious as found in the Persian Gulf, there was found a pearl of 178 grains in 1911 which was sold for three thousand pounds. The best pearls are found in Jeddah. The pearls found in the Ganbier island have copper lustre which have been valued upto eight thousand rupees.

The pearls found in the Persian Gulf are precious. These are brought to Mumbai for sale. Sometimes, they are sent to England or France directly.

Pearl is also found in South India which resembles that of the Persian Gulf. It is called 'Tuticorin'. Pearl found in Darbhanga resembles that of the Bay of Bengal but it is inferior in quality .It is used in eatables. This kind of pearl is found in the Gomti river .

Pearl found in the Persian Gulf is called 'Basra pearl'. It is of good quality and lasts longer than any other pearl. Sri Lankan pearl too has lustre and is called 'Kahil pearl'. It has black lustre as compared to the Basra peal. Venezuelan pearl is just like that of Basra, but is not perfectly round.

The pearl found in Bengal is of pink colour and rosary made of it looks marvellous. However, its greatest fault is that it loses its lustre after sometime. The rice like pearl is good in size but it loses its weight if scrubbed against cloth.

Pearl is known by various names: mukta, mauktik, shuktij, indraratna in Sanskrit; moti in Hindi; murvarid in Arabic, etc.

There are some pearls in addition to the pearls of oyester shell which are extremely precious, long lasting, and bright. These are:
1.Gajmukta, 2.Shankhmukta, 3.Sarpamukta,
4.Shukermukta, 5.Vanshamukta, 6.Akashmukta,
7.Meenmukta, 8.Maghmukta, 9.Seepmukta,
and 10.Shaktimukta.

Gajmukta
There is a strong male elephant, whose forehead shines by night. This pearl is got from it. It can be from half a gram to twenty grams and has been valued from five lac rupees to crores.
An American has a 20 gm gajmukta which was priced at one trillion thirty million rupees. One of the royal families in Uttar Pradesh bought a ring studded with a half carat pearl for two lac rupees in 1933. A Rajasthan royal family has a rosary of 24 such pearls that there is no need to put on lights after wearing it.

Shankhmukta
This pearl is found in panchjanya shell. It is of blue colour devoid of any lustre, but the rich prefer it, for they consider that it attracts wealth.

Sarpamukta
This pearl is found on the head of the Vasuki cobra of black or white colour of over one hundred years. This black pearl is also called kamdhenu which attracts all kinds of wealth.

Shukennukta
There is kind of boar which goes mad in its youth and it hits its head around resulting in bleeding. This pearl is got from its head. It is from one to five carats and begets power of speech. It is said that Birbal had a rosary of this kind of pearls which had effect on his speech power. It is a precious gem.

Vanshamukta
In bamboo groups, one of the bamboos gives out flute sown in shravan, swati, or pushya constellation and it remains from beginning to end. This green colour pearl is got from such a bamboo. It is a beautiful pearl. Sita, Shankuntala, etc. are said to have worn it. Rosaries of this pearl are with the royal families of Patiala, Udaipur, Jaipur, Bikaner, and Gaekwad. It is a precious gem.

Akashmukta
In heavy rains during the pushya constellation, this pearl falls from the sky .Its colour is black or white and is of one to five grams in weight. It cures all kinds of physical ailments.

Meenmukta
This yellow colour pearl is found from a big golden fish. It radiates light. A Japanese person has a rosary of such pearls which is valued at twenty-five crore rupees.

Meghamukta
This pearl falls from the sky with heavy rain on a Sunday during the pushya or shravan constellation. It is of white colour and is upto three carats. It begets honour.

Seepmukta
It is got from shell. It is of irregular shape and costs from twenty-five to seventy-five rupees a carat.

A good quality pearl is the one which is light, of white colour, and which pleases mind, is smooth and is flawless like moonray.

Some pearls are also known as follows:
Sutar Pearl-It radiates like a star.
Nirmal Pearl-It is stainless of round shape.
Muktak/Sudha Pearl-Its shade appears clear on seeing with a glass.
Suchchha Muktak Pearl-It is a flawless pearl.
Suvrita Pearl-It is of perfect round shape.
Snigdha Pearl-It feels smooth on touching.
Asphutik Pearl-It is devoid ofa111ines.
Dhan Muktak Pearl-It is a heavier pearl than others.