Is a pearl a gemstone?

[Rick Potter]

Watching Cash Cab, they said a pearl was a gemstone. Is this true? I thought you had to cut and facet a gemstone.

And the panel says.................?

Rick Potter
A trivial mind wants to know.

[Rod Sheridan]

Rick, pearls come from oysters, they're produced by the oyster as a coating for something that irirtates them, such as a grain of sand that they can't expell. It's a natural defence mechanism that is exploited in the growing of cultured pearls where the irritatating object is introduced on purpose.

I don't expect they would be classified as a gem stone since they're part of an living organism. If so perhaps there's a market for kidney stones...........LOL........Regards, Rod.

[Jeff Bratt]

It's a grey area. An inclusive definition of gemstones can include things like amber and pearls. Traditional "precious gems" (diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire) are usually transparent, and are often faceted and polished. Many other minerals, sometimes called "semi-precious", are not transparent and can be finished in other ways. Pearls are produced by oysters, but are made of calcium carbonate - just like limestone and marble.

[Rick Potter]

Thanks Jeff,

If I stick around the creek long enough, I will know EVERYTHING.

Rick Potter

PS: Tried to get on Jeopardy once. I passed the written test, and went in for an interview. Turned out they decided to instead interview for 'Joker, Joker, Joker' for some reason that day. Had us stand up and say our name and where we were from. That was it.

It was a room with maybe 50-60 people in it, assumedly all trying out for Jeopardy. I don't think anyone was asked to stay. I suspect it was because no one jumped up and down, acting silly, like they wanted for 'Joker'. I have always wondered if they walked into the wrong room that day.

[Dan Hintz]

My bones are calcium carbonate... but they're not gemstones.

P.S. Cash Cab, while quite good, does get it (semi-)wrong once in a blue moon. I think I've caught them twice in questionable answers... could have gone either way.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I don't know guys.....according to Wikipedia and some other sources, some pearls are classified as gemstones and some aren't.

[Joe Angrisani]

Is a pearl a gemstone?

Depends what you pay for it. :)

[Belinda Barfield]

According to the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) pearls and cultured pearls are classified as gemstones.

http://www.gia.edu/

[Steve Schlumpf]

Had us stand up and say our name and where we were from.

Did you get it wrong??? :eek:;):D

Another vote for gemstone.