The famous 18th Century writer Jonathan Swift once wrote: ‘He was a bold man that first ate an oyster’. One thing’s for sure: that man (or woman) was alive an awfully long time ago.

Pearls are made by marine oysters and freshwater mussels as a natural defence against an irritant such as a parasite entering their shell or damage to their fragile body. The oyster or mussel slowly ...

An curved arrow pointing right. At Pearl Factory, customers can handpick their very own oyster. Once they've opened the oyster, they can create jewelry with their pearl. More from Entertainment At ...