Mallorca Pearls: The Truth Behind the Fame
The Mallorca pearls are not real pearls; they are factory-made pearls intended to imitate cultured or natural pearls. They are well known because they have historically been among the best pearl imitations you could find, but they are still artificial pearls.
These pearls began to be manufactured in the late 19th century on the Spanish island of Mallorca and went on to become popular worldwide.
They became so famous over the years that even today many people think they are real pearls.
An important nuance before we go deeper:
It’s completely understandable that you’re looking for Mallorca Pearls: they are an iconic brand in our history and, for decades, were the only affordable alternative to the unattainable natural pearls. They fulfilled their role beautifully.
However, cultivation technology has advanced enormously in the last 20 years. Today, something many people don't realize happens: for the same price (or even less) than these famous imitations cost, you can get genuine cultured pearls, created by oysters and mussels.
| Feature | Mallorca Pearls | Freshwater Cultured Pearls (SY) |
| Composition | Glass core + layers of Essence of the Orient (artificial) | Solid nacre (almost 100% organic gem) |
| Origin | Manufactured (industrial process) | Biological (created by living mollusks) |
| Appearance | Perfectly smooth and identical across all | Unique, with the deep luster ("orient") characteristic of gems |
| Creation Time | Immediate production. Thousands are produced in a matter of days or weeks. | Slow jewelry. They require between 3 and 5 years of cultivation and care in the water. |
| Price Factor | They usually have a high price justified by brand prestige. | Surprisingly accessible. The price depends on quality, not just the brand. |
Our goal isn't to convince you, but to give you all the information to decide: Do you prefer industrial perfection or the organic beauty created by nature?
Discover our designs with cultured pearls here.
In this article we'll explain their full history and why we believe Freshwater cultured pearls they're a much better option today.
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What are Mallorca pearls? Are they authentic?
Mallorca pearls are not genuine pearls, they are glass beads coated with a layer called "Essence of the Orient" which, among other ingredients, contains "guanine," a crystalline substance found in the scales of some fish that gives it a pearl-like shine.
Once the Essence of the Orient has been applied, it is sprayed with lacquer to prevent the sun's ultraviolet light from affecting the shine.
Because of the use of this substance, the most popular Mallorca pearls brand insists on calling them organic pearls, but the only organic part is that "essence of the orient"; 99% of the pearl is a glass bead and glass isn't organic. But it suits them to call them organic because it sounds natural, and since most people don't know the difference between cultured and natural pearls, by using the word organic they try to create doubt (quite successfully, in fact) about whether they are an imitation or not.
The price of Mallorca pearls. How they became popular.
At the end of the 19th century, the only pearls that existed were natural pearls, a by-product of the mother-of-pearl industry, since before the invention of plastic, oyster mother-of-pearl was used to make buttons and other ornaments. The others were fished for mother-of-pearl, but in one out of every 10,000 a quality natural pearl could be found. These pearls were extremely scarce and reserved for royalty and the very wealthy, so imitation Mallorca pearls were the only option an ordinary person had to wear something resembling pearls.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Japan discovered how to cultivate a pearl, giving rise to cultured pearls—the pearls you can find in jewelry stores today. These pearls are a natural product created by oysters and mussels, thanks to the prompting and under the control and care of humans.
Although cultured pearls made pearls affordable for the upper class, these pearls still had a very high price. In the 80s and 90s, a necklace of Japanese Akoya cultured pearls or the pearls of the Australian South Sea, of good quality, could cost as much as a car. In this respect, the imitation "Mallorca pearl" remained a good option for anyone who couldn't afford cultured pearls. But with the turn of the century, this was going to change.
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The Real Alternative: Freshwater Cultured Pearls
At the end of the 90s, beginning of the 2000s, there appeared on the market Freshwater pearls of very good quality. These pearls began to be cultivated in the 60s, but their quality wasn't ideal and it took a few decades to catch up.
They Freshwater musselsare cultivated in environments much easier to control than the ocean, are more resilient, and can produce many more pearls than saltwater oysters; therefore, their price is more affordable and their quality, from the 60s to now, has improved so much that they can compete in beauty with saltwater pearls.
Strands of round and baroque Freshwater pearls. Visit
Why do some people think Mallorca pearls are real?
In the past, when the difference between a Mallorca pearl necklace and one of cultured pearls was thousands of euros, no one doubted that some were real and the others were an imitation. But now, the lower prices of Freshwater cultured pearls have raised doubts, since the price difference is not very significant, because the most famous Mallorca pearl brands have very similar, even higher, prices. In fact, the high price helps keep the doubt alive about whether they are real or not.
Another reason some people aren't sure whether Mallorca pearls are authentic is precisely the name. Whereas diamond imitations were given a name such as cubic zirconia or moissanite, and no jeweler would think of calling a cubic zirconia a diamond. The pearl industry allowed imitations to also be called pearls, and over the years this has caused confusion. After all, no matter how similar they look, they are not pearls.
How much do Mallorca pearls cost compared to Freshwater ones?
Currently, famous Mallorca pearl brands have prices similar to or even higher than those of Freshwater pearls, thanks to a strong brand image and, above all, customer unfamiliarity.
In short, for practically the same price you can buy cultured pearls produced by a real Freshwater mussel, instead of an imitation made in a factory.
Earrings with round Freshwater cultured pearls. Visit
Why should you choose Freshwater cultured pearls over imitations?
Freshwater cultured pearls have value regardless of the brand.
Cultured pearls are unique, each one, formed by a mussel or an oyster over long periods, resulting in a jewel with intrinsic value that depends on its quality, not merely on the value of a particular brand.
Cultured pearls are more sustainable.
Cultured pearls are the most sustainable gem there is, as they are the only ones that can be cultivated, whereas the rest are mined. This makes them the perfect jewel for the 21st century.
The pearl industry not only does not harm the environment, but also strives to keep intact the areas where oysters grow, since to produce pearls these mollusks require clean, crystal-clear, unpolluted waters.
Mallorca pearls are manufactured.
While an imitation pearl can be made in a factory in a matter of days, and you can produce as many as you want, cultured pearls take an average of 5 years to grow. Three years for the mussel or oyster to grow and another two to slowly form, depositing nacre little by little, one of nature's wonders. The pearl.
While years ago Mallorca pearls were the best imitation pearls, today there are thousands of artificial-pearl manufacturers of magnificent quality at very low prices.
Our conclusion as experts:
Mallorca Pearls are indisputably among the best imitations in history. They fulfilled a vital role for decades, democratizing the pearl aesthetic when natural ones were unattainable.
But today the landscape has changed. Cultivation technology allows us to offer you the real thing at prices that compete directly with high-end imitation.
At SY Perlas we believe true luxury isn't just the price, but authenticity. With the same budget often spent on an industrially manufactured piece, you can get a Superior-Quality Cultured Pearl. A gem with soul, created slowly by nature, whose value lies in its nacre and unique beauty, not just in the logo on the box.
If you're going to invest in a jewel for yourself or for an unforgettable gift, choose something real that will stand the test of time.
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