Many Chinese pearls used to be dyed in the 1980s to bright red, blue, lavender, yellow or even black. In response to contemporary preferences, they now offer a selection of subtle natural colors.

He says that part of the reason the Marie Antoinette pearl is worth so much is because it's a natural pearl, which brings us to one quality that determines a pearl's value. Natural versus cultured.

World's Oldest Known Natural Pearl Discovered; Archaeologists Call It a 'Priceless Stunning Find' For millenniums gemstones ...