Does Harvesting a Pearl Kill the Oyster?

Also, how to identify a fake pearl, and look real cool doing so

Hate to break it to ya, buddy, but if it’s on a plate with lemon, that oyster probably ain’t gonna make it. Photo by Tommaso Cantelli on Unsplash

Pearls are probably one of my favorite bits of jewelry. Not because of their shiny iridescence, but because, unlike most gemstones, they are produced by living creatures. You can’t grow a diamond in a living being, but you can make a pearl.