However, both natural and cultured pearls come in various colors of the rainbow — from white to black — including blue, green ...

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.

Natural pearls are harder to find ... sought after for its seemingly infinite display of colors, compared to common opal, which is usually one color. High-quality black opal can cost over $ ...