Yes! These are "real" pearls, but they have been cultivated by teams of technicians implanting donor tissue into freshwater mussels as opposed to being done in a saltwater environment. The mussels coat the foreign matter with nacre, producing a shiny lustrous pearl. This process is done on a mass scale (compared to that of the saltwater pearls), resulting in an inexpensive product enjoyed by many. These are a natural product, however they are not normally referred to as "natural pearls" as that term is reserved for the (and much more expensive) saltwater pearls.

These are a manmade product - a glass crystal bead that has been covered in a pearly coloured coating. With a Swarovski or Preciosa crystal core and a high quality coating, these are a great imitation for the real pearls.