the joint venture of RAk Pearl Holding of Abdulla al-Suwaidi and Japanese pearl merchant Daiji Imura currently has 200,000 oysters and plans for further expansion.
The waters around Ras all-Khaimah, about 60 miles northeast of Dubai, have an ideal temperature, salinity and nutrients for cultured pearls. Imura said the Gulf cultured pearls are generally thicker than those in Japan.
In the wild, pearls are formed when an irritant gets into an oyster's shell, and the animal excretes layers of a substance known as nacre around it.