There are real pearls and then there are fake (faux) pearls... If you are buying pearls, you may be able to identify fake pearls by their name: simulated, faux, glass, plastic, resin, artificial, manmade....
M Mabe - A Japanese term for half-sphere pearls, which are cultured against the shell so that only half a pearl is formed. Malachite - A mineral which is characterized in appearance by bands of light and dark...
Mabe Pearls, also known as button or blister pearls, are half-spherical cultured pearls. They look like half of a full round pearl and tend to be flat on one side with a wide middle and a half sphere shaped...