If you are vegan, what would be your stand on using pearls as jewelry?

I am vegetarian and pearls happen to be my favorite jewelry. However, my boyfriend is vegan and I don't want to offend him.

Thank you so much for your answers, all are very enlightening. It might interest you to know that the oyster used in culturing South Sea pearls are very expensive and take a long time to mature, so pearl producers cannot kill them off because that would be disastrous to their business.

Actually, pearls can be harvested without killing the oyster. The pearl is extracted and another seed is implanted.

There are different reasons for being vegan - health or environmental concerns, love of animals, religious beliefs, etc. You need to ask him about his reasons for choosing to be vegan and explain that you do not want to offend him by wearing pearls.

BTW, there are some really great simulated pearls available if you need to compromise. Majorca pearls are made in Spain and said to be the best.

Here's a link to Y! search results for majorca pearls:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=ma...

Thumbs down.

My mother is trying to decide what pieces of jewelry to leave to whom. She keeps offering me types of jewelry that I physically can't wear. But once we get through that part, she keeps saying, well, this ring or these earrings could be made in a broach and you could wear it that way. No, Mom, not with pearls, they're from living creatures. No to coral, as taking it is destroying ecosystems. And no do diamonds, because I don't want to be or want to associated with wearing blood diamonds.

And yes, I'm vegan.

If he's worth it, find a compromise.

Vegans do not use any animals products, even if the animal was not tortured or killed. They do not wear them; they do not eat them. This includes small insects, and this includes oysters.
Veganism is not merely a diet, but a lifestyle choice that exists on many levels.

However, vegans also let other people be who they are. While he would not wear a pearl, I cannot imagine your pearl would offend him. You said you are a vegetarian, so you would know how he is on these matters. Think of how he is when you eat cheese around him.

Besides, as your boyfriend, he should love and accept you and your lifestyle.

:)

i always heard they dont support pearls

A very interesting question, and, being vegetarian rather than vegan as well, not one I have a good answer for.

That said, can I suggest that you might be being a bit too sensitive? I do nothing but cringe with despair the odd time I catch somebody doing something differently so as not to 'offend' me, like my diet makes me exceptionally precious or fragile.

I mean, you're not giving up dairy and egg so as not to 'offend' him, right? So long as the pearls are for yourself and not for him, don't worry about it.

There are pearls that come from oysters that got an irritant in them and formed a pearl around them without any human intervention there; they cost a bomb, but...

Interesting Question...
1 the Oyster is not "harmed" when the grain of sand is put in or removed. If your boyfriend doesn't eat honey or wear wool or silk he may not like it. There is no harm at taking those products from the creatures.
I am a bit more liberal. I think there is a heck of alot difference in killing & eatting something than using a product they made or their fur, hair etc. I happen to wear leather shoes, as I know the cow has already been killed for it's meat. I do not wear fur as the animal is killed for it's coat,,people don't eat Minks.
Part of a really great relationship is give & take his as well as yours.

Get good quality fake pearls

well, sadly, the little oysters must give up the ghost in order to give up the pearl... i can't imagine a vegan would be happy about this, as they won't wear leather shoes or belts.

I am not vegan... just vegetarian... so this is just my guess. While oysters are not necessarily killed for the pearl (although I can't imagine mass pearl producers care whether or not they kill the oysters) I think it would still be considered an animal byproduct, so would not be used by vegans. I don't see how it's any different than wool or honey or any of the other things that don't directly cause the death of the animal providing it. I doubt they'd be fond of seashells either... even though one can find empty ones by simply walkind along the beach. Again... I'm not sure... but from the vegan opinions I've heard on here and elsewhere... I think pearls and shells would be off-limits in a vegan lifestyle.

People, people, people. You all are thinking vegetarianism. Veganism is a lifestyle of choice.

Vegans are against pearls.

Try putting sand paper in your underwear for just a day and you'll understand why.

Have you ever been to those stands where you buy an oyster for a set price then get to keep the pearl? They pry the shell open then slice the oyster apart. Often for nothing.

There are some farms that are more "careful" with the oyster. Repeatedly inflicting pain upon it for four or five pearls.

With cultured pearls, the oyster is forcefully openned. A grain of sand crammed in, causing the oyster much discomfort. It builds calcium around the grain to protect itself. Then the oyster is killed just to LOOK to see if a pearl has resulted. It may have spit the sand out.

A snippet from a pearl website:

"The mature oyster is nucleated. A small incision is made into the oyster's gonad and the piece of donor tissues is inserted along with a specially made bead. The oyster is returned to the water and it takes about a month for the incision to heal. Nucleation beads range in size from 6mm to 10mm."

They oyster suffers this degredation for 2 years or more to form a pearl.

Please know though, that vegans do not wear leather. Vegans do not use honey. Vegans do not use any dairy products.

There are many things in your average day that you do quite casually - that vegans would not. Your boyfriend may not be offended by your choices. He may eventually try to lead you to his way of thinking. He may be happy with you as you are.

Wear your pearls and see what dialog they might produce.

It's got nothing to do with it because a pearl is not a part of the Oyster. It's an actual stone, o little dirt that can get in the oyster in any way, it's kept there for a long period of time and it begans cultivating. It's not a natural part of the oyster, the oyster is only it's agent for cultivation and preservation.

i say go for it

Vegan is just diet restriction by choice or by medical necessity. A pearl is made from an irritant that gets into an oyster and are harvested while an oyster is still alive. You will not offend him in any way. And if you are not sure, just ask him.