Sunken treasure

Sunken treasure

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A man displays a glistening pearl at an oyster farm off the coast of Ras Al Kaimah, part of the United Arab Emirates.

These shining treasures were once the main source of income for many families in the region, who made a living diving for natural pearls before the industry dried up in the last century. Now a company is trying to revive it by producing cultured pearls in the warm waters of the Gulf.

. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

A worker displays a net of oysters before immersing them in the water at RAK's oyster farm. RAK Pearls is the only cultured pearl producer in an area that was once well known for the white treasure.

Historically, natural pearls were symbols of style and an important indicator of wealth and status in the Middle East. The Gulf’s own natural pearl market declined, however, with the development of vast oil reserves and the rise of competition from Japanese cultured pearls.

Before that, local fishermen throughout the area used to dive deep into the waterway's warm waters, hunting for the pearls which provided a main source of income for many people.

. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

Marketing manager Mohammed al-Suwaidi displays jewellery at the oyster farm of RAK Pearls, which is committed to breathing new life into the industry with cultured pearls.

"This is a pilot project and we're receiving interest from investors across the region to duplicate it in other countries," said al-Suwaidi.

"We plan to bring the pearling industry of the Gulf back to its golden days."

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A man places a tiny bead inside an oyster, part of a process adopted from Japan to make the molluscs produce pearls.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

A man places a tiny bead inside an oyster, part of a process adopted from Japan to make the molluscs produce pearls.

Once they have the beads inside them, the oysters naturally coat them with layers of a substance called nacre. Over several months, the build-up of nacre layers eventually creates what is known as a cultured pearl.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

Once they have the beads inside them, the oysters naturally coat them with layers of a substance called nacre. Over several months, the build-up of nacre layers eventually creates what is known as a cultured pearl.

A man lowers the molluscs into the water at RAK's farm. The project intends to grow its production of 40,000 oysters to around 200,000 in a few years.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

A man lowers the molluscs into the water at RAK's farm. The project intends to grow its production of 40,000 oysters to around 200,000 in a few years.

Workers prepare oysters at RAK's farm. The pearl-producing project is partly owned by the government of Ras Al Khaimah and expected to become part of the tourist trail.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

Workers prepare oysters at RAK's farm. The pearl-producing project is partly owned by the government of Ras Al Khaimah and expected to become part of the tourist trail.

Workers clean oysters before immersing them in the water. Waste from the shells is used as fertiliser and oyster meat is also served at the company's Japanese restaurant chain in the emirate.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

Workers clean oysters before immersing them in the water. Waste from the shells is used as fertiliser and oyster meat is also served at the company's Japanese restaurant chain in the emirate.

A man uses a knife to extract a pearl from an oyster.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

A man uses a knife to extract a pearl from an oyster.

RAK Pearls marketing manager Mohammed al-Suwaidi takes a pearl from one of the shellfish.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

RAK Pearls marketing manager Mohammed al-Suwaidi takes a pearl from one of the shellfish.

Prices per pearl could hit as much as 1 million UAE dirhams ($272,300), according to RAK's Japanese board director Daiji Imura. Smaller pearls could sell for as little as one dirham.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

Prices per pearl could hit as much as 1 million UAE dirhams ($272,300), according to RAK's Japanese board director Daiji Imura. Smaller pearls could sell for as little as one dirham.

The value of traded natural and cultured pearls through nearby Dubai grew to hit $30 million a year in the last few years.
. RAS AL KAIMAH, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

The value of traded natural and cultured pearls through nearby Dubai grew to hit $30 million a year in the last few years.