Kuala Lampur, Sept. 18 -- We often admire the final result without thinking about what came before it. A polished stone. A tall tree. A quiet success. We see the outcome, but not the struggle. Pearls are no different. They shine with calm and beauty. But if you know their story, you'll realise they begin with something small, and more often than not, painful.

For the longest time, I thought oysters naturally produced pearls, as if that was simply what oysters did, like chickens laying eggs. It wasn't until a visit to Jamilah Jewellery in Kota Kinabalu, years ago, that I learned otherwise. The seller explained the truth, and I remember feeling quietly surprised - and more than a little corrected.

You see, a pearl begins with a problem. A...