What does it mean when cultured pearls are also called “natural?”

Unfortunately, there is confusion as to what the terms cultured and natural indicate, and how they are sometimes used. Cultured pearls are sometimes called “natural” because they still grow in a mollusk, in a “natural” environment, however this is an incorrect usage and can be misleading. When discussing pearls, “Natural” should only be used to refer to pearls that developed without any human intervention. Cultured pearls should not be referred to as “natural pearls.”