I'm familiar with nacre and nacreous. Isn't "orient" a word that has to do with pearls? Something just popped up in my head and said, "Oh, there's 'orient,' too..."

But I can't remember what it had to do with pearls other than the obvious, but I don't think the obvious is it.

WW

PS: I love pearls--to think a snarly, recalcitrant old bivalve can produce that perfect sphere blows me right out of the water.