With low spawn rates, pearls are rare finds. However, their value makes them worth hunting for on your island’s ocean floor.
If you haven’t had much luck finding pearls so far, then you may be looking in the wrong place – let’s change that!
Where to find pearls in ACNH
Pearls are pretty rare, but if you know where to look then they’re not as illusive as you might think. To start with, you’ll need a wetsuit so you can dive into your island’s surrounding ocean.
Once you’re wearing the suit, go to the ocean and press ‘A’ to jump in (try diving off of your pier for an even more exciting display) and then ‘A’ again to swim.
On your travels, you’ll spot plumes of bubbles coming up from the ocean floor, this is what you’re looking for. Press ‘Y’ to dive and chase after the elusive shadow.
Remember that pearls are potentially collectable during all months, hours and weather conditions throughout the year, so as long as you make the effort to go out diving then you’ll be in with a chance of finding them.
How to find pearls
There are 40 sea creatures you can possibly catch when diving (this doesn’t include the pearl as it’s an item rather than a creature), so you need to look for specific signs if you’re on the hunt for a rare pearl.
A pearl’s shadow is, well, pearl-like. It’s small in relation to other sea creatures and the bubbles that surface are typically even-sized, rising in a straight line rather than in zig-zags.
Once you dive for a pearl, you’ll also notice it doesn’t kick up sand like other ocean-floor catches.
But if you’re not seeing signs of a pearl, catching a scallop could be your saving grace.
Once a day, Pascal – a scallop eating Otter – will appear from under the water after you’ve caught a scallop. He’ll ask you if you’d be willing to hand it over in exchange for a gift.
If you choose to do the swap, the gift could be:
- a mermaid furniture DIY recipe
- clothing
- a pearl!
Pascal’s visit is a once-a-day treat, and keep in mind that he won’t appear on Mystery Islands – only on your own shores.
What to do with pearls in Animal Crossing
Got pearls to spare? First of all, congrats! But what should you do with them now?
Sell your pearls
Pearls earn big bells at Nook’s Cranny; our retail tycoons, Timmy and Tommy, pay 10,000 bells per pearl, which is the same amount that a gold nugget sells for. That’s a lot of bells!
Use them for DIYs
Pearls are a key ingredient in the mermaid set DIY recipes Pascal hands out.
If you’re looking to create an underwater fantasy setting on your island or in your home, the mermaid set is what you want.
In total, you’ll need 20 pearls to create one of each item in the set, so keep that in mind before selling any pearls!
Is there a trick to getting more pearls?
If only we had a handy hack for you to get more pearls, but unfortunately the answer is no – there’s no trick to getting more pearls.
There are no replicable conditions that guarantee you’ll find a pearl. Time traveling won’t necessarily give you any more (or less) chances in your pursuit. It will give you more opportunities to find Pascal in a shorter time period, but it’s a roll of a dice whether you receive a pearl from him.
It comes down to luck, patience and persistence, but in the end you will stumble across one so long as you keep diving and go out looking for them.
How do you get pearls out of oysters animal crossing
As to whether you can get pearls from pearl oysters and oysters in general, unfortunately the answer is no (if only it were that easy!).
Pearls are a separate item and have no connection to the pearl oyster other than they’re both found on the ocean floor.
Pearl Oysters do sell for 2,800 bells, though, so they’re definitely worth catching!
How to get pearls in ACNH
Despite their rarity, you can get pearls in ACNH by being persistent and regularly diving. The tell-tale signs of pearls are:
- Small shadow on the ocean floor
- Straight, evenly-timed bubbles rising
- Doesn’t kick up sand when you dive for it
Once you’ve got your hands on a pearl, you can decide whether to sell up for big bells or use it to craft a Disney-esque underwater dream scene.