After the swimming and diving update, you can now find underwater creatures and items in Animal Crossing.
These new sea critters can be donated to the museum, cooked for new recipes, or used for crafting. One of the rarest of these new underwater additions is the Pearl.
Wondering how to get it? Then, dive into this guide to know where to find this wonderful gem of the sea.
Quick Links
Two Methods for Getting Pearls
There are actually two ways to get pearls in Animal Crossing. Unfortunately, both methods need a lot of luck.
Because of how rare pearls are, your chances of getting one are quite slim. Still, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.
Method 1: Diving for Pearls
This first method is pretty straightforward. You just have to get in your wet suit, go to the sea, and swim and dive a lot to look for a pearl.
Pearls can be found at the bottom of the sea, and they are scattered around randomly. There is no set location for them.
There are no special indications to tell you where they are or what they look like as well.
Your only clues are the bubbles and shadows under the sea.
Like other sea critters, Pearls have a round shadow in the water and have bubbles coming out of it. For Pearls, look for small shadows.
Keep diving for small shadows. Since Pearls are rare, you’ll probably end up getting other sea critters with small shadows first, like Sea Slugs or Acorn Barnacles.
This method involves a lot of luck.
Method 2: Try Your Luck With Pascal
This second method also involves a lot of luck since you need to find something else before getting a chance to have a Pearl. But hey, who knows, Pascal might get extra generous with you.
“Pascal, who?” If you’re wondering who that is, Pascal is a red otter who shows up when you find a Scallop while diving.
A Scallop has a large shadow under the sea, and when you find one, Pascal shows up to ask for it.
Scallops aren’t that difficult to find and dive for, unlike Pearls.
There are no specific locations or notable signs to solely hunt for Scallops as well, but they are available all year round, and their large shadows are easy to see.
Once you give a Scallop to Pascal, he gives you something back. You can get one of the Mermaid Set DIY Recipes, Mermaid-themed items, or a Pearl.
Pascal will keep showing up until you do a trade with him. After that, no more Pascal for the day.
Even though you hunt for more Scallops, he won’t show up again until the day resets. Try to trade with Pascal every day to get more Pearls
IMPORTANT NOTE: Pascal won’t show up if you are with other players, whether it’s online, local, or party play.
Tips for Pearl Diving
Get More Pocket Space
Diving for underwater creatures can fill up your pocket quickly.
When your inventory is full, you will be asked to swap out an item from your pockets to keep the new one you just found.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Pascal won’t show up if your pockets are full. Even after finding a Scallop, Pascal won’t appear if you have to swap it out.
Expand your inventory by getting the Pocket Organization Guide and Ultimate Pocket Stuffing upgrades.
You can find these at the Nook Stop in Resident Services, and they cost 5,000 and 8,000 miles, respectively.
Update Your Game
Can’t swim or dive? No red otter visiting your island? Pascal and the underwater sea critters, like Scallops and Pearls, were added during the Summer Update Wave 1.
If you don’t have this update, you won’t see Pascal or Pearls.
How to Dive
Confused by all the swimming and diving? I got your back.
You have to learn how to swim and dive first before finding a Pearl, and to do this, you have to get a wet suit.
There are wet suits available through your Nook’s Cranny or Nook Stop.
Open your pocket by pressing ‘x,’ select your wet suit by pressing ‘a’, and choose ‘wear.’ With your wet suit donned, go to the beach, face the water, and press ‘a’ to swim!
While in the water, dive by pressing ‘y’.
Quick Questions About Pearls
Can You Get Pearls From Pearl Oysters?
No, Pearl Oysters are a separate sea critter. You cannot open Pearl Oysters to get Pearls.
Where Can I Find Pearls?
You dive for it in the sea. However, they are randomly placed in the water.
Can You Donate Pearls?
Pearls cannot be donated to the museum.
How Much Is a Pearl?
This rare gem costs a whopping 10,000 bells per piece. You can sell it through Nook’s Cranny.
Diving for Pearls might sound daunting at first, but it’s not so impossible now, is it? With some time, a little luck, and a lot of diving, you’ll be swimming in Pearls in no time.
Best of luck, and say hello to Pascal for me!