When I read the title of your node, I couldn't help but be reminded of one of my favorite Shakespeare quotes. It's from The Tempest and it even has perls:

Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange:
Sea nymphs hourly ring his knell.
ding-dong!
Hark! Now I hear them--Ding-dong, bell!

Matt