Pearl Jewelry :: Pearl Encyclopedia :: Differece Between Saltwater and Freshwater Cultured Pearls
Difference between Saltwater and Freshwater Cultured Pearls
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Freshwater pearls are grown in lakes, ponds and rivers. A freshwater mollusk can create up to 50 pearls at a time. A freshwater cultured pearl is started by inserting a small piece of mantle tissue as the 'pearl starter'. The mollusk then covers this tissue with natural coating called nacre. The process to grow a freshwater pearl takes between 4 to 6 years and is full of peril - risk of disease, pollution, etc. A successful harvest of freshwater pearls is a highly praised event.
Because the pearls in the freshwater mollusk start from virtually nothing (a small piece of tissue from a freshwater oyster), they are essentially 100% nacre. So for a pearl that is 7.5mm, the nacre will be 7.5mm in diameter! The freshwater pearl growth process is almost identical to the growth of 'natural' pearls.
With modern freshwater cultivation methods, freshwater pearls are of excellent quality - with excellent body, shape, and luster and can be on equal footing with that of Saltwater Akoya pearls. In some cases Freshwater cultured pearls exceed the quality of Saltwater Akoya Pearls. In fact recent harvests have brought about pearls of such incredible quality and luster that they are now compared to the coveted Japanese Hanadama Pearls which until now have been considered the very Best of the Best.
The term "Akoya" is mostly used internationally to signify Saltwater Pearls from Japan. And so, Akoya pearls have been adopted in the industry to stand for saltwater pearls made in Japan. Akoya Saltwater Pearls are grown and cultivated in the ocean along the coast of Japan and China. The Akoya mollusk (Pinctada fucata) is implanted with a round bead along with a small piece of mantle tissue and nacre envelops around the bead. The bead implants are made from oyster shells and are usually slightly smaller than the final pearl product. The number of beads that can be inserted into the mollusk depends on the mollusk, but usually not more than 3 beads can be inserted into one mollusk.
The growing time for Saltwater Akoya Pearls take between 6 to 18 months - the slower the growing period the better as the nacre is smoother and even - but the longer the pearl is grown in the ocean the higher risk of damage, storms, mollusk dying, etc - so the price for Akoya pearls will fluctuate enormously with the thickness of nacre and the risk taken.
In the recent years Akoya pearls and their status as the pearl of choice has been significantly challenged by the outstanding quality of Freshwater pearls. The new freshwater pearls that are now produced are clearly equal in quality to Akoya pearls at a fraction of the Akoya price. When freshwater pearls are round, they are magnificent - the nacre is full, the molecular structure of the nacre is tightly bound and the lustre is spectacular.
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