Our AAA Quality Freshwater pearlsare going to have sharper, brighter luster and less blemishing, between 1-5% of the pearls' surfaces on the strand overall will feature some type of inclusion (usually chalky spots or thin ridges where organic material has accumulated). Freshwater pearls - these are formed inside mussels that are living in lakes, rivers, ponds, or any other body of fresh water. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 164,073 times. Their blemish rate is less than 1-3% overall, luster will be very bright, with crisp, defined edges of reflected light in the pearls’ surfaces, and you should be able to make out some detailed facial features reflected in the surfaces as well. Here’s how it’s done in 5 relatively easy steps. The growth period for freshwater pearls varies from farm to farm, which is why you can find freshwater pearls in a wide range of sizes. Go to a restaurant, seafood market, or oyster farm and get lots of oysters. The easiest way to measure your mussels is to use a ring with an interior that is the specified size. Step 2: If you are using an ocean or a sea, put a rope in the water down to the bottom and attach nets with the oysters in them. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. It’s the most visible and easily quantified value attribute between the two qualities; the next two differences will be that of Luster and Surface Quality. Either saltwater pearls or freshwater pearls can be natural or cultured. The only tradeoff is that Freshwater pearls are generally smaller, less symmetrical, and not as well matched when strung on a strand. Freshwater pearls are the most widely used types of pearls. We bid a little more to have them set aside, fully-drilled and matched into 18-inch hanks for us, so we can create Freshwater pearl jewelry that is above and beyond what you’ll normally see in brick and mortar jewelry stores. While you can find mussels that produce pearls in other areas, these are the main states for commercially viable pearls. Here's just a few reasons off the top of our heads: Cultured Freshwater pearls are grown in the freshwater pearl mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii (along with other hybridized mussels indigenous to the area) in freshwater lakes and man-made aquaculture ponds that also contain fish, shellfish and rice to support the small pearl farmer collectives in China. Your best bet, in all honesty, is to take it to a jeweler who specializes in pearls to get the best answer. Pits or pitting blemishes  are similar to pin-prick inclusions found on saltwater cultured pearls. They are circular indentations on the pearl’s surface. Most often you will find these in China, but some in India and Australia. FACT: Freshwater pearls come from mussels, while Akoya pearls are produced by oysters. If there is no pearl in the oyster, eat it or throw the shell away and move onto the next one. Sometimes in life, the value is more than a dollar amount. The primary difference between the AA+ Quality and AAA Quality Freshwater pearl necklace is one of SHAPE. Order oysters. This is a natural part of the color-treatment process, and does not affect the durability or overall loveliness of the pearls. Thankfully, these inclusions are colorless and only noticeable upon up-close inspection of 6-inches or less. The sheer volume of cultured Freshwater pearls dwarfs that of any other cultured pearl type many times over each year, contributing to their lower price points. Double-click to apply to an item with an unused upgrade slot. To learn more about all the pearl value factors, visit: When choosing fine Freshwater pearls, the biggest, most important considerations to keep in mind are, White Akoya Pearl Stud Earrings, 6.5-7.0mm, Golden South Sea Drop-Shape Ballerina Collection Pearl Pendant, White Elite Collection Pearl Bracelet, 7.5-8.0mm, White Akoya Pearl 2-Piece Necklace and Earring Set, 6.5-7.0mm. When choosing fine Freshwater pearls, the biggest, most important considerations to keep in mind are consistency of shape, and a fine, bright luster. The DNA study of pearly mollusks and oysters facilitates solving this problem. Freshwater pearls are unique in that they are the. Rather than a glossy shine, a Freshwater pearl possesses an elegant glow that slowly reveals itself under the steady gaze of the wearer ... Silky, touchable and radiant, fine AAA and Gem Quality Freshwater pearls can look just as beautiful as any saltwater pearl. The freshwater pearl mussel can be found on both sides of the Atlantic, from the Arctic and temperate regions of western Russia, through Europe to northeastern North America. You don't just have to order oysters on the half shell. white for white, pink for pink and so on. Place the jewelry on a plain white sheet of paper and begin examining the pearls inch-by-inch. All Rights Reserved. The majority of Freshwater pearls’ inclusions will match the pearl’s natural color and/or are colorless, blending with the pearl surface making them nearly invisible to the casual observer. There are 21 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. . Last Updated: September 19, 2019 However, most edible oysters will produce something closer to a pebble than a pearl. To shuck an oyster at home, place the slit face up. Freshwater pearls are different from saltwater pearls. — In-game description. How do I know if something is a pearl in an oyster? To provide these pearls at an exceptional value, we offer them with good levels of quality, and set with 14k gold posts and clasps. That being said, larger oysters, mussels, or clams may have pearls because they've had a longer time to develop. +17 Toughness. In fact, some companies guarantee you will find a pearl, or they will give you one. South Sea Pearl Facts. Solid-nacre pearls have no mother of pearl, The primary difference between the AA+ Quality and AAA Quality. Jump to navigation Jump to search. They are cultured in China and other Eastern countries. Solid-nacre pearls have no mother of pearl bead nucleus to give the mussel a perfectly round ‘template’ to form nacre over, so the majority of Freshwater pearl harvests contain semi-baroque and baroque pearls (see the image above for an example of the variety of shapes, sizes and colors a single mussel can produce!). Most freshwater farms operate in China, Japan and USA. Regarding the current situation of mideast, we are considering to expand our business into NA and Europe. If it doesn't have one, you can still enjoy the oyster. You'll have better luck finding pearls with farming operations, but you likely won't get as much diving time. +17 Healing Power. To culture pearls, first of all the skilled workers open mussel shells just a slight crack, then insert smell pieces of live mantle tissue from another mussel into tiny slits made, in the mantle.. Step 1: Collect live oysters and find a big body of saltwater (or make your own). Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If you want to up your odds a little bit, consider taking a guided diving tour to find a pearl. In fact, only 1 in 10,000 wild oysters will have a pearl, let alone the jewelry-graded ones. They have a fascinating life cycle; their larvae attach to the gills of salmonid fish and ‘hitch a ride’ for up to 10 months of the year. The freshwater pearl mussel is an endangered species of mollusc, found in clean, nutrient poor low-calcium rivers. What is the color? Copyright 2021 Purepearls.com. We also offer our Gem Quality, Elite Collection pearls.These are the cream of the crop when it comes to the Freshwater pearl type. Pearl farms surgically implant each mussel with a tiny piece of mantle tissue – and in response, the mussel begins secreting nacre, which later forms the pearl. . The odds are definitely stacked against you with this method, though it can be done. Yes, especially in tide pools or damp sand. And because we know you love them too, we have selected six of our most fabulous creations featuring freshwater pearls. If the water is not murky, you'll be able to see mussels sticking up out of the sand at the bottom. Hello, My family is freshwater pearl farmer in China. Natural means that there is no human intervention and the pearl is formed naturally by the oyster or mussel. The Freshwater pearl mussels are nucleated with 1.0mm squares of donor mantle tissue within the body of the mussel. While freshwater pearls as a variety are the most common type of pearl, very round and lustrous freshwater pearls are very difficult to find. The color of a pearl depends on the species of mollusk. Typically our Elite Collection Freshwater pearls are used for earrings, rings and pendants because their quality is top-tier. Because natural freshwater pearls are scarce and hard to find, so the Japanese originated the first cultured freshwater pearls in Japan. New shapes, colors, sizes and textures are being introduced at breakneck speeds, with new varieties making debuts yearly at the international pearl shows. If that's the case, maybe buy a nice cage or have it made into a ring or necklace to be passed down along with the story of where it came from. Top-of-the-line freshwater pearls, such as the ones you'd find at high-end jewellery stores and reputable online stores, command a high retail value. Freshwater pearls come in diverse shapes, colors, … Insert a table knife in one end of the slit, pushing downward slightly and moving across the opening. Essentially, you wade into the middle of shallow water and feel around in the bottom of the steam for mussels. This is usually enough to start nacre production. For pink heelsplitters and washboards, the mussels need to be 4 inches in diameter. Chalky spots  are easily the most common of Freshwater pearl inclusions. Saltwater pearls come in three main varieties – Akoya (mainly from Japan), Tahitian (from French Polynesia) and South Sea (mainly from Australia, Philippines and Indonesia). How to Spot Fake Pearls If you have a pearl necklace (or earrings, bracelets, pendant, etc.) Most pearls that you see in the world are cultured pearls, created by farming, like this Akoya cultured pearl necklace. Finding a Pearl While Eating or Buying Oysters, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a5\/Find-Pearls-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-Pearls-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a5\/Find-Pearls-Step-1.jpg\/aid2201090-v4-728px-Find-Pearls-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"