Freshwater Vs Saltwater Pearls - What's the Difference?

Quality freshwater pearls are a fairly new stock of more developed cultivation methods. In the early 1900s and early, freshwater was seen as an inferior product. Saltwater pearls were more important since their shape was more regular, they were more lustrous, and their size was much bigger. Today, things are a minuscule different. These two types of pearls are still dissimilar from each other but the differences are much less than they used to be.

Freshwater pearls are, as the name implies, only found in freshwater mollusks. Though they may also have a perfectly round shape, just as saltwater ones, they are slightly more likely to have an irregular, baroque shape. This is due to the cultivation method, in part. Whereas saltwater cultivation methods use a small piece of shell or a bead, freshwater pearls are cultivated by implanting a small piece of mantle or other tissue. The nacre doesn't have a fully round nucleus and so is less likely to be round when harvested. Natural pearls are roughly always irregular. It is also much easier to mass produce freshwater pearls, as each oyster may be implanted many times - I've read that they can produce up to 20 pearls for each oyster though less is more likely.

Pearls

Saltwater pearls are only found in the ocean or other bodies of saltwater. They are normally round, with very high luster. However, they have less nacre than their freshwater cousins, development them slightly less durable and more prone to chipping colse to the drill holes. It is also impossible to mass produce through current cultivation methods. Each oyster produces one pearl, and many do not survive to be implanted again. It is worth mentioning here that pearls can also be found from conches, on rare occasions. These tend to be pink with a "flame" pattern that makes them very valuable. Natural black pearls (versus those that are dyed black) are also only harvested from saltwater mollusks.

Freshwater Vs Saltwater Pearls - What's the Difference?

There are a wide range of colors ready from each, although as mentioned above black pearls and the pink conch pearls are saltwater only. Freshwater pearls have more colors ready though, as it is easier to control the outcome by adding metals to the water. Thus you will find pink, lavender, white, yellow, and many other shades.

Freshwater Vs Saltwater Pearls - What's the Difference?

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