FRESHWATER PEARLS
Freshwater cultured pearls are grown in freshwater rather than saltwater, in mussels that live in lakes and rivers. They are now grown in many countries. The leading producers include the United States, Japan, and China.
They can be distinguished from cultured Akoya pearls by their wide variety of colours ranging from white to pink, cream or orange, and by their unpredictable shapes.
The top quality freshwater cultured pearls now includes gem-quality round pearls rivalling Akoya, South Sea, and Black Pearls.
AKOYA PEARLS
Originally produced in Japan, Akoya pearls are more perfectly round than most other pearls and have the highest luster, which makes them in great demand.
Formed from the smallest pearl-producing oysters in the world, cultured Japanese pearl rarely exceed 10 mm in diameter. In addition to Japan, China is now a major producer of Akoyas.
White or cream-coloured, Akoya pearls are noted for their yellow, pink or green highlights.
BLACK PEARLS
Black pearls, known more commonly as Tahitian pearls, are cultivated in in warm South Sea saltwater lagoons.
They are large pearls occurring normally in sizes from 8 mm to 20 mm, and averaging 11-12 mm, and it can take as many as twelve harvest years to find enough black pearls—matching in size, shape, and color- to make a necklace.
The infinite variety of tints of the cultured pearls of Tahiti ranges from gray that is almost deep black to silver, passing through charcoal grey, to which are added a wide variety of shades of green including peacock-feather, bronze, anise, emerald and forest green.
