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Almost all freshwater pearls in the world wide market today are fresh water culture pearls from China. They are generally less expensive than similar sized Cultured pearls that are grown in Saltwater, but not always. There are effectively no natural pearls on the market, and there have not been many on the world wide market for at least the last 100 years.
Cultured Akoya Pearls is just a type of cultured pearls. Today, almost all pearls used for jewelry are cultured by planting a core or nucleus of pearl oysters. The pearls are usually harvested after one year for akoya, 2-4 years for Tahitian and South Sea, and 2-7 years for freshwater. So basically it depends on how long it has been cultured. Look here for more examples http://www.pearlnecklacesource.com/categories/Cultured-Akoya-Pearls/
The main difference between saltwater pearls and freshwater pearls (besides the obvious salt vs fresh water) is that saltwater pearls are cultured with a bead nucleus plus a piece of mantle tissue, whereas freshwater pearls are generally cultured with only a piece of mantel tissue.
Saltwater pearls also tend to be more round, thanks to their bead nucleus.
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Are fresh water pearls better than cultured?
Freshwater pearls are generally less expensive and more abundant compared to cultured pearls. Cultured pearls are typically more round and lustrous due to the controlled process of their formation. Both types of pearls are beautiful and it ultimately comes down to personal preference and budget.
What is pearls?
Akoya pearls are a type of pearl. It is a cultured pearl that is harvested for about one year. On the other hand, Tahitian pearls are cultured for two to four years and South Sea freshwater pearls for two to seven years. Look here for more information: http://www.pearlnecklacesource.com/categories/Cultured-Akoya-Pearls/Akoya is the trade name for "cultured" pearls. It means the pearl was seeded or induced to grow my either a bead or a piece of shell introduced into the oyster by man. So, short answer: cultured pearls with a prettier name than cultured pearls. Good specimen only distinguishable from natural pearls using X-rays.
What is akoya pearls?
Akoya pearls are a type of pearl. It is a cultured pearl that is harvested for about one year. On the other hand, Tahitian pearls are cultured for two to four years and South Sea freshwater pearls for two to seven years. Look here for more information: http://www.pearlnecklacesource.com/categories/Cultured-Akoya-Pearls/Akoya is the trade name for "cultured" pearls. It means the pearl was seeded or induced to grow my either a bead or a piece of shell introduced into the oyster by man. So, short answer: cultured pearls with a prettier name than cultured pearls. Good specimen only distinguishable from natural pearls using X-rays.
How do you know if the freshwater pearls you buy are real?
If a pearl is deemed Freshwater pearl, chances are, it is real. Freshwater pearls are the most affordable pearls available. If the pearls are described as faux, shell pearls, imitation, or anything other than cultured Freshwaters, then they are fake. More and more vendors are popping up selling shell pearls. Pearls that are described as "shell pearls" are not real. They are made from a compound of ground up shell and are faux pearls.
Which pearls are the most expensive?
Answer Natural PearlsNatural pearls are proven to be the most expensive type of pearl. The Baroda pearls, for example recently sold at auction for more than $7 million. But natural pearls like this are extremely rare and are primarily for collectors. Today, cultured pearls are what people see at jewelry stores around the world. Cultured PearlsCultured pearls are produced by implanting a mother-of-pearl bead and a piece of mantle tissue into the gonad of a host marine mollusk, or by grafting a piece of mantle tissue from a donor mussel into the mantle muscle of a host freshwater mussel. There Are Four Main Types Of Cultured PearlsThere are four varieties of cultured pearl commonly on the market today. These are; South Sea, Tahitian, akoya and freshwater. Other types exist, such as Cortez or Cultured abalone blister, but the aforementioned varieties make up the large majority of pearls available to the consumer. * South Sea Pearls: South Sea pearls are the most valuable type of cultured pearl on the market today. These pearls are grown in the Pinctada maxima(gold-lip and silver-lip pearl oyster) primarily in Australia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. They come in white, silver, cream and gold. They can grow very large- up to 20+ mm. * Tahitian Pearls: Tahitian pearls are the second most valuable variety of cultured pearl. They are grown in the Pinctada margaritifera(black-lip pearl oyster) in French Polynesia. This mollusk is also used in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Micronesia, the Marshalls and several others, but if grown outside of French Polynesia the pearls are referred to as black South Sea. * Akoya Pearls: Akoya pearls are the third most valuable variety of cultured pearl. Akoya pearls are grown in the Pinctada fucata martensii and Pinctada fucata chemnitzii varieties of mollusk, also known as the akoya pearl oyster. The primary areas of production are China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Australia. * Freshwater Pearls: The fourth and least valuable of all cultured pearls (on an average relative basis) are cultured freshwater pearls. Freshwater pearls have been cultured since the 1920s, starting in Lake Biwa, Japan. Today, freshwater perliculture is limited to China, and to a very small extent Lake Kasumigaura in Japan. Freshwater pearls are cultured primarily in the Hyriopsis cumingi (triangle shell), Hyriopsis schlegeli (Biwa pearly mussel), a hybrid of the two, and the Cristaria plicata (cockscomb) freshwater mussels.
How is a cultured pearl different from a natural pearl?
Natural pearls grow in the wild, without any human assistance or interferrence, and are quite rare and can be difficult to find. When found, the pearls are harvested, cleaned and made into jewelry, and cost more than cultured pearls.Cultured pearls are grown ('cultured') under highly controlled conditions by pearl farmers. Farmers plant a core (a 'grain') made up of mussel shell into an oyster or mussel; then the oyster or mussel forms a pearl around this irritant, just as they do when forming natural pearls.Pearl farmers design cultured pearls from start to finish to ensure they are perfect in shape and luminosity. After they are harvested, the pearls are cleaned, and some are treated and bleached (to ensure continuity of color, quality, etc.) before being made into jewelry.Both natural and cultured pearls can be freshwater or saltwater pearls. Freshwater pearls are created or occur in mussels, while saltwater pearls are created or occur in oysters.
Which is the most expensive pearls?
Answer The most expensive of all pearls are natural pearls. These are very rare, however, and most jewelers and consumers will never see a natural pearl in their lifetime. A double strand of pearls known as The Baroda Pearls recently sold at auction for more than $7 million. Today, people buy and sell cultured pearls. There are four main varieties of cultured pearls and their cost/value is listed below from highest to lowest. 1. South Sea Pearls $$$$2. Tahitian Pearls $$$3. Akoya Pearls $$4. Freshwater Pearls $
What is the difference between freshwater pearls and normal water pearkls?
There are freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls. Natural freshwater pearls form in various species of freshwater mussels, family Unionidae, which live in lakes, rivers, ponds and other bodies of fresh water. These freshwater pearl mussels occur not only in hotter climates, but also in colder more temperate areas such as Scotland: see the freshwater pearl mussel. However, most freshwater cultured pearls sold today come from China. Saltwater pearls grow within pearl oysters, family Pteriidae, which live in oceans. Saltwater pearl oysters are usually cultivated in protected lagoons or volcanic atolls. Look here for more info: http://www.pinnaclepearls.com
How common are pearls?
Pearls are not considered as rare as diamonds, but they are not found in every oyster either. Pearls in the wild are rare and more expensive. Cultured pearls are much more common.
Are white or black pearls more valuable?
Answer There is no simple answer to this question as it really depends on the type of pearl you are discussing. The most common types of pearls are cultured akoya and cultured freshwater. Neither of these are naturally produced in a black coloration. Black akoya and freshwater attain their coloration from aniline organic dyes or cobalt-60 irradiation. Natural black pearls are known as black South Sea, Tahitian or Cook Island pearls. They are produced by the Pinctada margaritifera black-lip mollusk. These naturally black pearls grow quite large are are typically more valuable than akoya or freshwater pearls. The most valuable of all pearls are those grown in the Pinctada maxima or silver and gold-lip mollusk. These pearls are usually very larger and expensive, and come in colors of white, white with pink overtone, champagne, silver, yellow and gold.
What attributes can make a pearl worth more money?
Size (with all standards equal, bigger is better), type (cultured more than freshwater), quality of shape (symmetry if cultured), color and quality of lustre...
What is the difference in natural and cultured pearls in jewelry sets?
Natural pearls are found in the wild, and therefore more rare, cultured are grown in a far, both look almost exactly the same.
