According to news reports, pearls are one of Amazon.com's best sellers
this holiday season. Indeed, the gorgeous organic colored gemstone has
made a big comeback in recent years, outshining other gems as the
fashion must-have. Confused between pearl types? Here's a crash course
in the different varities:
Beautiful, organic pearls are formed in freshwater mollusks and
saltwater oysters. Akoyas, Tahitians and South Sea are the three types
of saltwater pearls. Each is produced in a different type of oyster
that makes its home in the ocean. Freshwater pearls are grown in
mollusks that live in lakes, ponds and rivers. The pearls produced by
saltwater and freshwater mollusks can look virtually the same--or
vastly different.
Akoya Cultured Pearls
The akoya cultured pearl is what most people think of when they
picture a strand of pearls. Typically small, round and white or cream-
colored, akoya pearls usually range between 2mm and 9mm, and, because
they excel in the matching value factor, are popular gems for necklace
and bracelet strands. Akoyas are produced in the akoya oyster, or P.
fucata, the smallest of the saltwater pearl oysters. These oysters are
the main oysters used for saltwater pearl culturing in Japan. Akoya
pearls were the first round cultured pearls--called "spherical" in the
jewelry trade--produced. Other countires produce akoyas, but Japan's
mild climate--ideal for the akoya oyster--allows that country's pearl
farmers to produce akoya pearls of exceptional luster. The Japanese
akoya pearl requires eight months to two years to grow inside the
mollusk.
Tahitian Cultured Pearls
Tahitian cultured pearls are typically thought of as black pearls, and
they can be, but they can also be green, purple, gray, brown and blue.
Only on the market since the 1970s--culturing of these oysters did not
take hold until the '60s--Tahitians are revered for their exotic
colors and large size; it's not unusual to find Tahitians that are
14mm and up. Tahitian cultured pearls are produced in the black-lipped
oyster called P. margaritifera, a saltwater mollusk that can grow to
12 inches in diameter, weigh up to 11 lbs., and live up to 30 years.
Most Tahitian cultured pearls are produced in French Polynesia, in
locations known as the Gambier Islands and Tuamotu Archipelago. The
black-lipped oyster does best in a closed, sheltered lagoon; many
Tahitian pearl farms are located in lagoons. The black-lipped oyster
can be nucleated multiple times over its lifetime, but, in general,
the first pearl produced is usually the finest quality the pearl
farmer will see. Tahitian cultured pearls typically show fair to
excellent luster, and do so by natural means, unlike akoyas and
freshwater pearls, which typically require processing to bring out
their sheen. Tahitian pearls usually require 22-26 months to grow, and
typically reach 8mm-14mm in size. According to the Gemological
Institute of America, the largest Tahitian cultured pearl on record
reached 26.95mm! Unlike the smaller akoya, however, less than half of
the Tahitian cultured pearls that are produced are spherical. That's
why matched Tahitians are very dear. Due to their value, jewelry
designers create many Tahitian pearl pieces using only a single pearl;
a matched Tahitian cultured pearl strand is beyond the reach of many
consumers.
South Sea Cultured Pearls
P. maxima, one of the world's largest mollusks, produces the beautiful
South Sea cultured pearl. These saltwater pearls come from Australia,
Indonesia and the Philippines (the cultured pearl is the national gem
of the Philipines) and most commonly come in silver, white and gold.
Because they are produced in such large oysters, it is not unusual to
see a South Sea cultured pearl that is 15mm or larger. Unlike some of
the other mollusks, the oyster that produces the South Sea cultured
pearl can only accept one nucleation at a time. After nucleation, it
requires 20-24 months to grow its pearl. The oyster can, however, be
nucleated up to three times in its lifetime. Australia produces about
60 percent of the supply of South Sea cultured pearls.
Freshwater Cultured Pearls
Improvements in freshwater pearl culturing techniques mean that
today's freshwater cultured pearls can rival the beauty of saltwater
pearls. Freshwater cultured pearls come in many beautiful pastel
colors such as cream, white, yellow, orange, pink, and lavender, and
usually range in size from 4mm to 11mm, although larger pearls do
exist. Freshwater pearls are produced in mussels belonging to the
family Unionidae. Most freshwater pearls sold today are grown in
China, however the United States produces its fair share of freshwater
cultured pearls as well. Freshwater mussels are usually tissue
nucleated, not bead nucleated, meaning that the pearl they produce is
almost completely composed of nacre. Additionally, freshwater pearl
mussels can accept up to 50 implants at a time! Freshwater cultured
pearls require two to six years to grow, and are round only about 2%
of the time. Oval or button pearls are produced about 60% of the time,
while baroque and semi-baroque pearls typically make up the remainder
of the crop. Most freshwater cultured pearls are bleached after
harvest to bring out their color, and most black freshwater cultured
pearls are dyed or treated in some way to produce their inky hue.
Because they are more plentiful that other pearl types, freshwater
cultured pearls are usually more affordable than saltwater pearls,
although their beauty, luster, shape and size can rival that of their
saltwater cousins.
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