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Freshwater vs. Cultured Pearls |
A frequent question from our customers is whether or not a particular strand of pearls is composed of freshwater or cultured pearls. Freshwater pearls are in fact cultured pearls. The reason so many retailers categorize cultured pearls from freshwater pearls is because "cultured pearls" is a trade term still used today by many to describe Akoya pearls. This is important to understand when shopping for pearls because a retailer of freshwater pearls can label their product as cultured pearls. It is always important to identify the origin of the cultured pearls, if they are freshwater or slatwater. A strand of freshwater pearls will never be as valuable as a strand of equivalent quality Akoya pearls, but there is also a substantial difference price between freshwater and Akoya pearls.
Any pearl that is grown and marketed today (other than those from the Persian Gulf ) are considered cultured pearls. These pearls would not exist without human intervention. A freshwater pearl, although it is solid nacre, is still a cultured pearl because the mussel was nucleated with a piece of mantle tissue. All pearls cultured in saltwater are nucleated as well, but with a piece of mantle-tissue, and a mother-of-pearl bead.
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