The Difference between Fresh Water and Sea Pearls
Just like diamonds, pearls are now fast becoming as girls’ another best friend as they can also effectively put a significant glow on every woman in the form of a jewelry. From gorgeous earrings to eye catching necklaces, pearls have once again shown to the world what nature’s wonders are all about.
Basically, pearls are classified into two types namely sea pearls and freshwater pearls. Sea pearls are grown from ocean waters, lagoons, and volcanic atolls, while the freshwater type comes from lakes, rivers, and ponds. The freshwater type is harvested inside a freshwater mollusk that has the capability of producing 50 pearls at a time.
These pearls are started by simply inserting tiny pieces of mantle tissue into the mollusk. These are called pearl starters which are then covered with natural coating called nacre by the mollusk through time. Usually, it takes between 4 to 6 years to have a fresh water pearl fully grown for harvest. Sea pearls on the other hand only produce one pearl per oyster. This type of pearls is categorized into three groups namely, South Sea, Tahitian, and Akoya pearls. Of the three, South Sea pearls take the longest period in nurturing a pearl that lasts up to 6 years. Smaller types of South Sea pearls on the other hand can be harvested after a two year cycle.
Sea pearls are noted for their lasting magnificence that can still be witnessed through generations. But unlike sea pearls, freshwater pearls only have a short and limited time frame for them to showcase their beauty. The pearl’s luster fades quickly which are then later on turned into chalky or milky. This succeedingly paved way for the freshwater pearl’s name as “the pearls to enjoy now.” Primarily because sea pearls have higher and greater quality compared to freshwater pearls, they basically come with a far greater price. One strand of sea pearls can have a price of $3,000 to $100,000 while freshwater pearls have a price of $300 to $1,500 per strand.
Generally, South Sea pearls are similarly colored unlike freshwater ones that have various appearances. When it comes to the quality of their nacre, South Sea pearls are notable with their prominent halo and have more depth with regards to iridescence.
Usually, freshwater pearls are white but with weak overtones of certain colors such as pink, silver, and rainbow. In very rare cases, saltwater pearls produce an orient which is defined with the perfect match of nacre quality and thickness.
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