Freshwater Vs. Deep Sea Pearls

Pearls are popular for many styles of jewelry. Pearls created naturally by oysters are rare, expensive and difficult to acquire. For those reasons, pearls are rarely retrieved from oceans and lakes. Instead, pearls are cultured, and the process differs for freshwater and deep-sea pearls.

Function

Pearls are created in response to an irritant introduced into the oyster's shell, either naturally or through human intervention. The oyster secretes a substance called nacre that eventually becomes the translucent pearl. Freshwater pearls are composed entirely of nacre, but saltwater pearls have a non-nacre center, known as mother-of-pearl.

Cultivation

For pearl cultivation, oysters are collected from seawater, and mussels are taken from freshwater, like lakes. The mollusks are relocated to a pearl farm, where humans oversee the process of pearl formation by introducing irritants and controlling the environment of the oysters.

Time Frame

Cultured deep-sea pearls take about two years to mature, while freshwater pearls can take up to three years to fully form.

Identification

According to Pearl Distributors, freshwater pearls have a softer luster, while seawater pearls have a brighter luster, because deep sea pearls have a thicker nacre.

History

In 1905, Kokichi Mikimoto cultured the first saltwater pearl. Freshwater pearls have been cultivated in China since the year 1300, according to Maui Divers Jewelry.