Four Main Types Of Pearls — You Need To Know
Ansel Long
CEO of Nendine | Silver/Brass/Gold Jewelry manufacturer | Helped 1000+ brands turn their custom jewelry into life
Pearls romantically referred to as teardrops from the moon, have long been revered for their beauty in the world.
Pearls are formed to protect against irritants such as sand or fish bones floating in the pearl shell. As a defense mechanism, the oyster secretes layers and layers of nacre over the irritant, eventually forming a pearl over time.
There are 4 main types of pearls that come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes.
Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater pearls are created by freshwater mussels in lakes, rivers, and ponds.?
Origin: Most freshwater pearls seen on the market today are cultured in China.
Colors: Their colors are mainly white, cream, peach, pink, and lavender.
Sizes: They generally range in size from 2.0 mm to 15.0 mm and are very rare if it exceeds 10.0mm.
Shapes: Very rarely are freshwater pearls perfectly round in shape. Most often, these pearls are?nearly-round, oval-shaped, and even semi-baroque and baroque.
Price Range: Range from $75 - $3,000
Common Treatment: Any dark shades such as black, red, gold, green, purple, blue, and pink, are not natural and are the result of color treatment.
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Akoya Pearls
In saltwater, the Akoya pearl is cultured from the Akoya oyster (Pinctada fucata martensii).
Origin: They hail from the seas around Japan, China, and Vietnam.They are found in Japan, China, and Vietnam.
Colors: They are very rich in color, mainly white, silvery blue, and gold.
Sizes: They are in sizes from 1mm to 11mm and are very rare if it exceeds 10-11mm.
Shapes: The perfectly round shape is classic, but baroque shapes are also available.
Price Range: Range from $100 - $10,000
Common Treatment: They are never naturally black – black Akoya pearls have undergone either Cobalt-60 radiation treatment or treatment with an organic dye.
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South Sea Pearls
South sea pearls are cultured using a large, white-lipped oyster, hand-selected from the waters of the South Pacific.
Origin: They are cultured in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Japan, and Thailand.?
Colors: South sea pearls emerge with white, blue-white, pink, cream, light yellow, or deep gold surfaces.
Sizes: 8mm to 18mm, and sizes over 15mm is rare and expensive.
Shapes: The perfectly round shape is the most valuable and rare, but baroque or non-round shapes are also available.
Price Range: Range from $300 - $50,000
Common Treatment: Most South Sea pearls are harvested without any treatment other than light cleaning and polishing.
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Tahitian Black Pearls
Tahitian black pearls are produced by the?Pinctada margaritifera?oyster, also called the Black-lip pearl oyster.
Origin: They are grown in the seas of French Polynesia.
Colors: They display mysterious colors such as black, dark grey, charcoal, peacock green, and aubergine with silver, lavender, and blue overtones.
Sizes: 7mm to 16mm, and sizes over 15mm is rare and expensive.
Shapes: The perfectly round shape is the most valuable and rare, but baroque or non-round shapes are also available.
Price Range: Range from $200 - $20,000
Common Treatment: Most Tahitian black pearls are naturally colored and are not treated other than lightly washed and polished after harvest.