What are Freshwater Pearls? Interesting Facts About Freshwater Pearls
Freshwater pearls have a wide variety of colors and shapes, making it the perfect alternatives for luxurious jewelry pieces. Often known as the "Queen of Jewels," pearls are timeless and elegant. Despite how famous freshwater pearls are, there are countless things about them that humans don't recognize.
What are Freshwater Pearls?
Freshwater pearls are the product of mussels (a small sea creature that has a black shell closing each other) that inhabit freshwater lakes and rivers. These kinds of pearls are found in China & Japan. Many freshwater pearls are white; however, they arrive in many specific colors and shapes.
What are Saltwater Pearls?
Saltwater pearls are cultured pearls grown in Chinese and Japanese waters (or manmade ponds). They're usually white or cream in color and round.
What is the Difference Between Freshwater Pearls & Saltwater Pearls?
- Nacre (pearl layer) is the main difference between freshwater pearls & saltwater pearls.
- Saltwater pearls have a thinner nacre (pearl layer) than freshwater pearls.
- Saltwater pearls are more expensive than freshwater pearls because saltwater oysters produce very few pearls compared to freshwater pearls.
- Saltwater pearls don't require dye. Freshwater pearls appear shiny as they are dyed.
Here are some interesting facts about freshwater pearls:
- Freshwater Pearls Come from a Living Being:
Pearls are classified as a gemstone but are vastly different from other types of gemstones, like sapphires and rubies. Pearl is unique among birth stones, and it can be considered of Organic origin. Rest all gemstones /birthstones are minerals, inorganic solid substances with crystalline or fixed chemical compositions formed naturally in the crust of the earth.
- Freshwater Pearls are Affordable:
Natural pearls are rare as only one oyster contains a pearl out of 10,000 oysters making it very expensive. Freshwater pearls are pearls that are grown on pearl farms using freshwater mussels. Freshwater pearl cultivation process requires very less advanced surgical skills for full cultivation compared to ocean pearl cultivation. This helps the freshwater pearls easier & affordable to cultivate, making it less expensive than other pearls, thereby increasing its value. A pearl grading system based on the surface of freshwater pearls is used to evaluate the quality of these pearls.
- Roman Emperor Julius Caesar Created Laws about Pearls:
In historic Roman times, pearls were thought to symbolize prestige and wealth. If you wore pearl jewelry like a pearl necklace & pearl earrings or even had them in your possession, you were considered to be an elite and a member of a higher social class.
- Cleopatra Drank a Pearl Cocktail:
In ancient Egyptian times, during a dinner party Egyptian queen, Cleopatra dropped a very expensive pearl into the vinegar, which caused it to dissolve. Cleopatra then drank what was the world's most valuable cocktail and it was called the most expensive dinner ever.
- Freshwater Pearls Can Take 6 Months to Grow:
Each pearl takes a specific amount of time to grow. However, 6 months is commonly the average duration of time. Sometimes it can even take a pearl up to 2 years to develop.
- Pearls Are One of June's Birthstones:
Pearls are considered to be the birthstone for people born in June making them the perfect gift for people who are born in this month. One can gift pearl bracelets or pearl rings to their loved ones as it pearls represent loyalty, clarity, and purity.
Freshwater pearls are an affordable but costly choice for elevating any jewelry collection. Dusoul's offers a wide variety of freshwater pearl jewelry. Check out and buy freshwater pearls jewelry online at Dusoul.
