What is the difference between Salt Water and Freshwater Pearls?
Saltwater pearls are usually larger and are found in oysters in parts of the oceans and other bodies of saltwater around the world. Some of the more well know places are the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Burma in South East Asia. Australia and Tahiti in the South Pacific are where some of the largest pearls are grown and where you will also find the beautiful black pearls. Other well known pearl growing areas are near the Arabian Sea in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and near Sri Lanka. Finally, there are the smaller Akoya pearls which traditionally have been associated with Japan but which can be found many other places in Asia. Freshwater pearls are found growing in mussels living in lakes and streams all over the world including the USA and Europe. These pearls tend to be less expensive than saltwater pearls even in the same size and color. The best known, and probably the best quality as well as the most expensive freshwater pearls, are the Biwa pearls cultivated in Lake Biwa
