What is the difference between Saltwater and Freshwater Pearls?
Freshwater pearls are grown in lakes and ponds. A freshwater mollusk can grow up to 50 pearls at a time. The freshwater pearl starts with a tiny piece of tissue which is inserted as the ‘pearl starter’. The mollusk then covers this tissue with nacre. The process to grow a pearl takes between 4 to 6 years and is full of peril – risk of disease, pollution, etc. A successful harvest of freshwater pearls is highly praised. Because the pearls in the freshwater mollusk start from virtually nothing (a small piece of tissue from a freshwater oyster), they are essentially 100% nacre. So for a pearl that is 7.5mm, the nacre will be 7.5mm! The freshwater pearl growth process is almost identical to the growth of ‘natural’ pearls. With modern freshwater cultivation methods the freshwater pearls are of excellent quality – with excellent body, shape, lustre and can be on equal footing with that of Saltwater Akoya pearls. In some cases freshwater cultured pearls have exceeded the quality of Saltwater
Pearl-growing oysters live or can be grown in rivers and lakes as well as the sea. Thus, pearls can be freshwater or saltwater. In general, saltwater pearls are much higher in quality than freshwater. The average saltwater pearl is near-round, white or off-light in color, and has a moderate luster and glossy surface. Freshwater pearls are more irregularly shaped—they are usually flat or pear-shaped. They have less gloss, and they come in a wider variety of colors, such as pink, purple, and green.
