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Types of Pearls
At the highest level, there are two types of pearls—cultured and natural. While mollusks create both, cultured pearls are produced on farms or with the aid of man. At the opposite end, natural pearls are produced by chance, not on farms or with help from people. It is extremely rare that a piece of jewelry, like a necklace, will be made from natural pearls.
Another characteristic of pearls is that freshwater pearls are traditionally created through a process called tissue nucleation. In other words, they are not created using a bead and thus, are almost purely made of nacre. Conversely, most saltwater pearls are made from using a bead, producing almost perfect spheres.
Types of Pearls:
Akoya
Akoya is a saltwater pearl with a beaded core. Although initially commercialized in Japan, these pearls are also produced in China. Typically, this pearl is white or cream in color and typically has overtones of rose or green. Additionally, pearls can range in size from 2mm to 11mm, with an Akoya oyster (Pinctada Fucata) yielding up to 5 pearls.
Freshwater
Freshwater pearls are created using a tissue nucleation process, yielding a pearl that is nearly 100% nacre. This type of pearl is one of the most common, but due to its high nacre content, it is one of the more durable pearls. These pearls are found in mollusks (Hyriopsis Cumingi) that live in ponds, lakes, and rivers or freshwater body and can yield around 30 to 40 pearls per mollusk. Typical size ranges from 4mm to 10mm, ranging in many colors such as white, cream, yellow, pink and purple.
South Sea
Typically considered the most valuable type of pearl, South Sea pearls are similar to the Akoya in that they have a beaded core. Grown typically in the warm waters from Australia to Indonesia, South Sea pearls are more desirable for a number of reasons:
The colors range from white to silver for the Silver Lipped Mollusk and yellow to yellow-orange for the Gold Lipped Mollusk.
Tahitian and Black South Sea
Similar to the South Sea, the Tahitian and Black South Sea are very valuable. However, the Tahitian and Black South Sea pearls are a bit more common than South Sea pearls, and thus are typically worth a bit less than the South Sea. This is mainly due to the greater abundance of the Black Lipped Mollusk (Pinctada Margaritifera). Another major difference between Tahitian and Black South Sea pearls versus South Sea pearls is the pearl size—typically between 8mm to 12mm. Colors tend be darker, like gray, black, and blue.
At the highest level, there are two types of pearls—cultured and natural. While mollusks create both, cultured pearls are produced on farms or with the aid of man. At the opposite end, natural pearls are produced by chance, not on farms or with help from people. It is extremely rare that a piece of jewelry, like a necklace, will be made from natural pearls.
Another characteristic of pearls is that freshwater pearls are traditionally created through a process called tissue nucleation. In other words, they are not created using a bead and thus, are almost purely made of nacre. Conversely, most saltwater pearls are made from using a bead, producing almost perfect spheres.
Types of Pearls:
Akoya
Akoya is a saltwater pearl with a beaded core. Although initially commercialized in Japan, these pearls are also produced in China. Typically, this pearl is white or cream in color and typically has overtones of rose or green. Additionally, pearls can range in size from 2mm to 11mm, with an Akoya oyster (Pinctada Fucata) yielding up to 5 pearls.
Freshwater
Freshwater pearls are created using a tissue nucleation process, yielding a pearl that is nearly 100% nacre. This type of pearl is one of the most common, but due to its high nacre content, it is one of the more durable pearls. These pearls are found in mollusks (Hyriopsis Cumingi) that live in ponds, lakes, and rivers or freshwater body and can yield around 30 to 40 pearls per mollusk. Typical size ranges from 4mm to 10mm, ranging in many colors such as white, cream, yellow, pink and purple.
South Sea
Typically considered the most valuable type of pearl, South Sea pearls are similar to the Akoya in that they have a beaded core. Grown typically in the warm waters from Australia to Indonesia, South Sea pearls are more desirable for a number of reasons:
- A mollusk can take only one nucleation at a time
- Takes approximately 2 years for a mollusk to produce a pearl
- Pearl sizes range from 9mm to 20mm
- The Pinctada Maxima (Gold or Silver Lipped Mollusk) is a rare oyster
The colors range from white to silver for the Silver Lipped Mollusk and yellow to yellow-orange for the Gold Lipped Mollusk.
Tahitian and Black South Sea
Similar to the South Sea, the Tahitian and Black South Sea are very valuable. However, the Tahitian and Black South Sea pearls are a bit more common than South Sea pearls, and thus are typically worth a bit less than the South Sea. This is mainly due to the greater abundance of the Black Lipped Mollusk (Pinctada Margaritifera). Another major difference between Tahitian and Black South Sea pearls versus South Sea pearls is the pearl size—typically between 8mm to 12mm. Colors tend be darker, like gray, black, and blue.