Different Types of Pearls
natural pearls vs. cultured pearls
Natural pearls form in the bodies, or mantle tissue, of certain mollusks, usually around a microscopic irritant, and always without human help of any kind. There are few, if any, left in the seas to harvest anymore. So, buying natural pearls means finding a vintage pearl or antique pearl jewelry.
Therefore natural pearls are rare and extremely expensive.
Whereas cultured pearls require human intervention and care and are nurtured on pearl farms. Today, most of the mollusks used in the culturing process are raised specifically for that purpose, although some wild mollusks are still collected and used.
Cultured pearls are real pearls the only difference to natural pearls being human intervention to initiate the creation within a pearl..
There are four major types of cultured Pearls:
South sea pearls
Often called the “Queen of Pearls”, South Sea pearls feature a gorgeous palette of natural Golden and White colours. They are among the largest and most valuable pearls produced today. These rare gems are produced by the Pinctada Maxima oyster, found in very deep and offshore waters. Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines are leading sources of these saltwater cultured pearls. Ranging in size from 8-9mm up through 20mm they belong to the largest cultured pearl type. As much as two years are needed to harvest a pearl, explaining why they are so valuable.
Tahitian pearls
Cultivated primarily around the islands of French Polynesia (the most familiar of these is Tahiti).
Whereas other pearl types are typically limited in color, Tahitian pearls consist of hundreds of overtones with incredibly exotic colors such as peacock green, silver green, blue, and eggplant, just to name a few. These pearls are produced by the Pinctada Margaritifera oyster, which is found exclusively in Tahiti and several other French Polynesian islands.
Tahitian pearls range in size from 8-9mm up through 15-16mm. Sizes over 15.0mm are extremely rare.
Akoya pearls
The first pearl to be cultured early in the 1920s by Kokicki Mikimoto who developed the commercial production of cultured pearls..
Akoya cultured pearls are the most familiar type of saltwater cultured pearl to most people.
Traditional Akoya pearl colors are most famously white, but also include natural Silvery-Blue and even Golden hues.
These pearls are often very round and spherical in shape and are complemented by very high luster.
Produced by a small oyster called the Pinctada Fucata off the seas of Japan and China, they are commonly found in sizes ranging from 2mm to 10mm in size.
freshwater pearls
Freshwater cultured pearls are the most commonly produced pearls.
This is due to their remarkable range of sizes, shapes and colors, plus their commercial availability at lower price points. They are usually cultured in freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers, often with many pearls grown in one oyster. They are loved for their variety of natural colours, most typically pastel shades of pink, peach, lavender and white. China is the leading source for freshwater cultured pearls.
Freshwater pearls range in size from 2-3mm up through 11-12mm, with new experimental varities attaining sizes of 14-15mm!