Identifying The Difference Between South Sea And Freshwater Pearl

Identifying The Difference Between South Sea And Freshwater Pearl

Pearls gemstone is some of the most beautiful natural stones that are found in this world. Unlike any other kind of gemstone that is produced naturally in the bowels of the earth, the pearls are biologically formed when some kind of irritant or speck of dust enters the body of an oyster. 

Pearls are associated with Moon and therefore wearing them can bestow a woman with beauty, intuition, creative imagination and true elegance. 

When you are looking to buy a pearl or a Moti stone, you are likely to find yourself in a position where you may need to choose between pearls obtained from various sources. For instance, a store offering high-quality pearls can present you with south sea pearls and freshwater pearls. 

Therefore, you need to understand the primary differences between these various types of pearls so that you can buy the best quality products.   

      

So let’s have a closer look at the various kinds of pearls you can choose from.

South Sea Pearls

The South Sea pearl is named in such a way because they are farmed in large deposits of Saltwater. They are grown inside the Pinctada maxima which is a really large variant of oyster shell. These oyster shells are primarily produced in the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, and French Polynesia.   

They are incredibly valuable and a lot of factors are responsible for enhancing their importance in the eyes of the buyers. Some of them are mentioned below. 

• A Pinctada maxima oyster needs to reach a minimum age of 3 to 4 years before the necessary steps can be taken to create a pearl.
• The seeding of Pinctada maxima oyster functions as a surgical procedure that must be performed by a technician with a lot of experience.  
• Every single oyster generally only produces one single pearl. However, in some cases, some of the oysters can be seeded with the irritant twice.
• Each of the South Sea pearls usually takes up to anywhere between 2 to 3 years for proper growth.
• These pearls usually range from about 8mm to 22mm in size.
• The color of the South Sea pearls may vary a lot and is typically determined by the overall nacre secreted by an oyster. The color and hue of the pearl is something that is completely decided by nature. The pearl might take on any kind of shade or color within the oyster’s shell. However, its color cannot be predetermined or predicted until it is harvested. For this reason, it usually takes a lot of time to come up with a strand of perfectly matched pearls.

The Tahitian pearls are produced using the same method as the South Sea pearls. A type of black-lipped oyster called Pinctada margaritifera is used for growing the Tahitian pearls. The color that is dominant in the inner parts of the oyster commonly determines the look and color of the Grey and black Tahitian pearls.

The Tahitian pearls get their name from Tahiti, although the location where these pearls are mainly produced in the French Polynesian waters. The value of South Sea pearls is usually decided on by their rarity. Less than five percent of all the Tahitian pearls that are produced are considered to be of gem quality.

Fresh Water Pearls

Freshwater pearl products are mainly farmed in China. Unlike the South Sea pearls that are grown in oysters, the freshwater pearls are grown in mussels. These pearls grow naturally in Margaritifera mussels. Even though these mussels can live for more than 200 years, this species is now considered endangered. 

In China, the production of the freshwater pearls takes place in Hyriopsiscumingii which is a type of triangle shell mussel. The nucleus functions as a living mantle. A number of factors have led to these pearls being cheaply priced than the South Sea pearls.

• One single specimen of freshwater pearl mussel can produce up to fifty pearls each and every time.
• The pearls are generally smaller in size.
• These pearls are left in water only for a maximum period of 6 months.
• While the color and hue of the pearls is mostly determined by the interiors of a mussel, dyeing the pearls after being harvested is a common practice these days as it can greatly improve their color. 

Buying The Best Pearls 

When you are looking to buy pearls online, it is very important that you select a store carefully so that you only get top-grade products for your own use. This is true whether you intend to buy loose pieces of pearls or get pearl jewelry items. The store you select to buy pearls should be able to provide you with high-quality South Sea pearls and freshwater pearls in a number of different colors. This can help you to find products that can definitely surpass your expectations and bring you value for money.