Freshwater Pearl Necklace

What should you know about a freshwater pearl necklace? First consider what exactly a peal is. A pearl is a hard and round object that is produced with the assistance of a living mollusk. The hard-shelled mollusk produces a peal within its soft tissue, creating a ball of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form. While the most popular pearl is certainly a round and smooth one, there are actually a variety of pearl shapes that are made.

For generations upon generations, pearls have been renowned for their quality. Not only have they been used for the making of a freshwater pearl necklace, but have also been used for makeup and cosmetics and other pieces of jewelry. For many years pearls have been viewed as gemstones and as something heavenly. They have also been appreciated for their symbolism as a fine pearl can be used to represent something unblemished and innocent. It's not necessarily a myth that round pearls develop naturally. Pearls can develop naturally but they are very rare. Most pearls that are sold today are "cultured pearls", meaning that the pearl formation is influenced by man, probably by directly inserting an object inside the mollusk.

What is the difference between pearls straight from the sea and freshwater pearls? You will notice that some necklaces are identified as freshwater pearl necklace products. What is the difference in price and in quality? Both of these pearl types actually look quite similar. It's just the source of the pearl that is different. Natural freshwater pearls are formulated in various species of freshwater mussels. These sources could be anything from lakes, rivers, ponds or other small water bodies where mollusks live.

Saltwater pearls however, grow within pearl oysters, a different family of mollusk. You are comparing the pearls as produced by two different families of mollusk: unionidae and pteriidae. The pteriidae and saltwater pearls live only in ocean waters. Sometimes this "high class" of mollusk is cultivated in protected lagoons. Freshwater pearls used in the making of a freshwater pearl necklace can be formed in hotter climates as well as colder climates.

Pearls from the ocean are usually highly valued, even more so than freshwater pearls. Something about the essence of the ocean attracts pearl admirers, not to mention the higher quality of pearl produced by the pteriidae. The good news is that these freshwater pearls are less expensive then oceanic pearls. For more information on finding a freshwater pearl necklace, visit freshwater pearl retailers online.