Species of pearls
Nanyang Pearl Nanhai Pearl
All seawater pearls produced in the South Pacific are called Nanyang pearls. Nanyang pearls have different colors such as white, silver and gold, and each has a different origin. Because the colors of Nanyang pearls cultivated by different species of mussels are different, the mussels that cultivate Nanyang pearls are basically large, ranging from 9mm to 16mm, and a few can cultivate Nanyang pearls over 20mm, but the number is very small.
Nanyang pearl is the most expensive pearl in the market, mainly because the cultivation cycle of Nanyang pearl is long, the average cultivation cycle of each pearl is at least 2 years, and the rejection rate after nuclear implantation is high. The flawless quality pearls only account for about 5% of all pearls, so it is not only difficult to find flawless Nanyang pearls, but also the price is usually high. The main producing areas of Nanyang pearls are Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia. Australia is the most important producer of Nanyang pearls in the world. The Nanyang pearls produced in other Southeast Asian countries are mainly silver, while those produced in other Southeast Asian countries are mainly platinum and gold.
black pearl
All dark Nanyang pearls are called black pearls. Black pearl has a unique color and a completely different flavor from Nanyang pearls of other colors. The price of black pearls with good quality and color is not low, and the price of high-quality black pearls even exceeds that of Nanyang pearls with other colors. Black pearls are mainly produced in Porini, that is, Tahiti. More than 90% of the black pearls in the world are produced in Tahiti, with the best quality, so they are also called Tahiti pearls. In addition, the Philippines also produces a small amount of black pearls.
Akoya pearl
In the jewelry market, Akoya pearls are called Japanese pearls, because the Akoya pearls in jewelry stores mainly come from Japan, and the Akoya pearls made in Japan have the best quality. The body color of Japanese beads is white, mostly round. The more perfect the round shape, the higher the price, and the higher the value if it is matched with pink.
Akoya shellfish cultured with Japanese pearls are small in size. Mature Akoya shellfish are about 3 to 5 inches, and the size of cultured pearls ranges from 2mm to 9 mm. Japanese pearls over 9 are expensive and few in quantity. The harvest time of Japanese pearls is usually in the dry months of winter every year, and the breeding period is about one year. The highest quality Japanese pearls only account for about 10% of the total output, so pearls with perfect luster are usually expensive.
fresh water pearl
The pearls cultured by mussels in rivers and lakes are all called freshwater pearls. Because China produces a large number of freshwater pearls at low prices, many people think that freshwater pearls are very cheap. In fact, the price of some special varieties of freshwater pearls is not low. The general size of freshwater pearls is between 2mm and 9mm. Now, due to the successful improvement of aquaculture technology and shellfish varieties in Chinese mainland, freshwater pearls with the size of 15mm have been successfully cultivated, and their size and skin luster are very close to those of Nanyang pearls. In recent years, many people who travel to the mainland have bought Nanyang pearls. Although the price of this freshwater pearl is not low, it is still different from Nanyang pearl, so you should be especially careful when buying it.
The reason why freshwater pearls are cheaper than seawater pearls is mainly because shellfish cultured in freshwater pearls can be harvested within one year, and the same shellfish can be sown many times, and multiple pearls can be cultured at one time, with high success rate, unlike seawater pearls, which can only grow one pearl at a time, and of course the cost is much lower. There are many kinds of freshwater shellfish for cultivating freshwater pearls, so freshwater pearls have more kinds of colors and shapes than seawater pearls. The biggest feature of freshwater pearls is their abundant output and low price. At present, freshwater pearls are mainly produced in China, Japan and Tennessee.
(Excerpt from: Jewelry Boutique Sharing Station)