|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Cultured both in saltwater and freshwater these pearls dominate pearl industry. Indeed, pearls from freshwater mussels lie at the center of the liveliest activity in pearling today. The process of formation of the natural freshwater pearls occur in mussels is similar to that of saltwater pearls in oysters. To culture pearls from freshwater mussels or oysters in saltwater, workers slightly open their shells, cut small slits into the mantle tissue inside both shells, and insert small pieces of live mantle tissue from another mussel or some core into those slits. In freshwater mussels that insertion alone is sufficient to start nacre production. Most cultured freshwater pearls are composed entirely of nacre, just like their natural freshwater and natural saltwater counterparts. Beautiful lustrous pearls can be harvested in this way and sold at affordable prices. Cultured freshwater pearls and saltwater pearls thus help us to meet the ever growing demand for pearls among consumers. These cultured pearls could come in many colors. Usually they are white, sometimes with a creamy or pinkish tinge, but may be tinted with yellow, green, blue, brown, purple, or black. Black pearls, frequently referred to as Black Tahitian Pearls are highly valued because of their rarity; the culturing process for them dictates a smaller volume output and can never be mass produced. This is due to bad health and/or non-survival of the process, rejection of the nucleus (the small object such as a tiny grain of sand inserted by the pearl farmer), and their sensitivity to changing climatic and ocean conditions. Japan was the pioneer in culturing freshwater pearls. The Biwa pearls though no longer in productions are remembered to this day. China came next as the resources came to an end in Japan. Developing the technology in gradual stages China today is a major supplier of freshwater pearls. Some freshwater pearls are produced in America too but these are of interest only for some of the weird shapes available, like pearls that look like wings. Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Please visit author's websites at Fashion Jewelry, Costume Jewelry & Pearl Jewelry, Pearl Jewelry and Pearl Necklaces.
|
 RSS Feeds by Category |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
