How Are Freshwater Pearls Cultured?
Many cultured pearls, namely Akoya pearls, are cultured using a method called bead-nucleation, but Freshwater pearls are created using a grafting method. First, a suitable 6-12 month old freshwater mussel is chosen as a donor and a strip of tissue is cut from the mantle. The tissue is then divided into squares measuring 3.00mm and transported to a technician. Creating a tiny incision in the upper valve, the technician inserts the tissue into the valve, sometimes adding a small twist in the tissue to create a rounder pearl. After the upper valve is filled with tissue pieces, the mussel is then stuffed with the tissue grafts on the lower valve of the shell. These little pieces of tissues eventually become pearls. In the past, mussels, particularly the cockscomb mussles, were grafted with up to 50 pieces of tissue but now, using the triangle shell mussel, technicians only insert 24-32 pieces of tissue per mussel as this method has proved to produce higher quality pearls.

Beautiful Freshwater Cultured Pearls
Freshwater pearls are the most durable pearl and usually the least expensive and are therefore ideal for everyday jewelry. The near-round shape is great for strands and rings. The fancy oblong shape is best for pendants and dangly earrings because the shape tends to elongate the next. Button shape is ideal for stud earrings. Check out our great selection of high quality fresh water pearls.

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