Freshwater and sea pearls. Freshwater or freshwater pearls

Freshwater pearls are a gift of nature that makes the world more beautiful. Pearl jewelry will decorate any woman, giving her a touch of charm, brilliance, elegance, uniqueness, charm, and splendor. Pearls are used to embroider clothes, decorate icons, decorative elements, and interior decoration.

freshwater pearls

How are pearls formed?

River pearls, like sea pearls, are formed in the shell of a mollusk, but fresh water is used for this. Once a grain of sand enters a shell, nacre is deposited around it. This process takes several years. Pearls turn out fragile and thin. It comes in white, black, yellow, green and blue. You can even find 12–16 pearls in one shell.

Freshwater pearls are mined in Russia, the USA, and Germany. The largest producer is China.

What is the difference between pearls from the sea and rivers?

There are two types of pearls - river and sea. They are slightly different from each other, but both are beautiful and valuable. The differences are as follows:

• Form. Sea pearls have a more regular, round shape, while river pearls can be in the shape of an oval, drop, pear, button, or baroque.
• Size. Freshwater pearls are smaller in size than saltwater pearls.
• Shine. A river pearl has a duller, matte shine, while sea pearls have a brighter shine. Salt water gives the pearl its luster from the sea.
• Price. Sea pearls are much more expensive because they take longer to grow and require more production.
• Color. Sea pearls have more bright colors and is more often found in different colors. But pearls from the river can shimmer in different shades.
• Operation. River pearls wear out less, they are durable, therefore stronger and more practical. Maintain their appearance. The pearl coating of a sea pearl wears off over time.

Sea pearls are also different in that if you cut them, we will see the core inside, while river pearls will see a grain of sand, since they are grown using nuclear-free technology.

It is impossible to say for sure which pearls are better. If you want pearls that are cheaper and more durable, choose pearls from the river, but if they are brighter and more expensive, then sea pearls will suit you. Either way, both looks are gorgeous and unique.

Jewelry made from river pearls and their magic

One of the popular jewelry made from river pearls is a necklace. Jewelers select pearls by size and color. Nowadays asymmetry has come into fashion, so it has become easier for craftsmen to create masterpieces. Pearls can be of different colors and shapes, which allows you to make interesting jewelry.

Freshwater pearls in earrings, bracelets, and necklaces are harmoniously combined with gold and have a high cost. Products in silver are cheaper.

Freshwater pearls in a shell

Wedding jewelry made of pearls has delicacy, beauty and elegance, and also emphasizes the innocence and purity of the bride. For a wedding you can wear earrings, a tiara, beads, pearls or a set of products. And in ancient Rus' a rich groom gave the bride a string of pearls as a symbol of fidelity and happiness.

Freshwater pearl jewelry is universal; it goes with any outfit or look. Chic pearl ensembles will decorate your evening outfit. Small, delicate products are suitable for business and everyday wear.

In order for freshwater pearls to serve you for a long time, take care of them and care for them:

• After wearing, it is recommended to clean the pearls, wipe them with a damp cloth, dry them and only then hide them in a separate and spacious box.
• Put on jewelry after applying cosmetics, perfume, and nail polish. Avoid getting them on the pearls.
• Do not leave the product in the sun or heat, the pearls may crack.
• Protect freshwater pearls from acids and chemicals.
• Avoid smoky rooms, as yellowing may form on the pearls.
• Pearls do not like dryness, so make sure there is enough moisture.
• Pearl jewelry can be cleaned using a shampoo solution olive oil or starch. To do this, soak a cotton pad in the solution and wipe the product with it, then wipe them and dry them with a napkin.

Freshwater pearls are endowed with magical properties:

1. Gives the owner longevity.
2. He is the patron of love. It helps to maintain fidelity, happiness, get rid of scandals and quarrels. It makes a woman tender and modest.

Pearls will not help people who have cheated on their significant other, those who change their place of residence, or who do not like children.

Jewelry made from freshwater pearls is suitable for the water signs of the zodiac, will help Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio, have a beneficial effect on their lives, and fill them with energy. For Aquarius, pearls will become a talisman, giving them love and happiness. Pearls will also help the other signs of the zodiac, but at the same time they will give less energy.

The pearls from the river are the most beautiful precious stones organic nature. They attract with brilliance, elegance, and playful shades. The magic that pearls possess allows you to protect and strengthen your family, love, fidelity and health.

Pearl is a unique stone that does not require processing or cutting, unlike ordinary gems. The peculiarity of pearls is that they are reproduced by a living organism, and not by nature. There is always a lot of speculation and controversy surrounding this popular gift of nature. The site will tell you how sea pearls differ from river pearls. And is it worth arguing which one is better?

Types of pearls

Pearls are classified according to the type of production. natural (wild), which is formed without human intervention, and cultured on oyster farms. You can read about the difference between them in our article.

Divided by place of cultivation nautical And river pearl.

Since 1952, the extraction of natural pearls has been prohibited due to excessive shellfish hunting. Today they are grown on special farms

Sea and river pearls: how they are grown

Pearls are formed in Pinctada or Pteria mollusks, which live in sea or river water. This is the basis for the division into river and sea origin. The birth of a stone is the result of the mollusk protecting itself from a foreign object, which is gradually overgrown with nacre.

Growing stages:

Introduction of mother-of-pearl beads into a mollusk.

Place in a body of water with ideal pH and temperature.

During the growing process, the pearls are turned over to create the most ideal shape possible.

The wait for sea pearls can take about three years, for river pearls - about two.

Saltwater cultured pearls produced by introducing a small ball into the gonads (reproductive organs) of the mollusk. Over time, a layer of nacre forms around the implant, with which the oyster tries to insulate it. The longer the ball is in her body, the thicker the layer of nacre appears around it, and the higher the quality of the pearl. A thin layer of mother-of-pearl can be obtained within 4-8 months of “maturation”, and in 1.5-2 years a beautiful deep mother-of-pearl is formed around the ball. 1-3 pearls are removed from one pearl shell.

Cross-section of Zhemuzhiny

freshwater pearls created by introducing an implant not into the gonads, but into the mantle of the mollusk. Thus, one mussel can grow 12-20 pearls at once. These pearls grow in fresh river or lake water and in former rice fields in China that are flooded. There is a microclimate that is comfortable for mollusks, in which they multiply quickly.

Farmers constantly monitor water temperature, composition and pH. During the ripening process, shellfish pearls must be turned over from time to time.

Price

Sea pearls are more expensive, although the layer of mother-of-pearl on its surface is thinner. This is influenced by growing conditions: in the open sea it is more difficult to protect mollusks from changes in water temperature and storms. About three mother-of-pearl cores can be placed in a shell. Also, the price of sea pearls is high due to their external properties.

Mother of pearl layer

Sea pearls: thin coating: in 1.5 years it can grow only 1.5-2 mm.
Freshwater pearls: may consist almost entirely of mother-of-pearl.

Shine

Sea pearls: gloss, shimmer in the light.
Freshwater pearls: a kind of matte and duller surface, subdued shine.

Salt water contains an alkali, conchiolin, which affects the layer of nacre, constantly “polishing” the surface of the pearl.

Color

Sea pearls: variety of species in rich shades; uniform color.
Freshwater pearls: pastel palette, less intense color palette: cream, lavender.

Shades of Tahitian, Southern and Freshwater pearls

Surface

Sea pearls: smooth, round: the layer of mother-of-pearl is thinner than that of freshwater pearls.
Freshwater pearls: rougher texture and thicker layer of mother-of-pearl.

Form

Sea pearls: spherical, baroque, drop.
Freshwater pearls: oval, elongated.

Interesting: In freshwater pearls, the seed is placed on an initially irregularly shaped piece of mantle. Sometimes the pearl is re-placed into the mollusk for alignment, enveloping it with a layer of mantle. About 2% of river pearls become round.

Size

Sea pearls: various sizes from 6 to 18 mm.
Freshwater pearls: specimens up to 7 mm in diameter.

Durability

Sea pearls: a thin layer of mother-of-pearl wears out with constant use, the stone loses its shine and after years the friction points of the beads become dull.
freshwater pearls has higher wear resistance due to the dense layer of mother-of-pearl.

How to distinguish sea pearls from river pearls

Firstly, it is absolutely impossible to do this from a photo. You need to be a specialist with many years of experience and a well-trained eye or a very experienced buyer to be able to compare and evaluate the difference even in person. Honest jewelry stores always indicate the origin of the pearls. Trying pearls on your teeth in a store to feel the notorious pegs is also not a good idea. When purchasing, the advice to rub the pebbles against each other is highly questionable. So it is almost impossible to distinguish freshwater pearls from sea pearls in a store. This requires an endoscope or a cross-sectional view of the pearls.

Which pearl is better

In sea pearls, the layer of nacre is much thinner, otherwise the price is higher. In river it is more durable, because the growing process occurs faster. Freshwater pearls are less finicky to care for, while sea pearls require especially careful care. It is not suitable for frequent wear and wears out quickly, although it surpasses the river specimen in shine and often in shape. What is more significant and important is up to you to choose.

If you don’t have pearls in your collection yet, take a look at the website’s catalog to find your jewelry treasure.

Many people know that pearls come in two varieties - sea and river (or freshwater). The first one is grown in salty sea ​​water, and for the formation of the second type, fresh river water is needed. In order to know the difference between river and sea pearls, you should study the main characteristics of each.

Saltwater pearls cost much more than freshwater pearls, so it is important to be able to distinguish one variety from another so as not to purchase a fake. The difference in price is explained by the fact that growing sea pearls is much more difficult than river pearls. In addition, each mollusk shell can contain no more than one pearl - two or more are extremely rare. Whereas for freshwater pearls, the norm is the presence of more than a dozen pearls in each shell.

Comparison

In order to distinguish sea and river pearls from each other, you should pay attention to their main characteristics.

Shine

A sea pearl shines much brighter than a river pearl. Its shine is much stronger, while the shine of freshwater pearls is dull and muted. This is the main difference between the varieties of pearls.

Form

In the vast majority of cases, freshwater pearls have an irregular shape. It is somewhat oblong and oval. Sea pearls are characterized by a perfectly smooth round shape. The exception to this rule is baroque pearls.

Price

The difference in price between freshwater and sea pearls has its own explanation. Sea pearls cost owners of specialized cultivation farms several times more than river pearls. In addition, growing sea pearls is a longer process, which, accordingly, requires more maintenance and care costs.

Operation

Freshwater pearls are less susceptible to abrasion than sea pearls, so freshwater pearls are more practical for everyday use as jewelry. Despite the fact that it is paler, the layers of nacre in freshwater pearls are stronger than in sea pearls, which lose the upper layers during use. However, the manner of wearing and proper care– It is believed that to maintain an attractive appearance, pearls need contact with human skin.

Color

Sea pearls have unique shades much more often, which cannot be said about freshwater pearls. It is difficult to find pure bright colors. At the same time, freshwater pearls are practically never found in black or bright pink, while sea pearls are rarely found in bluish or greenish colors, with an obligatory tint and tint. This is another indicator of how river pearls differ from sea pearls.

Since freshwater pearls are usually smaller than sea pearls, they are very rarely used as a separate piece of jewelry. Since ancient times, its use as beads has been popular for creating entire panels and lining the dresses of the nobility, while the sea pearl, large and attractive in itself, serves as a central element along with precious stones.

There are cases when, due to the irregular shape of river pearls, they were valued more than sea pearls, since mystical properties and abilities were attributed to them.

Since ancient times, the sophistication of pearl products has amazed and captivated the eyes of men and women. Mysterious birth pearls made the jewel one of the most mysterious. Magic properties Not all representatives of the fair sex can master pearls, because only a strong, self-confident girl can cope with them.

Pearl is born in a very unusual way - in the shell of a mollusk. Getting into the sink foreign body simply becomes overgrown with mother-of-pearl, becoming a real pearl. However, not many people know that not only sea mollusks can create pearls, but also river mollusks. Freshwater or river pearls are very different from sea pearls, and the difference is not only in price:

• A pearl born in the sea shines much brighter due to the high salt content in the water

• The color of freshwater pearl will be less pronounced, while sea pearl will be white as snow.
• The shape of a sea pearl is always extremely round, while a river pearl can have oval shape and be extremely uneven.

Of course, freshwater pearls are not as attractive as sea pearls, but they still have their value and beauty, unlike cheap fake jewelry. How to distinguish cultured pearls from artificial ones?

How to distinguish fake pearls?

There are many different methods for detecting counterfeit. By resorting to basic tests, you can distinguish a fake from a piece of jewelry.

• It is often recommended to try pearls “for the tooth”. A real jewel will creak in your mouth.

• Having rubbed natural pearls, dust will form between them, but fake pearls will damage each other.

• Having tried on this product, you will feel a slight coolness even on the hottest and stuffiest day. The fake decoration will not show itself in any way and will rather be at room temperature.

• Of course, an x-ray will help to 100% accurately determine the naturalness of a pearl jewelry, which will see the contents of the pearl.

• Real cultured pearls, unlike fake ones, cannot have a perfectly flat and smooth surface; on the contrary, each pearl is unique, has roughness, abrasions, uneven edges and individual shine.

• Natural cultured pearls glow green under ultraviolet rays. The artificial one does not glow at all.

• You can distinguish black pearls from fakes using the following methods. Also pay attention to the edges of the drilled hole of the bead; a smooth and even edge is a sign of a fake.

You can purchase products with real pearls by visiting the online store of natural precious and ornamental stones in St. Petersburg. Here you will find a wide selection of jewelry inlaid with precious gems and minerals, learn how to distinguish natural pearls from artificial ones (photo), how to choose a talisman stone and choose an amulet that attracts money!