Freshwater cultured Pearls

Abundance In Variety And Beauty

Freshwater cultured pearls are well known for their diverse availability. A traditional pearl is a white-creamy colour. But Freshwater cultured pearls come in a wide range of colour variations. From pink and orange to pastel colours, a freshwater pearl is great for personalised gifts.

Aside from its vast colour variation, freshwater pearls are also an affordable alternative to original Akoya pearls. Freshwater pearls are a budget-friendly option for those who want the sophisticated look of classic pearls but on a broader colour range.China and the US are the leading sources of Freshwater cultured pearls. The gemstones are produced in lakes and ponds. The different colours of a freshwater cultured pearl isn’t a human modification. All the colour tones are achieved naturally where the mollusc’s genetics such as what they eat and its environment directly affect the shade of pearl it creates.

Basic Freshwater Cultured Pearl Qualities

Unlike diamonds, there are technically no pre-defined quality industry standards for pearls. Despite this, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) created a value system to assess the characteristics of a pearl gemstone. The value system evaluates a pearl’s Luster, Surface Quality, Shape, Colour, Nacre Thickness, Size, and Matching.

Lustre:
Luster is the most important quality value of a pearl gemstone. The lustre describes the light reflections on the surface of the stone. The range of lustre starts from Excellent to Poor. An excellent lustre grade can reflect the light in a bright and sharp manner.
Surface Quality:
Blemishes are inevitable with any gemstone. However, when a pearl has too many spots and loses its mirror-like shimmer, its cost value dramatically goes down. A clean, close to blemish-free pearl will be able to give the stone maximum potential for lustre.
Pearls can be found in more shapes than just its traditional round form. Apart from round and near-round stone, a freshwater pearl can also appear as an oval, button, baroque and semi-baroque shape.
Colour:
A freshwater cultured pearl’s body colour is a neutral white cream that is varied in different hues and overtones. The different hues a freshwater cultured pearl can be yellow, orange, pink and purple.
Nacre Thickness:
The nacre of a pearl is the outer casing of the stone. Without the outer casing, the stone not only loses durability but also its potential for maximum lustre. A quality pearl will have a thick nacre to preserve its beauty and value
Size:
Freshwater cultured pearls are roughly the same size as Akoya pearls. The average size range is between 2 mm to 13 mm.
Matching:
A Freshwater cultured pearl’s matching grade isn’t as high as other pearls like the Akoya. Freshwater pearls tend to be less symmetrical than other stones. An earring or ring setting won’t affect the matching factor of a freshwater pearl as much. But the lack of symmetry is more evident in strands of freshwater cultured pearls.

Browse Our Wide Variety Of Impressive Freshwater Cultured Pearl Jewellery

Treat yourself or your loved one to a set of beautiful pearl earrings or a stunning strand of pearls. At GemTrove we only stock the finest quality freshwater cultured pearls in a variety of designer settings.

From freshwater cultured pearl necklaces, pearl earrings to unique pearl rings, view the GemTrove collection online or instore today.
Our jewellery experts are happy to assist you in all your inquiries about pearl quality, buying tips or custom designs. Talk to one of our staff today so you can find the perfect pearl jewellery.